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NCAA Sweet 16: Upsets Shake Up Brackets
23 Mar
Summary
- Florida's defense of title ended with an upset by Iowa.
- All top seeds are not guaranteed a Final Four appearance.
- Staff predictions favor Nebraska over Iowa in South Region.
The Men's NCAA Tournament has already delivered significant surprises, most notably No. 9 Iowa's upset victory over the defending champion Florida Gators. This dramatic turn of events has ended any possibility of a Final Four composed entirely of No. 1 seeds, injecting considerable unpredictability into the remaining games.
As the tournament advances to the Sweet 16, basketball analysts and staff from USA TODAY Sports have shared their predictions for the upcoming matchups. These expert picks offer guidance, but the early rounds have demonstrated that upsets are a distinct possibility, keeping fans on the edge of their seats.
The Sweet 16 schedule features several compelling games across four regions. Notably, No. 4 Nebraska faces off against No. 9 Iowa in the South Region, with most experts favoring Nebraska. In the West Region, No. 2 Purdue is predicted to advance over No. 11 Texas, while No. 1 Arizona is expected to overcome No. 4 Arkansas.
The Midwest Region will see No. 4 Alabama play No. 1 Michigan, with Michigan heavily favored. Another intriguing matchup pits No. 2 Iowa State against No. 6 Tennessee. In the East Region, No. 1 Duke is predicted to defeat No. 5 St. John's, and No. 2 UConn is favored against No. 3 Michigan State.
