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The March Madness tournament will resume on Thursday, 28 March, for the Sweet 16.
The first round saw plenty of upsets, like Auburn and Kentucky going down. However, the second round saw higher seeds advancing, as all four No. 1 seeds were into the Sweet 16.
With 16 teams left, let's re-rank them based on who has the best chance of winning the NCAA Tournament.
Ranking Sweet 16 teams by odds to win 2024 NCAA championship
#16, NC State
NC State has had a nice run in the Sweet 16. The Wolfpack won the ACC Tournament to get into March Madness.
NC State beat Texas Tech and then Oakland but has to play Marquette in the Sweet 16, which could pose some problems for the Wolfpack.
#15, San Diego State
San Diego State surprisingly made it to the national championship game last year and is back in the Sweet 16.
However, the Aztecs will play UConn in the Sweet 16, the toughest matchup for anyone. That's why San Diego State is ranked 15th on this list.
#14, Clemson
Many thought No. 5 seed Clemson Tigers would lose to No. 11 seed New Mexico in the first round. But Clemson blew them out and beat Baylor to prove them wrong.
However, the Tigers have to play Arizona in the Sweet 16. They are ranked 14th, as beating the Wildcats will be tough.
#13, Gonzaga
Gonzaga has had a very up-and-down season and was a bubble team to make the tournament. After making the tournament, Gonzaga beat McNeese and then dominated Kansas. But the Tigers will be going up against No. 1 seed Purdue.
Defending Purdue and Zach Edey will be too much for Gonzaga in the Sweet 16.
#12, Alabama
The Alabama Crimson Tide beat Charleston and Grand Canyon in their first two games.
However, Alabama plays North Carolina in the Sweet 16, which is not a good matchup for the Tar Heels as UNC can defend Alabama.
#11, Illinois
The Illinois Fighting Illini have made easy work of their two games in March Madness. But in the Sweet 16, the Fighting Illini play Iowa State. Should Illinois win that, the Fighting Illini will have to play UConn. So their path to the title is tough.
#10, Duke
The Duke Blue Devils entered the NCAA Tournament with plenty of questions, but their rout of James Madison helped answer those in the second round.
But the Blue Devils will now face Houston, a terrible matchup for Duke.
#9, Creighton
Creighton is set to take on Tennessee in the Sweet 16, a tough matchup for the Bluejays. Creighton's defense has been up-and-down all season. They must play their best game to defend Dalton Knecht and the Vols' offense.
#8, Iowa State
Iowa State has proven they can hang with the best teams in the nation, as the Cyclones beat Houston in the Big 12 Championship.
Iowa State is among the hottest teams in the nation. However, it will play Illinois and then UConn, which makes their path to the title tough.
#7, Marquette
Marquette will play their third straight double-digit seed, as the Golden Eagles play NC State in the Sweet 16. It's a favorable matchup for Marquette, who should at least get to the Elite Eight.
#6, Arizona
The Arizona Wildcats played a different brand of basketball to beat Dayton, who showed their ability to win in different ways. The Wildcats play Clemson in the Sweet 16.
#5, Tennessee
Tennessee did not play well against Texas but did enough to advance, which is all that matters in the NCAA Tournament.
The Vols were a trendy pick to win the entire tournament. If they can get past Creighton, Tennesee plays well on both ends of the court and can shut down any team left in the tournament.
#4, Houston
The Houston Cougars barely got past Texas A&M but that was a good lesson for the team.
Houston is favored to beat Duke and then play the winner of NC State vs. Marquette.
#3, North Carolina
The North Carolina Tar Heels are playing some of their best basketball of the season.
They should be able to cruise past Alabama and get the winner of Clemson vs. Arizona.
#2, Purdue
The Purdue Boilermakers should cruise to a win over Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 and match up well against the Creighton-Tennessee winner. The Boilermakers have a solid path to qualify for the national championship game.
#1, UConn
The UConn Huskies are the favorites to win the NCAA Tournament. They are the most well-rounded team and look poised to repeat as champs.
