Lato’s Lens: Who’s Hot, Who’s Not – Sweet 16 Edition

As has been the case since the beginning, March Madness is in full swing! 

For the first time since 2007, the Sweet 16 of the men’s tournament will have no team seeded 11 or higher—a major disappointment for some. However, this only means one thing: the big dogs are still out to play. 

Florida. Auburn. Duke. Houston. Every one-seed in each region of the bracket is still vying for their chance at college basketball glory. There are also several other top-seeded teams still alive, setting the stage for an intense Sweet 16. 

I, myself, have religiously paid attention to this tournament, causing my opinions to vary on several of the remaining teams. Some of them have convinced me that they’re genuine contenders for a national championship. Others, well, have not. Let’s take a look at who’s hot and who’s not as we head into the Sweet 16 on Thursday. 

Who’s Hot? 

Arkansas (West region) 

Second-seeded St. John’s resurgence on the big stage ended on Saturday at the mercy of No. 10 Arkansas by a 75–66 margin—a stunning upset, to say the least. Though head coach John Calipari’s Razorbacks are coming off a subpar and rollercoaster regular season, the No. 10 seed in the West Region is heating up at just the right time. The Razorbacks’ wins against St. John’s and the No. 7 seed Kansas showcase what they’re truly capable of, and I would not be surprised in the slightest if Calipari’s squad won some hardware in the coming weeks. 

Florida (West region) 

After a crushing defeat of Norfolk State in the round of 64, No. 1 Florida overcame adversity to defeat the defending two-time national champion’s, UConn, 77–75 in the second round of the tournament. The Gators rallied back from several second-half deficits to take a late lead over the Huskies, clinging on to win the game. However, what caught my eye in this Florida victory was guard Walter Clayton Jr., who I believe is the best guard in all of college basketball. Clayton Jr.’s performance was nonetheless impressive, hitting several clutch shots as the shot clock wound down to keep the Gators in the game. His teammates Will Richard and Alijah Martin are among the best in college basketball as well, and their ability to make several shots while being smothered by the opposing defense is something I found incredible. Their Sweet 16 matchup against Maryland is a must-watch. 

Duke (East region) 

No. 1 Duke has lived up to the hype. It’s easy for a team that possesses such high expectations for success to fold come March. However, the Blue Devils have done the mere opposite. In a second-round game against No. 9 seed Baylor, who won the Big Dance in 2021, projected top draft pick Cooper Flagg and his Blue Devil teammates pummeled the opposing Bears in 89–66 fashion, hushing all Duke-haters alas. Teammates Tyrese Proctor, Khaman Maluach and Kon Knueppel are all playing their best basketball right now, supplementing Flagg’s play like bread and butter. The Duke train is rolling, and there are very few teams that can stop it. 

Who’s Not? 

Michigan (South region) 

Every Michigan performance thus far has been hard to watch. Although the Big Ten Tournament Champions and No. 5 seeded Wolverines possess some of the best players in college basketball—Vlad Goldin, Danny Wolf and Roddy Gayle Jr.—they also showcase inconsistency on both sides of the ball as well as a tendency to turn the ball over rather frequently. The Wolverines currently average 13.9 turnovers per game compared to their opponents’ 11.2, according to ESPN, which could be a huge problem down the stretch if the Wolverines can’t fix this. 

Houston (Midwest region) 

Although the Houston Cougars have been a household name in college basketball in recent years under the reign of head coach Kelvin Sampson, the school has yet to win a national championship. Despite several number one rankings year in and year out, the Cougars have almost routinely fallen short when it matters the most. Combined with their current offensive inconsistencies and apparent late-game woes displayed in their matchup with Gonzaga, this may be a recipe for disaster for the top-seeded Cougars. Not to mention, No. 4 Purdue is seeking vengeance after their runner-up finish in the championship last year, adding fuel to this Sweet 16 showdown. 

Maryland (West region) 

I’m not sold on this Maryland team at all. Despite Big Ten Freshman of the Year Derik Queen’s buzzer-beater to oust No. 12 Colorado State in their second-round matchup, the Terps struggled defensively and trailed the Rams throughout the entirety of the game. It often looked like the Terps were outworked, getting dominated in the paint and outrebounded by a 13–8 margin in the first half. The Terrapins are now facing off against the scorching-hot No. 1 Florida Gators, headed by none other than Walter Clayton Jr. If they start this game similarly to the Colorado State game, one can only imagine what will happen.