Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde, Kevin Sweeney, and Bryan Fischer update their NCAA Tournament brackets, previewing exciting Sweet 16 matchups and making their picks for the Final Four in Indianapolis. Key games like St. John's vs. Duke, Arizona vs. Arkansas, and Houston vs. Illinois are highlighted, with analysis on potential upsets and championship contenders.
Sports Illustrated 's Pat Forde, Kevin Sweeney, and Bryan Fischer have reevaluated their NCAA tournament brackets and made their predictions for the journey to the Final Four in Indianapolis. The Sweet 16 promises thrilling matchups and potential upsets, offering a glimpse into the teams that could contend for the national championship. St. John’s faces a formidable challenge against Duke, needing to execute their shots effectively to advance.
A Black Friday football-like showdown between Iowa and Nebraska is also anticipated, adding intensity to a rivalry known for its underlying animosity. The Arizona-Arkansas and Houston-Illinois games are highlighted as pivotal Sweet 16 battles, with the victor from each potentially having the firepower to win it all. Iowa State's performance without Joshua Jefferson against Kentucky demonstrated their resilience, but his return would be crucial for their chances against Tennessee in a physically demanding contest. The level of play so far has been fantastic. \My initial hesitation towards Michigan has lessened after observing their performance in Buffalo during the first round, bringing me exceedingly close to selecting them as my national title pick. However, the East Regional is stacked, and I now predict Arizona will emerge from the opposite side of the bracket, bringing the title back to the West after a long drought. The South region presents the most complex scenario, with the Illinois-Houston game seemingly a play-in for the Final Four. I was particularly impressed with Illinois's showing in Greenville, South Carolina, and I give them a slight advantage against a team that will essentially be playing on their home turf. Regardless of the teams that ultimately reach the Final Four, the second weekend's competition guarantees captivating basketball. Prior to the tournament, the South region was the most unpredictable. I replaced Houston with Illinois. The region looked promising for the Cougars, but Illinois is playing exceptional basketball. They possess the necessary talent to upset Houston in the Sweet 16 and potentially reach their first Final Four since 2005. The game against Purdue is exciting in the Elite Eight. Beyond that, the tournament is going as expected: Duke and Michigan should face tests this weekend, but both are likely to survive and advance to Indianapolis.\Bryan Fischer is a staff writer at Sports Illustrated, specializing in college sports. He joined the SI team in October 2024, bringing experience from nearly two decades at FOX Sports, NBC Sports, and CBS Sports. Fischer is a member of the Football Writers Association of America’s All-America Selection Committee and a Heisman Trophy voter. He has been recognized for investigative journalism by the Associated Press Sports Editors and FWAA and holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from USC. Kevin Sweeney, also a staff writer at Sports Illustrated, concentrates on college basketball and the NBA Draft. He is also an analyst for The Field of 68. Sweeney is a graduate of Northwestern and a voter for the Naismith Trophy. He is also a member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). Pat Forde, a senior writer at Sports Illustrated, covers college football and basketball, the Olympics, and horse racing. Forde cohosts the College Football Enquirer podcast and serves as a football analyst on the Big Ten Network. His previous experience includes roles at Yahoo Sports, ESPN, and The (Louisville) Courier-Journal. Forde has received 28 Associated Press Sports Editors writing contest awards, has been featured in the Best American Sports Writing book series three times, and was nominated for the 1990 Pulitzer Prize. A former president of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association and a member of the Football Writers Association of America, Forde resides in Louisville with his wife. Their three children were all collegiate swimmers
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