1. Which Sweet 16 matchup are you most looking forward to watching?

Mitch Light: There are a bunch of good ones, but I’m interested in the Duke vs. Arizona game in Anaheim. There’s star power with Arizona’s Derrick Williams and Duke’s Nolan Smith — two All-Americans — and then there is the Kyrie Irving storyline: How much of an impact will he have on the game? I think the key will be Williams vs. the Duke front line. He will need to have a monster game for Arizona to move on.

Nathan Rush: BYU-Florida will either be Jimmer Fredette’s final college contest or a repeat of last year’s first-round upset — when the Jimmer scored 37 points while leading the Cougars to a 99–92 double-overtime victory in Oklahoma City. I don’t know which one it will be, but I expect Jimmer to go out in style — the Naismith Player of the Year Award finalist is averaging 37 points, 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds over his last four games.

Braden Gall: BYU and Florida. This Gators team is big inside, has veteran guards and an extraordinary coach. And don’t forget about the extremely versatile Chandler Parsons, the SEC Player of the Year. Jimmer-mania got the Cougars out of the first weekend — something I did not anticipate, I will admit. So I won’t miss any game with Fredette — especially since it will be his last. Patric Young is playing the best ball of his young career. The Gators have too much interior size.

2. What National Championship matchup would you most like to see?

Mitch: A Butler vs. Duke rematch would be wild, but I don’t believe that will happen. I will be boring and go with Ohio State vs. Kansas. These were the two best teams for the majority of the season, and I would love to see them play each other for a national title.

Nathan: Ohio State and Kansas are the two best teams. And since North Carolina and Duke can’t meet in the title game, I’ll go with the top two rosters. But I do wish the Tar Heels and Blue Devils could go toe-to-toe with everything on the line. Maybe one day. If so, I want Gus Johnson on the mic.

Braden: North Carolina v. Kansas would certainly have some storylines. Florida and Kentucky would too. But Duke vs. Ohio State would be my pick. I think they are the best two teams in the nation, and I would love to see them battle it out in Houston — it just won’t be in the title game.

3. Which team are you most surprised is not playing this weekend?

Mitch: Well, anytime a No. 1 seed doesn’t make it to the Sweet 16 it’s a surprise, so Pitt is one answer. But I’m more surprised that Texas will not be playing in the Sweet 16. I really thought Rick Barnes’ team was ready for deep run. This edition of the Longhorns had enough talent to win a national championship, but they simply didn’t make the smart plays in crunch time against Arizona. Major disappointment.

Nathan: Rick Barnes did it again. Every year, I take Texas too far in my bracket. I was feeling pretty good when Cory Joseph prepared to inbound the ball with a 69–67 lead over Arizona and 14.5 seconds on the clock. Then, a failed timeout call and controversial five-second violation resulted in an opportunity for Pac-10 Player of the Year Derrick Williams to make a hero play, which he did. The rest is busted bracket history. But look out for the Longhorns next year; I’ll probably pick them to make the Final Four and maybe even win it all.

Braden: I am sure Texas would get a lot of votes, but the Horns consistently underachieve in the tourney (I had Zona). My pick is Notre Dame. A veteran, defensive-minded team that can shoot the lights out? There is no way that team should have been knocked out — especially the way they were.

4. If you were an A.D. and had a job opening, which coach would be higher on your wish list: VCU’s Shaka Smart or Richmond’s Chris Mooney?

Mitch: Mooney. Smart has done a great job guiding VCU to the Sweet 16, but he’s only been a head coach for two seasons and he didn’t recruit the key players on this team. And don’t forget, VCU lost its last four CAA regular-season games when it was — we thought — playing for its NCAA Tournament life. The sample size of Mooney’s work, however, is far greater. He went 18–12 in his lone season at Air Force (2004-05) and has built Richmond into a consistent winner. The Spiders have reached the NCAA Tournament in two straight seasons — which isn’t easy to do coming out of the A-10.

Nathan: I’ll go with the “Havoc Ball” full-court defensive pressure and fast-breaking offensive style of VCU’s Shaka Smart. Like his predecessor at VCU, current Alabama coach Anthony Grant, Smart coached under two-time national champion Florida coach Billy Donovan — who is the star of Rick Pitino’s extensive coaching tree — before arriving in the Commonwealth. I’d hire Smart, a coach cut from the Donovan-Pitino mold, over Mooney, a former wedding planner with a Princeton pace. But make no mistake, neither the Rams nor Spiders would be in the Sweet 16 without their top-flight point guards — Joey Rodriguez and Kevin Anderson.

Braden: Unfortunately, we just don’t know enough about Shaka Smart. Mooney has a much longer track record and built this Spiders squad himself. He has increased his win total four years in a row, building to this tournament. And his team took advantage by making it to the second weekend. Smart certainly looks the part, but Anthony Grant deserves most of the credit for the construction of this VCU team.

5. Who will win the national title?

Mitch: I’ll stick with Ohio State, my pick before the NCAA Tournament. There are plenty of teams that can beat Ohio State, but the Buckeyes are the best team in the country when they are playing well. They’ve got the big man in the middle in Jared Sullinger and a bunch of shooters on the perimeter. They will be tough to beat.

Nathan: After watching Ohio State crush UT-San Antonio, 75–46, in the opener and stomp on George Mason’s Cinderella dreams, 98–66, there’s no reason to go against my pre-Tournament national title pick. Jared Sullinger and the Buckeyes will cut down the nets in Houston on April 4.

Braden: Duke. Duke. Duke. I picked them to cut down the nets before I learned Kyrie Irving would be back. This team is just as talented as Kansas, just as physical and athletic as Ohio State and has more experience than both. Give me Coach K.

By Ken Davis

So, how’s your bracket holding up? Don’t want to talk about it? I understand. I’d rather not talk about mine either, but I have no credibility without full disclosure.

I filled out half a dozen and they were all about the same, with minor tweaks here and there. Two emerged as my best efforts. On one, I have nine of the Sweet 16 (Kansas, Richmond, Wisconsin, BYU, Ohio State, Kentucky, North Carolina, Duke and San Diego State) correct with three of my Final Four teams (Ohio State, Kansas, Duke) still alive. The other has eight from this round.

Of course, there are those who made their picks based on mascots, celebrity fans, school colors and other important factors. Those people are ahead of me. That’s OK. I hope to finish strong and make a decent showing.

We’ve made that remarkable transition from 68 teams to 16, so now it is time to regroup and evaluate these teams. We offer the Sweet 16 power ratings, based on what we expected last week at this time and how the teams performed in the first week.

1. Ohio State – The Buckeyes were more than impressive. Ohio State took the court against Texas-San Antonio and George Mason and simply took care of business. That should make Buckeye fans confident and Ohio State opponents nervous. The Buckeyes outscored their two opponents 89-47 in first-half play alone. George Mason coach Jim Larranaga said his gameplan was to stop Jared Sullinger and Jon Diebler and then pray no one else got hot. So David Lighty was 7-of-7 on threes and had 21 points. William Buford scored 18. OSU has too many weapons. Kentucky is up next. Ohio State has a big advantage in experience, but this should be a great game. With Syracuse out of this bracket, I think Ohio State is headed to the Final Four.

2. Duke – Kyrie Irving is back. If you didn’t have the Blue Devils going to the Final Four, things have changed. Duke found a way to beat Michigan despite 25 percent shooting from 3-point range. Before heading to Anaheim, the Blue Devils can work on the specific roles of Irving and Nolan Smith, who had 24 against Michigan. Not a bad problem to have at this point in the season. Mike Krzyzewski won his 900th game and he may have started a personal tour of past national championship game opponents with Michigan (1992). Arizona (2001), and possibly Connecticut (1999), are waiting in Anaheim.

3. Kansas – Everyone can start breathing again in Lawrence. The Jayhawks got past the second round on the one-year anniversary of that loss last season to Northern Iowa. The weight of that memory was obvious in victories over Boston University and Illinois. Kansas started slowly in both victories, then executed offensively and dug in defensively for outstanding performances after halftime. Twins Marcus and Markieff Morris (the “Marcus twins” as Marv Albert refers to them) have been outstanding. They helped coach Bill Self put Illinois in the deep past. As long as the Jayhawks get the ball inside first, instead of settling for quick jump shots, they will be hard to beat. The road to Houston has opened up with No. 12 Richmond, No. 11 VCU and No. 10 Florida State joining Kansas in San Antonio.

4. BYU – The Cougars “Jimmered” Gonzaga and that was rather impressive. Jimmer Fredette scored 34 points and BYU made it back to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1981. The Cougars have handled the loss of Brandon Davies better than anyone could imagine. BYU defeated Florida in the first round last year. The Gators are much improved, but can anyone stop Jimmer?

5. San Diego State – The more I watch the Aztecs, the more I’m convinced they could reach the Final Four. Kawhi Leonard is a great athlete who can beat you at both ends of the floor. D.J. Gay is a true leader at the point. But Malcolm Thomas and Billy White have had eye-opening performances for Steve Fisher’s team. They deserve more respect than they will get in a regional with Duke, UConn and Arizona.

6. North Carolina – Freshman Harrison Barnes says the Tar Heels make up for a lack of experience by playing with heart. North Carolina needed a little luck and some free throws to get past a hungry Washington team. With Tyler Zeller and John Henson playing bigger roles, the Tar Heels should beat Marquette and reach the East Final against Ohio State.

7. Florida – Tiny Erving Walker has played big for the Gators. That shouldn’t be a surprise on a team coach by Billy Donovan. The Florida victory over UCLA was impressive. And Walker came through when Kenny Boynton went down with his ankle injury. Chandler Parsons and Vernon Macklin have the Gators back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2007.

8. Butler – About a month ago it seemed the Bulldogs might not make the field after reaching the Final Four last season. Now Butler is two wins away from a return trip. The victory over Pittsburgh ranks as one of the strangest games in Tournament history. Matt Howard is one of those guys you can’t help but root for. And I’ve run out of words to describe coach Brad Stevens.

9. Connecticut – For the Huskies, this is just a Big East Tournament with days off. No kidding. UConn had to beat Big East member Cincinnati again for the right to play in the Sweet 16. That’s the earliest meeting between two teams from the same conference in NCAA Tournament history. UConn hasn’t shown any signs of being tired after that Big East run. Jim Calhoun loves going West to reach the Final Four, so the trip to Anaheim is no big deal. Oh yeah, Kemba Walker is still driving the bus.

10. Kentucky – John Calipari’s young Wildcats just keep getting better. Kentucky survived two different styles to defeat Princeton and West Virginia. Brandon Knight seems more than comfortable in postseason play. Kentucky is good enough to reach the Final Four, but Ohio State is just too big a roadblock.

11. Arizona – Can’t you just see Arizona coach Sean Miller stepping out of a dugout, walking to the mound and signaling for his closer. That’s what Derrick Williams has become for the surprising Wildcats. Williams blocks shots, grabs rebounds, makes baskets, completes three-point plays. He is Mr. Efficiency. And the Wildcats love having him on their side.

12. Florida State – The return of Chris Singleton couldn’t have come at a better time for the Seminoles. Singleton and Derwin Kitchen are the stars, but Leonard Hamilton’s team is winning with the toughest defense around. If you saw the look on the face of Notre Dame’s Ben Hansbrough, you understand the stifling feeling of going against Florida State right now.

13. Wisconsin – Raise your hand if you had Belmont over Wisconsin in the second round. I did. Coach Bo Ryan didn’t allow that. Then Jordan Taylor and Jon Leuer sent Kansas State packing for home. Butler will be the sentimental pick over Wisconsin, but this should be a game played at a high level.

14. Marquette – Where’s Al McGuire? Marquette is playing North Carolina. Did someone turn the calendar back to 1977? Buzz Williams has done a remarkable job at Marquette. The Golden Eagles may have been the last of the Big East 11 to get into the field but they one of the last two still around (joining UConn). Great story.

15. Richmond – Coach Chris Mooney gets another week of exposure, then interviews and then he will be off to NC State or Georgia Tech or Oklahoma. He’s the best young coach around and already is in high demand. If you haven’t watched Kevin Anderson play, do so before he’s in the NBA. The Spiders may not advance but Kansas is in for a fight.

16. VCU – If you were ranking the hottest teams in the tournament, VCU would be at the top. The Rams crushed — I mean crushed —Purdue. This is what happens when a team gets hot at the right time. Of course, so many felt VCU shouldn’t have been in the tourney. Now more history will be made with the first 10 (Florida State) vs. 11 (VCU) matchup ever. The Rams took down USC, Georgetown and Purdue last week in the NCAA version of what UConn did in the Big East tourney. Coach Shaka Smart has likely found his ticket out of the Colonial. And VCU’s speedy, attacking style is hard for anyone to match.

EARLY ROUND REVIEW
It’s a good thing the NCAA is off until Thursday. I’m bleary-eye. I probably watched a dozen games start to finish in four days, but all together I think I can remember seeing parts of about 44 games.

After this week, I think HBO might be working on a miniseries about John Adams, not the former U.S. president but the NCAA coordinator of men’s basketball officials. And, I definitely, have the N-N-N-N Napa Know How. (Enough already.)

I like the move to four networks. It puts me in control and I can make the switches I want. But I’m lucky to have all four on my cable system. I feel bad for those who don’t have truTV or TNT or TBS. I know people who couldn’t watch their favorite teams. Something has to be worked out.

And I’m disappointed in Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley. They brought nothing to the table. They knew they were going to be on. Study the teams a bit more. Learn something about the players, not just the coaches who are “your friends.” Give me Seth Davis back in a prominent role. I know I can still find Jay Bilas and Hubert Davis after the game, but I can’t any more of The Jet and Sir Charles, especially Barkley’s juvenile attack on the Big East.

How many Big East teams needed to be in the Sweet 16? Eight? Four? What would prove to Barkley that it was the best conference during the regular season? I’m on my way to my 27th consecutive Final Four. I’ve never had anyone stop me right after the championship game and say, “Well that proves [the champion] plays in the best conference.”

How about this perspective: UConn and Marquette tied for ninth in the Big East. They are in the Sweet 16 and they had to beat another Big East team to get there. Sounds like a pretty tough conference to me. The Big East was the toughest. If had 11 good teams, no great teams — and that’s what most of us were saying all season.

MEMORIES AND PREDICTIONS

Best Buzzer Beater: The 3-pointer by Demonte Harper of Morehead State against Louisville.

Biggest Upsets: Morehead State over Louisville; Butler over Pittsburgh; Florida State over Notre Dame.

Biggest Disappointments: Louisville (should have reached Sweet 16); Vanderbilt (when will the Commodores get past their first game?); and Pittsburgh (why can’t the Panthers beat lower seeded teams?).

All-Sympathy Team: Nasir Robinson, Pittsburgh (for that foul against Butler); Jacob Pullen, Kansas State (for playing his heart out and not getting any support); Scoop Jardine, Syracuse (for not stepping into the backcourt to receive that inbounds pass), Venoy Overton, Washington (for that premature 3-point attempt); and Cory Joseph, Texas (five-second call against Arizona).

Regional Championships: Ohio State over North Carolina (East); Duke over San Diego State (West); Kansas over VCU (Southwest); BYU over Butler (Southeast).