After an exciting first weekend, the NCAA Tournament continues on Thursday night with the Regional Semifinal round, otherwise known as the Sweet 16. Here are the exclusive Sports Fan Base game previews for the Sweet 16 on Thursday and Friday:
WEST REGION
(7) West Virginia vs. (3) Xavier
As predicted by Sports Fan Base.com, the West Virginia Mountaineers were able to upset the #2 seeded Duke Blue Devils in the 2nd round. With Joe Alexander inside and Alex Ruoff hitting three-point shots from the outside, West Virginia is a very dangerous team. The Xavier Musketeers defeated a very tough Purdue team in the 2nd round and have quietly advanced into the Sweet 16. Xavier is athletic and balanced with big men Josh Duncan and Derrick Brown, versatile guards Stanley Burrell, C.J. Anderson and B.J. Raymond and the little court general, Drew Lavendar. Because of this, Xavier may be a little too much too handle for West Virginia.
SFB Prediction: Xavier wins 74-68
(12) Western Kentucky vs. (1) UCLA
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are perhaps this year`s biggest surprise into the Sweet 16. Their thrilling 101-99 overtime victory over Drake in the 1st round permanantly won the hearts of basketball fans everywhere and put the Hilltoppers` guard Ty Rogers into the NCAA Tournament history with his three-point shot at the buzzer. Western Kentucky has two very athletic guards in Courtney Lee and Tyrone Brazleton and can certainly give UCLA some problems. For the Bruins, Naismith Award finalist Kevin Love is a force in the paint. Combine that with guards Darren Collison and Russel Westbrook along with forward Josh Shipp, you have a great basketball team. UCLA should win this game, but it will be closer than many people think.
SFB Prediction: UCLA wins 79-74
EAST REGION
(4) Washington State vs. (1) North Carolina
This is probably the worst possible matchup for North Carolina, other than Wisconsin. Why do I say this? Simply because the Cougars are well-coached and always put together a great defensive scheme. Head coach Tony Bennett will have a plan ready for the Tar Heels and use the big bodies of Aron Baynes and Robbiw Cowgill to frustrate UNC`s Naismith Finalist, Tyler Hansbrough. Washington State was able to shut down Notre Dame`s high-powered offense in the 2nd round, could they do the same against North Carolina? The only problem is that Washington State just does not have the scoring to even come close to what North Carolina scores. But the Cougars could provide the blueprint for Louisville or Tennessee to take down the Tar Heels in the next round.
SFB Prediction: North Carolina wins 71-62
(3) Louisville vs. (2) Tennessee
In what may be the most entertaining Sweet 16 game, the Louisville Cardinals take on the Tennessee Volunteers. Louisville has had a somewhat easy tournament so far with dominating Boise State and Oklahoma in the 1st and 2nd rounds, respectively. Meanwhile, the Vols had a fairly easy game against American in the 1st round, but had a tough take with #7 seeded Butler in the 2nd round, nearly being bounced from the NCAA Tournament. This is a great matchup of athletic players with Tennessee`s Wayne Chism and Tyler Smith versus Louisville`s Terrence Williams and Eric Clark. The x-factor in this game may end up being Tennessee guard Chris Lofton. If he can make his outside shots, the Vols win. If he struggles, Louisville may move on to the Elite 8.
SFB Prediction: Tennessee wins 86-84
MIDWEST REGION
(10) Davidson vs. (3) Wisconsin
While many sports fans were hoping for a classic Big East-Big Ten showdown in the Sweet 16 with Georgetown and Wisconsin, Stephen Curry and the Davidson Wildcats had other plans. Curry went off for 30 points in the 2nd half (35 overall) to single-handedly take down the Georgetown Hoyas in the 2nd round. If anyone wasn`t a Davidson believer before, believe it now. In addition to Curry, point guard Jason Richards and power forward Andrew Lovedale are very solid players. Wisconsin is a great defensive and fundamentally sound team with experienced players such as Brian Butch and Michael Flowers. The matchup of Flowers, one of the best defensive players in the country, versus Curry, one of the top scorers in the country, is very intriguing. That matchup will be the key to the game for both teams. If Flowers can hold Curry under 20 points, it will be hard for Davidson to defeat the Badgers.
SFB Prediction: Wisconsin wins 70-65
(12) Villanova vs. (1) Kansas
The Villanova Wildcats were the 8th team put into the NCAA Tournament for the Big East Conference and perhaps were the last team into the Big Dance this year. But a 1st round win over Clemson and a dominating victory over another surprise, Siena, has put Nova into the Sweet 16. Led by play-making guard Scottie Reynolds, the Cats are experienced, athletic and could be a threat for Kansas. The Jayhawks are deeper, more athletic and more balanced than Villanova. Guards Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers and Sherron Collins combined with the frontcourt of Darrel Arthur and Darrell Jackson gives Kansas a lethal starting lineup.
SFB Prediction: Kansas wins 85-73
SOUTH REGION
(3) Stanford vs. (2) Texas
The Stanford Cardinal and Texas Longhorns run their offenses distinctly different ways. Stanford has the twin towers witgh 7-footers Brook and Robin Lopez and they are the Cardinal`s two leading scorers and rebounders. Meanwhile, the Longhorns rely on guard play, primarily from D.J. Augustin and A.J. Abrams. Texas` big man Conor Atchley will have a large task in defending Brook Lopez, who will most likely be a Top 10 NBA Draft Pick this coming year. Stanford had a tough take with Marquette in the 2nd round, winning 82-81 in overtime. The good thing for Texas is that Marquette also relies on their guard play. So the Longhorns should certainly watch the game film from this past Saturday if they want a good idea of how to defeat Stanford.
SFB Prediction: Texas wins 79-77
(5) Michigan State vs. (1) Memphis
Sports Fan Base.com counted out the Michigan State Spartans early in the NCAA Tournament with a 1st round loss to #12 seed Temple. Of course that did not happen and now the Spartans are in the Sweet 16 with a solid win against Big East Champion Pittsburgh in the 2nd round. Guard Drew Neitzel is the leader of this Michigan State squad and he will need to lead his team not only with his three-point shooting and scoring ability, but also with his ability to distribute the ball and get his players involved. The Memphis Tigers will be a tough team to defend as they have a lot of ways they can score. Chris Douglas-Roberts is probably the best player on this team and guard Derrik Rose may be the most athletic. Their front court consists of Robert Dozier and Joey Dorsey and combined they pull down over 16 rebounds per game. But the achilles heel for Memphis has been free throw shooting and that did not change in their 2nd round game against Mississippi State with a free-throw percentage of 47%. If Michigan State can get Memphis to the free throw line, they have a shot to win.
SFB Prediction: Memphis wins 79-75
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WEST REGION
(7) West Virginia vs. (3) Xavier
As predicted by Sports Fan Base.com, the West Virginia Mountaineers were able to upset the #2 seeded Duke Blue Devils in the 2nd round. With Joe Alexander inside and Alex Ruoff hitting three-point shots from the outside, West Virginia is a very dangerous team. The Xavier Musketeers defeated a very tough Purdue team in the 2nd round and have quietly advanced into the Sweet 16. Xavier is athletic and balanced with big men Josh Duncan and Derrick Brown, versatile guards Stanley Burrell, C.J. Anderson and B.J. Raymond and the little court general, Drew Lavendar. Because of this, Xavier may be a little too much too handle for West Virginia.
SFB Prediction: Xavier wins 74-68
(12) Western Kentucky vs. (1) UCLA
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are perhaps this year`s biggest surprise into the Sweet 16. Their thrilling 101-99 overtime victory over Drake in the 1st round permanantly won the hearts of basketball fans everywhere and put the Hilltoppers` guard Ty Rogers into the NCAA Tournament history with his three-point shot at the buzzer. Western Kentucky has two very athletic guards in Courtney Lee and Tyrone Brazleton and can certainly give UCLA some problems. For the Bruins, Naismith Award finalist Kevin Love is a force in the paint. Combine that with guards Darren Collison and Russel Westbrook along with forward Josh Shipp, you have a great basketball team. UCLA should win this game, but it will be closer than many people think.
SFB Prediction: UCLA wins 79-74
EAST REGION
(4) Washington State vs. (1) North Carolina
This is probably the worst possible matchup for North Carolina, other than Wisconsin. Why do I say this? Simply because the Cougars are well-coached and always put together a great defensive scheme. Head coach Tony Bennett will have a plan ready for the Tar Heels and use the big bodies of Aron Baynes and Robbiw Cowgill to frustrate UNC`s Naismith Finalist, Tyler Hansbrough. Washington State was able to shut down Notre Dame`s high-powered offense in the 2nd round, could they do the same against North Carolina? The only problem is that Washington State just does not have the scoring to even come close to what North Carolina scores. But the Cougars could provide the blueprint for Louisville or Tennessee to take down the Tar Heels in the next round.
SFB Prediction: North Carolina wins 71-62
(3) Louisville vs. (2) Tennessee
In what may be the most entertaining Sweet 16 game, the Louisville Cardinals take on the Tennessee Volunteers. Louisville has had a somewhat easy tournament so far with dominating Boise State and Oklahoma in the 1st and 2nd rounds, respectively. Meanwhile, the Vols had a fairly easy game against American in the 1st round, but had a tough take with #7 seeded Butler in the 2nd round, nearly being bounced from the NCAA Tournament. This is a great matchup of athletic players with Tennessee`s Wayne Chism and Tyler Smith versus Louisville`s Terrence Williams and Eric Clark. The x-factor in this game may end up being Tennessee guard Chris Lofton. If he can make his outside shots, the Vols win. If he struggles, Louisville may move on to the Elite 8.
SFB Prediction: Tennessee wins 86-84
MIDWEST REGION
(10) Davidson vs. (3) Wisconsin
While many sports fans were hoping for a classic Big East-Big Ten showdown in the Sweet 16 with Georgetown and Wisconsin, Stephen Curry and the Davidson Wildcats had other plans. Curry went off for 30 points in the 2nd half (35 overall) to single-handedly take down the Georgetown Hoyas in the 2nd round. If anyone wasn`t a Davidson believer before, believe it now. In addition to Curry, point guard Jason Richards and power forward Andrew Lovedale are very solid players. Wisconsin is a great defensive and fundamentally sound team with experienced players such as Brian Butch and Michael Flowers. The matchup of Flowers, one of the best defensive players in the country, versus Curry, one of the top scorers in the country, is very intriguing. That matchup will be the key to the game for both teams. If Flowers can hold Curry under 20 points, it will be hard for Davidson to defeat the Badgers.
SFB Prediction: Wisconsin wins 70-65
(12) Villanova vs. (1) Kansas
The Villanova Wildcats were the 8th team put into the NCAA Tournament for the Big East Conference and perhaps were the last team into the Big Dance this year. But a 1st round win over Clemson and a dominating victory over another surprise, Siena, has put Nova into the Sweet 16. Led by play-making guard Scottie Reynolds, the Cats are experienced, athletic and could be a threat for Kansas. The Jayhawks are deeper, more athletic and more balanced than Villanova. Guards Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers and Sherron Collins combined with the frontcourt of Darrel Arthur and Darrell Jackson gives Kansas a lethal starting lineup.
SFB Prediction: Kansas wins 85-73
SOUTH REGION
(3) Stanford vs. (2) Texas
The Stanford Cardinal and Texas Longhorns run their offenses distinctly different ways. Stanford has the twin towers witgh 7-footers Brook and Robin Lopez and they are the Cardinal`s two leading scorers and rebounders. Meanwhile, the Longhorns rely on guard play, primarily from D.J. Augustin and A.J. Abrams. Texas` big man Conor Atchley will have a large task in defending Brook Lopez, who will most likely be a Top 10 NBA Draft Pick this coming year. Stanford had a tough take with Marquette in the 2nd round, winning 82-81 in overtime. The good thing for Texas is that Marquette also relies on their guard play. So the Longhorns should certainly watch the game film from this past Saturday if they want a good idea of how to defeat Stanford.
SFB Prediction: Texas wins 79-77
(5) Michigan State vs. (1) Memphis
Sports Fan Base.com counted out the Michigan State Spartans early in the NCAA Tournament with a 1st round loss to #12 seed Temple. Of course that did not happen and now the Spartans are in the Sweet 16 with a solid win against Big East Champion Pittsburgh in the 2nd round. Guard Drew Neitzel is the leader of this Michigan State squad and he will need to lead his team not only with his three-point shooting and scoring ability, but also with his ability to distribute the ball and get his players involved. The Memphis Tigers will be a tough team to defend as they have a lot of ways they can score. Chris Douglas-Roberts is probably the best player on this team and guard Derrik Rose may be the most athletic. Their front court consists of Robert Dozier and Joey Dorsey and combined they pull down over 16 rebounds per game. But the achilles heel for Memphis has been free throw shooting and that did not change in their 2nd round game against Mississippi State with a free-throw percentage of 47%. If Michigan State can get Memphis to the free throw line, they have a shot to win.
SFB Prediction: Memphis wins 79-75
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