Power Ranked Sweet 16

Well its official , the Sweet 16 is set and ready to get bitter. There are some surprises and some easy picks. I decided to rank these teams from worst to best in a would be finalist power ranking. If only we could have all seen some upsets coming... perhaps our brackets wouldn't be somewhere in limbo anxiously awaiting the round of 16 to start Thursday night. With only a matter of games remaining its not long now that we find how are choices up to this point have elevated you to March master or to the perpetual madness we all have experienced before. Without further adieu I give you my top 16:

16: OHIO- Hardly making a noise this team shoved their way into the sweet 16 with wins over Michigan and Lehigh. This team, the lowest seed in the tournament, is just happy to be in the sweet 16. It was proven to us last night that Lehigh was a one and done Cinderella story, congratulations to them but OHIO will be a Two and done Cinderella team, their madness stops against UNC.

15: XAVIER- Have you heard anything about this team all season?? Please, fill me in, this team almost without even realizing they were in the tournament are one of the last 16 remaining. Xavier had success in the early rounds against Temple but lack the skills and depth to keep up with the athleticism of Baylor on Friday night. Its sweet, but as sweet as its going to get for the Musketeers.

14: LOUISVILLE- This team has lacked an identity since the beginning of the season they have struggled to put all the pieces together until late. Fortunately for them a sweet 16 birth is the kind of shot of respect they needed to take into next season, this young team will be a sweet 16 power house... next year.

13: NC STATE- They are only this high because of the mountain of momentum they have been hanging on. NC state has ridden momentum all the way to the final 16. Unfortunately for them they lack the talent and the skills to continue on into the elite eight. Pulling for them, but Kansas is too well coached and too hard nosed to be denied entry to the most Elite Eight.

12: CINCINNATI- Always a tough team no matter what sport, it appears that Ohio has paid some sacrifice to the march madness gods to have such a full repertoire for the final 16. Cinci although a very tough fighting team they just do not compare to other talents in the group.

11: WISCONSIN- Is in need of a key piece, this team lacks a back bone it can fall on in when the offense has just gone stagnant. Wisconsin, one of the better defensive teams in the country  has made it their business to stall other teams offenses, in doing so they have found a way to dull down their own. Well coached and proud tradition, but players will take you to the elite eight and beyond.

10: MARQUETTE- Another team that surprises no one to be in the sweet, but yet one that no one has heard much about all season. They lack big wins to give them any prominence and they wont get one this weekend.

9: FLORIDA- Did damage in the tournament last year and have continued to grow and develop a solid basketball foundation. I have Florida picked to advance to the elite eight, this is a very potent offense and they run fast keeping up most other teams in the 16, however I don't give them much of a chance for the final four.

8: INDIANA- As a born again Big Ten fan, I want to see the upset of all upsets again, Indiana handing Kentucky  two of their three losses this season. However this team is YOUNG and very talented with a deep bench and more youth than seniority, Indiana will fall short in their bid to the Elite Eight.

7: BAYLOR- Has the potential to be the biggest Cinderella story of the tournament but also has the chance to be upset. This team is very athletic, one of the more athletic teams in the country in the sense of speed, offense and shooting ability I have Baylor in my final four... As for a championship, not sure if they are ready to take that next step.

6: KANSAS- With Bill Self at the helm anything can happy for this Jay hawks team, they can be best in the country at times and not quite themselves other times. I think they edge out Baylor in more consistent level of play but fall just short in the defensive side of the ball.

5: UNC- A tournament favorite... until the broken wrist. although it does not seem like it will prevent Marshall from playing, how can it not affect him? He is such a key component to this team and now the media is focusing on them.. for our brackets sake lets hope they play on to the final four but for now they fall short in the top spot.

4: SYRACUSE- What can I say about these guys? The overall no. 1 seed and then they forget to bring their best player. Its like Home Alone all over again, except this time Fab Melo is crying in his room knowing he lost his team a National Championship.

3: MICHIGAN ST- This is the surprise, they may have shared a title for the Big Ten regular season with two others and won the Tournament out right, however they will falter before winning a national championship, they are playing on fumes and would lose in another match up against my no. 2 team.

2: OHIO ST- The buckeyes are playing frustrating basketball, frustrating if you are their opponent. The defense is stifling and the offense is just too consistent. This team has the right mixture of young and experienced and they are pulling it all together at the right time of the season for a successful championship run.

1: KENTUCKY- We've heard it all season long, they are the best, its starting to look true. If anyone can beat this team left in the 16 its OSU and we all know we are hoping for it. Kentucky is the only one seed without drama this NCAA Tournament, nothing has changed for them and they are riding in the shadows left from the spot light focused on UNC and Syracuse and they could ride the shadows all the way to the National Title.