2013 NCAA Tournament: Ranking the Sweet 16 Teams 1-16
9. Kansas
Bill Self shall never be doubted, but forgive me for not buying stock in a Jayhawks team that barely survived a 16-seed, then responded with a 21-point half against defensively-deficient North Carolina. If Kansas gives Michigan the same head-start it gave the Tar Heels on Sunday, the Wolverines will wrap up their Sweet 16 meeting by halftime.
The Jayhawks have exactly one half of worthwhile play to write home about this tournament — a virtuosic second-half performance in the round of 32, keyed by Travis Releford’s career game, the hot-shooting of Naadir Tharpe and virile play of Jeff Withey on both ends. Still, one half of Kansas-caliber hoops doesn’t blot the memories of three halves befitting the Topeka YMCA. Kansas was worked on the boards by a frailer Western Kentucky outfit, which shot less than 32-percent from the floor, yet hung within two possessions of KU for most of the game. A repeat effort would also spell the end of Rock Chalk’s season.
Above all, Kansas must find a way to reignite its fallen star, Ben McLemore. The freshman phenom has fallen into a pronounced rut of late, low-lighted by an 0-of-9 shooting performance against the Heels. For a team light on scoring, the Jayhawks can ill-afford another no-show from the team’s leading scorer. Although he’s flirted with a tendency to disappear before, Big Ben cannot play small anymore. KU’s season is on life support, and he’s the main oxygen supply.
10. Arizona
Arizona has yet to break a sweat in the dance, waltzing to never-in-doubt wins over a pair of physically overmatched mid-majors: Belmont and Harvard. Mark Lyons is playing at an ace level, Brandon Ashley’s peerless talent is showing through, Kaleb Tarczewski is growing up fast and Solomon Hill, as usual, is quietly going about business. If the Zona engine ever reaches top gear — that would require Grant Jerrett actualizing his latent star potential — nobody in the West, not even Ohio State, has the capacity to slow this team down. Big “if.”
Speaking of conditionals, if not for UCLA’s appearance on the schedule, Arizona would have worked itself into contention for a No. 1 or 2 seed. The Bruins are responsible for three of the Wildcats’ seven losses this season. Chalk that up to an unfavorable match-up — the kind that single-handedly nuked Arizona’s résumé.
Whether Sean Miller’s Cardiac Cats are ready for Ohio State’s stifling defense is the solitary question separating this group from Cat-lanta. Arizona hasn’t played a D like Ohio State’s since dueling Florida in mid-December, which is to say Arizona hasn’t lost to a defense as good as Ohio State’s either.
11. Oregon
Even this ranking seems too low for a team accustomed to getting disrespected and undervalued. Through long winning streaks, signature wins and a Pac-12 tournament title run, no one — not the committee, analysts, even diehard fans — has taken the Ducks as seriously as he/she should. Why stop now?
Damyean Dotson is a good reason, for one. The best freshman you hadn’t heard of until last week, Dotson is the fastest rising star in the field. The explosive guard broke out for 17- and 23-point performances in each of his first two NCAA tournament tests, upstaging Kwamain Mitchell in the team’s third round match-up versus Saint Louis.
Arsalan Kazemi, the 6-foot-7 Iranian transplant and son of candy store owners, has ruled the boards better than any player in the tournament. Kazemi pulled down 33 rebounds in Oregon’s opening two games, a tournament record since the field expanded to 68 teams. Some players have deceptive speed (not Johnathan Loyd; there’s nothing deceptive about his speed). Kazemi is of a unique class of hoops players with deceptive height. The former Rice transfer plays at least half-foot taller than his actual height.
Count out Oregon at your own peril. Just remember there’s not a more underrated scoring-rebounding dynamic in the bracket than the Dotson/Kazemi one-two punch. This is a different Ducks team with Dotson playing at a star level and Dominic Artis healthy at last.
12. Syracuse
Syracuse’s seeding has offered a mixed bag of perks and snags. On the one hand, the Orange was spoonfed the easiest path of any team to the Sweet 16, needing only to survive Montana — the worst non-16-seed in the field without Mathias Ward — and a two-man Cal team. The catch? SU had to take care of its business on the left coast, in a quasi road environment. What a generous reward for an East Coast-based top-four seed!
Now the tables are turned for Jim Boeheim’s team. Syracuse’s next opponent is formidable, while the location of the game is favorable. The Orange will take on an offensively potent Indiana squad armed with all the necessary pieces to dismantle a zone: a cavalry of deadeye shooters (Jordan Hulls, Christian Watford and Victor Oladipo are all shooting better than 40-percent from behind the arc), a strong inside presence (Cody Zeller) and a pair of multi-skilled zone breakers to stick in the middle (Watford and Will Sheehey).
Syracuse’s 12-minute field goal spell in the second half of Saturday’s win over Cal wasn’t as bad as it looks. The Orange actually outscored the Bears 11-9 over that span thanks to a steady dose of rhythm-killing, flow-wrecking trips to the free throw line. Still, SU must shoot better than 39-percent from the field to top Indiana and the Miami/Marquette winner if the team so far advances. That means more production from Brandon Triche is in order. The volatile senior guard sunk just one of his eight field goal attempts in his last time out, but could have a preferable size advantage over one of Indian’s two tiny guards.
Don’t sleep on unsung shot-blocking ace Baye Moussa Mutombo (Keita) in the paint.