NCAA Basketball: Ranking the Elite 8 teams in 2022 NCAA Tournament

Mar 24, 2022; San Francisco, CA, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Wendell Moore Jr. (center) and forward AJ Griffin (right) reacts after a play against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the second half in the semifinals of the West regional of the men's college basketball NCAA Tournament at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

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Saint Peter’s Ncaa Basketball Ncaa Tournament Saint Peter S Vs Purdue In Sweet 16 Saint Peter S At Purdue /

We’re down to just eight NCAA Basketball teams in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, with quite a few surprises to this point. Just one No. 1 seed remains after Baylor, Gonzaga, and Arizona all fell, while No. 2 seeds, Kentucky and Auburn had lost in the first weekend.

We have the Cinderella of the Big Dance still alive in Saint Peter’s who is the first-ever 15 seed to get this far. And they’re not the only double-digit seed left, as Miami defeated Iowa State to get to this point. We still have a few juggernauts left that have to think they’re the favorites to win the national title but who is truly the best?

Here’s how I would rank the remaining programs.

8. Saint Peter’s Peacocks

I hate that I even have to put this team here because it feels disrespectful. But I can’t in good faith put any of the other seven behind them. That certainly doesn’t take anything away from what the Peacocks accomplished. If beating Kentucky and Murray State wasn’t enough, they defeated Purdue in the Sweet 16, thanks to 14 points from Daryl Banks and Doug Edert with 10 off the bench, due to 7/8 from the free throw line.

Saint Peter’s has one of the better defenses in the country and that has been evident by their ability to stop both Zach Edey and Trevion Williams. They’re in the history books forever and have sky-high confidence. They’ll need it against North Carolina in the Elite 8 matchup but after beating a 2, 3, and 7 seed, beating an 8 seed shouldn’t be that difficult.

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