NCAA Basketball: Defense is the name of the game in the Sweet Sixteen

So far these teams have illustrated just how good they are on defense

The first two rounds have seen these 16 teams excel on the defensive end of the floor. Collectively during the first weekend of the tournament, the winners gave up an average of 63 points per game. Over the 32 games, the teams have played thus far, only five times did a team go over 70 points in a game.

If you’re looking at the top teams defensively so far in the tournament, look no further than a No. 4 and No. 5 seed, Tennessee and San Diego State who gave up 54 points per game over the four games. What makes it even more impressive for these two is who they did it against in the second round.

San Diego State shut down a Furman team who averaged 82 points to 30 below their average and held them to 41% inside the arc and just 23% beyond it. Tennessee also had an impressive second-round game holding a red-hot Duke Blue Devils team to the same 52 points and forcing the Blue Devils into 15 turnovers, three more than their season average.

As the tournament goes on, the matchups become more and more compelling and the Sweet Sixteen has some really intriguing games. They say that defense wins championships and if that is true then there are at least a dozen teams that have a chance to cut down the nets in Houston.