NCAA Tournament 2023: Ranking the 8 matchups in the Sweet 16

4. 4 Connecticut vs. 8 Arkansas

Head coach Eric Musselman continues to press all the right buttons at Arkansas since arriving on campus four seasons ago. After back-to-back Elite Eight appearances, he had to reset virtually the entire roster, depending on transfers and exciting young freshman to get the Razorbacks back into business. A hot start to the season was dulled by a pair of major injuries, but Arkansas is playing their best ball in the Tournament again. After making easy work of 9-seed Illinois, the Razorbacks won one of this Tournament’s most exciting games, holding on to upset 1-seed Kansas in the second round. They have sheer talent to hang with nearly anybody this season, and it’s all coming together at the right time.

Connecticut has been in the spot many expected of Arkansas before the season. The Huskies started the year 14-0 before a tough stretch in Big East play. Adama Sanogo has been electric this season and he’s joined by a starting lineup that includes studs like Jordan Hawkins and Alex Karaban, a freshman who’s really come on this season. A week after falling in the Big East Tournament, the Huskies have been back in business, with easy victories over 13-seed Iona and 5-seed Saint Mary’s. Two strong offensive efforts continued a recent trend; the Huskies are just under 50% from long-range in the Tournament.

It’s an intriguing matchup, with two very talented rosters outplaying their seed numbers in this one. The Razorbacks already knocked out the defending champions and you know that Musselman will have this roster ready to play again. However, the  Huskies may be just a bit too much for Arkansas to handle, especially with the way Sanogo and Hawkins have been playing recently. One thing to watch will be how Nick Young Jr. performs for Arkansas, as he’s been pretty quiet in their first two wins.