It’s down to 16 outstanding teams playing for the chance to cut down the nets on Monday, April 5th at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis . But a lot of work left for each contender in the meantime. First up for the aspiring teams is the Sweet 16 Saturday and Sunday. Here is a look at each game and which teams White’s World likes to survive and advance to the Elite Eight on Monday and Tuesday Nights.

Saturday, March 27

Midwest Region

Oregon State (19-12) vs.Loyola-Chicago (26-4)

Bankers LIfe Fieldhouse, Indy

1:40 PM CT

CBS

Loyola-Chi by 6 1/2

No.12 seed Oregon State

Has defeated Tennessee, 70-56, and Oklahoma State, 80-70, and won the PAC-12 Tournament Championship to get here. Leading scorer is 6’3” guard Ethan Thompson, who averages 15.6 ppg. 6’3” guard Jarod Lucas adds 13 ppg. 6’7” forward Warith Alatishe averages 9.5 ppg and 8.6 rebounds per game.

No.8 Loyola-Chicago

Defeated Georgia Tech, 71-60, in the first round, and upset Midwest No.1 seed Illinois, 71-58 in round 2. Leading scorer is big man, 6’9,” 255 center Cameron Krutwig who averages 15 ppg and 6.9 rebounds. Everybody else on the team averages single figures in points.

Final Analysis and Prediction

Oregon State looks on paper to be more explosive, but the Ramblers are the No.1 scoring defense in the nation. That’s strong. I’m going to take the big fella, Krutwig, Sister Jean and Divine Intervention. That’s a tough trifecta to neutralize.

Loyola-Chicago 69, Oregon State 62

South Region

Villanova (18-6) vs. Baylor (24-2)

Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indy

4:15 PM CT

CBS

Baylor by 7

No.5 seed Villanova

The 2016 and 2018 national champions defeated Winthrop in round 1, 73-63, and North Texas in the second round, 84-61. The Wildcats are led in scoring by 6’9,” 230 power forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, who is averaging 16 points and adds 8.3 rebounds. Second leading scorer and one of the main team leaders, point guard Collin Gillespie, who averaged 14 points and 4.6 assists, was lost for the season in the Big East Tournament suffering a season ending knee injury. Guard Justin Moore, 6’4”, 210, and 6’7″,” 230 pound forward Jermaine Samuels, average 12.8 and 11.9 ppg respectively. Samuels also pulls down 6.5 rebounds per game.

No.1 Baylor

The Bears got here by defeating Hartford in the first round, 79-55, and Wisconsin in round 2, 76-63. 6’3” guard Jared Butler leads them in scoring at 16.9 ppg and adds 4.8 assists. 6’4” guard MaCio Teague averages 16.1 ppg. 6’2” guard Davion Mitchell averages 14.1 ppg. The team averages 84.4 points per game and the Bears have always played excellent defense under Coach Scott Drew. 6’5.” 250 power forward Mark Vital averages only 6 ppg, but pulls down 6.7 rbg. Matthew Mayer is a sharpshooter for the Bears as well. He averages 8.3 ppg, but sinks big shot after big shot when the Bears need it most.

Decision

It’s hard to go against either one of these teams. Nova has the championship pedigree and Baylor has plenty of NCAA experience and a spectacular team. I’ve got to take my pick to win it all in my bracket. Give me the Bears.

Baylor 76, ‘Nova 72

South Region

Oral Roberts (18-10) vs. Arkansas (24-6)

Bankers Life Fieldhouse

6:25 PM CT

TBS

Ark by 11

No.15 Oral Roberts

One of the major stories of the tournament so far, the Golden Eagles knocked off No.2 seeded Ohio State, 75-72, in overtime in the first round, and defeated No.7 seeded Florida, 81-78, in round 2. They are led by 6’1’“ guard Max Abmas, who is averaging 24.5 ppg. 6’8” 225 power forward Kevin Obanor adds 19 ppg and 9.6 rebounds per game. Guard RJ Glasper chips in 11 per game.

No. 3 Arkansas

The Razorbacks got here by defeating Colgate in the first round, 85-68, and Texas Tech in round 2, 68-66. 6’6”, freshman phenom guard Moses Moody leads the team in scoring at 17.1 per game. He adds 5.8 boards. 6’7” 230 power forward Justin Smith averages 13.9 ppg and 7.1 rebounds. Sixth man JD Notae adds 13.1. 6’6” guard Jalen Tate chips in 10.5 ppg. Tate is the leading assist guy at 3.8 per game.

I’m taking my talents to…. injured reserve?

It’s tough to go against the Hogs with the prolific talent they have. But this Oral Roberts team is magical. Again, as Chiz says, it’s “A God Thing.” Give me some more divine intervention in the Sweet 16.

Oral Roberts 80, Arkansas 78

Midwest Region

Syracuse (18-9) vs. Houston (26-3)

Hinkle Fieldhouse

8:55 PM CT

TBS

Houston by 6

No.11 ‘Cuse

Got to the Sweet 16 by defeating San Diego State in the first round, 78-62, and West Virginia, 75-72, in round 2. The Orange run the Jim Boeheim patented 2-3 zone defense, which causes opponents fits. 6’6” guard Buddy Boeheim, the coach’s son, leads the team in scoring at 18 ppg. 6’7,” 220 power forward Quincy Guerrier adds 13.9 ppg, and leads the team in rebounding at 8.5 per game. 6’5” forward Alan Griffin adds 13.7 and 6.0 caroms.

No.2 Houston

The Cougars defeated Cleveland State in the first round, 87-56, and survived a tough Rutgers team, 63-60 in round 2. 6’5,” 205 guard Quentin Grimes leads the team averaging 18.1 ppg. He adds 6 rebounds. 6’1”, point guard Marcus Sasser averages 13.3 ppg and 2.3 assists. 6’5”, guard DeJon Jarreau adds 10.9 ppg and 4.1 assists. 6’7,” 225 power forward Justin Gorham averages only 8.5 ppg, but pulls down 8.6 rebounds per contest.

Decision

This should be a classic battle of key shotmakers and tenacious defense. The Cougars get after it on the defensive end as well. I’ll take one of my Final Four picks, this one from the Midwest.

Houston 67, Syracuse 63

Sunday, March 28

West Region

Creighton (22-8) vs. Gonzaga (28-0)

Hinkle Fieldhouse

1:10 PM CT

CBS

Zags by 13 1/2

No. 5 Creighton

The Bluejays got here by defeating UC Santa Barbara, 63-62, in the first round, and Ohio, 72-58, in the second round. They have 5 guys averaging double figures in scoring led by guard Marcus Zegarowski at 15.7, then guard Denzel Mahoney at 12.5. 6’5,” 220 forward Damien Jefferson averages 12.1 per game and 5.4 rebounds. 6’7,” 220 power forward Christian Bishop adds 11 and leads the team in rebounding at 6.4. Guard Mitch Ballock chips in 10.1 per game.

No. 1 Gonzaga

The Zags are trying to become the first team since the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers to go undefeated and win it all. If they win out they’ll finish 32-0. Indiana finished 32-0 in 1976. They got here by defeating Norfolk State in the first round, 98-55, and Oklahoma in round 2, 87-71. 6’7,” 220 forward Corey Kispert leads the Zags in scoring at 19.2 ppg. He also pulls down 4.9 rebounds. 6’10,” power forward Drew Timme averages 18.8 ppg and leads the team in rebounding at 7.3. Guard Jalen Suggs adds 14.1 ppg and 4.3 assists, and Joel Ayayi adds 11.9 ppg and 7.1 boards. Florida transfer guard Andrew Nembhard is a key player off the bench, averaging 8.9 ppg and 4.1 assists.

Decision

The Zags are the No.1 overall seed for a reason. They played top competition in the pre conference schedule and soundly defeated each one of them. They defeated Kansas, 102-90, Auburn, 90-67, West Virginia, 87-82, Iowa, 99-88, and Virginia, 98-75. This team is a juggernaut. It is highly difficult to go through a season undefeated in either football or basketball, maybe harder in bball with so many games. I like the Zags to keep on cookin in the Sweet 16 though and advance to the Elite Eight.

Gonzaga 95, Creighton 80

East Region

Florida State (18-6) vs. Michigan (22-4)

Bankers Life Fieldhouse

4 PM CT

CBS

Michigan by 2 1/2

No.4 Florida State

The Noles got here by defeating UNC-Greensboro in the first round, 65-54, and Colorado in the second round, 71-53. Guard M.J. Walker leads the team in scoring at 12.3 ppg. 6’8,” 260 power forward RaiQuan Gray adds 12 points and 6.5 boards. Guard Scottie Barnes chips in 10.4 and 4.1 assists. And guard Anthony Polite adds 10.2 ppg. 7’1,” 240 pound center Balsa Koprivca averages 9.2 and and adds 5.7 caroms.

No. 1 Michigan

The Wolverines got here by defeating Texas Southern in the first round, 82-66, and LSU in round 2, 86-78. 7’1,” 255 freshman center Hunter Dickinson leads the team in scoring at 14.2 and rebounding at 7.5. Forward Isaiah Livers, who was the second leading scorer at 13.1, was lost for the season due to injury suffered in the Big Ten tourney. 6’9,” 220 forward Franz Wagner averages 12.8 and 6.3 rebounds. Guard Eli Brooks averages 9.7 ppg, and point guard Mike Smith, a Columbia transfer, averages 9.3 and leads the team at 5.4 assists per game.

Decision

It was a blow for the Wolverines when they lost Livers for the season. But I’ve got Michigan advancing to the Elite Eight in the East and while FSU is so athletic and tough minded, I like the Wolverines to survive a difficult assignment and move on.

Michigan 71, FSU 69

East Region

UCLA (20-9) vs. Alabama (26-6)

Hinkle Fieldhouse

6:15 PM CT

TBS

Bama by 6

No. 11 UCLA

UCLA and the PAC 12 have been another major story in the tournament. There are 4 PAC-12 teams in the Sweet 16. The Bruins defeated Michigan State in a First Four game, 86-80, in OT, then BYU, 73-62, in round 1, and Abilene Christian, which had upset Texas in the first round, 67-47. 6’6” guard Johnny Juzang leads them in scoring at 15.1 ppg. 6’6,” 220 Guard Jamie Jaquez Jr. averages 12.2 ppg and 6.1 rebounds. Guard Jules Bernard, guard Tyger Campbell and 6’9,” 255 power forward Cody Riley average 10.4, 10.1 and 10 points respectively. Riley pulls down 5.4 boards.

No.2 Alabama

The Crimson Tide got here by defeating Rick Pitino and the Iona Gaels, 68-55, in the first round. And, in a masterful shooting performance, defeated Maryland, 96-77, in round 2. Guard Jaden Shackelford leads the Tide in scoring at 14.3. Guard Jahvon Quinerly, the Villanova transfer, adds 12.7 and 3.2 assists. Both are terrific finishers at the tim. John Petty Jr. was lights out against Maryland Sunday Night. He averages 12.5 and 5.2 boards. 6’8,” 210 great power forward and team leader Herbert Jones averages 11.3 ppg and leads the team at 6.5 rebounds. Josh Primo came back from injury he suffered in the SEC Tournament for the Tide Sunday and performed extremely well. He averages 8.2. Keon Ellis has been big with Primo being hurt for a few games. Makes big shots. He’s averaging 5.3 and 3.9 boards. And Alex Reese has really come alive in the tournament. He is averaging 5.5 and 3.1. The numbers don’t do Ellis, Primo and Reese justice though. They have been spectacular in the tournament along with the key guys listed above. This could very well be the most well rounded team in the tournament. Athleticism, shooting ability, lock down defense and rebounding prowess.

Decision

I have the Crimson Tide playing for the National Championship and I had a hard time picking Baylor to defeat them. Was very tempted to pick the Tide. They’ve got a real shot to cut down the nets the way they are playing. Give me Walter, Bama Golf, SMU, Derrick, though he may be more of a massive UAB fan, Theodopolis and the Crimson Tide.

Alabama 91, UCLA 75

West Region

Oregon (21-6) vs. USC (24-7)

Bankers Fieldhouse

8:45 PM CT

TBS

USC by 2 1/2

No.7 Oregon

Got a forfeit over VCU in the first round because VCU had COVID problems on their team then impressively defeated Iowa in the second round, 95-80. Guard Chris Duarte leads the team in scoring at 17 ppg. 6’6’ 230 power forward Eugene Omoruyi adds 16.7 ppg and 5.3 boards. 6’6,” guard/forward LJ Figueroa averages 12.6 and leads the team at 6.2 boards per game. 6’5”, guard Will Richardson averages 11.7 ppg and leads the team at 3.9 assists. 6’6” forward Eric Williams Jr. averages 10.3 ppg and 6 rbg.

No. 6 USC

Got here by defeating Drake in round 1, 72-56, and Kansas in round 2, 85-51. 7’0″,” 215 pound freshman center Evan Mobley leads the Trojans in scoring at 16.5 per game and also leads the team in rebounding at 8.8. Guard Tajh Eaddy adds 13.5 ppg. Guard Drew Peterson averages 9.8 ppg and 5 rebounds. And Evan’s older brother, sophomore Isaiah Mobley, 6’10,” 235, adds 9.5 points and 7.3 rebounds.

Decision

This is a tough one. Both highly athletic teams with a lot of skill. I’ll take the Mobley brothers’ size and paint dominance in this one. They control the paint and lead SC to the Elite Eight.

USC 76, Oregon 73