X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Sweet 16 & Elite Eight Preview and Predictions for the East and Midwest

March Madness is well underway and we'll giving a full breakdown on each region for the upcoming Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight games.

This NCAA Tournament has been one of the wildest March Madness seen in years. I'm here to tell you some teams that I believe in for the next two rounds of the tournament. Hopefully these are the teams you have alive in your bracket! Now let's get to it. You can also find our analysis of the South and West Regions here.

Editor's Note: If you are interested in more college basketball columns, you can also check out our CBB DFS lineups picks and daily league predictions.

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 30% off using code NEW! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

 

Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight Picks for the East and Midwest

#1 Virginia will take on #4 Iowa State in the first of four games on Friday. Iowa State has a dynamic offense led by Georges Niang, scoring 94 and 78 in their first two tournament games. The Cyclones were the 13th highest scoring offense this season, averaging 82 points a game. But Iowa State's defense lags far behind their offense, as they were 244th in the NCAA, allowing 75 points a game. Virginia's offense may not be so good, they rank 214th, but anyone can score on Iowa State. As we already know, defense wins championships. Virginia had the second best scoring defense allowing 59 points a game. Cavaliers defensive stud Malcolm Brogdon will take out Georges Niang, leading to Iowa State's offense to stagnate. Virginia should take care of the Cyclones.

#10 Syracuse plays #11 Gonzaga in the game after Virginia- Iowa State. Syracuse should not have made the tournament, and I don't care they made the Sweet 16. The Orange were 19-13 entering the tournament, I still don't understand how a team gets in with under 20 wins. They beat Dayton and were extremely lucky to face Middle Tennessee in the second round. No way they would have beaten Michigan State. Gonzaga has been the hottest team in the tournament, dismantling Seton Hall by 16 points and Utah by 23 points. Domantas Sabonis and Kyle Wiltjer have been playing fantastic and look unstoppable. Sabonis is the perfect player to beat Syracuse's 2-3 zone. He can pass, shoot, and expand the zone. Syracuse looked shaky against Middle Tenesse and trailed by two points in the second half before blowing it open, winning by 25 points. Syracuse gets their comeuppance in this one.

If Gonzaga were to play Virginia in the Elite Eight, it would give the Zags a chance to become the fourth 11-seed to advance to the Final Four. They are tall and long, but Tony Bennett is such a great defensive coach and his team is so disciplined I think it will be hard for Gonzaga to beat them. You have to be near perfect to defeat Virginia and I am not sure Gonzaga can play that kind of game. Virginia must be thrilled to see Michigan State go out in the First Round, due to the Spartans defeating Virginia two straight years in the NCAA Tournament. This year is the year for Virginia to advance to the Final Four.

#6 Notre Dame plays #7 Wisconsin in the early game in the Midwest region. Wisconsin got to this point by beating Pittsburgh in the most boring game of the tourney thus far, winning 47-43. Then beat Xavier on a Bronson Koenig 3-point buzzer beater from the corner. Notre Dame had two really tough games, coming from behind in both to beat Michigan and Stephen F. Austin. This game will be really even throughout. Wisconsin will really need Nigel Hayes to step up, as he has been non-existent in the tourney thus far. I think the Fighting Irish eke out a close one though. Zach Auguste has been playing great and when he plays that well, Notre Dame clicks. I also give the coaching edge to Mike Brey. Wisconsin lost a ton of talent to the NBA this season and it will show in this game.

#5 Indiana vs. #1 North Carolina is a heavyweight matchup. This game will be the best game of the Sweet 16. Yogi Ferell against Marcus Paige will be some point guard showdown. Carolina will need Paige to step up after two games where he underperformed. Carolina big man Brice Johnson is a beast on the boards. He out jumps everyone and is simply near-impossible to stop. Indiana has been helped vastly with the play of OG Anunoby. He can wreak havoc on the defensive side and will be a key player off the bench for the Hoosiers. Carolina can not get off to a slow start like they did against Florida Gulf Coast and Providence. Indiana will jump all over them in that case and Carolina will not be able to come back against them. Whoever wins this game is going to the Final Four and I am going to go with the Hoosiers in what will be an incredible game.

 

College Basketball Chat Room - Live Advice

[iflychat_embed id="c-78" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="320px"]

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Pete Crow-Armstrong

Hits Two More Homers, Cubs Trounce Brewers
Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks Sign 17 Undrafted Free Agents
Seattle Seahawks

Elijah Arroyo Recovered From Knee Injury
Hunter Greene

Shuts Down Nationals, Fans 12 Over Six Innings Pitched
Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles Add Nine Rookie Free Agents
Philadelphia Eagles

Jihaad Campbell Not Taking Part In Rookie Minicamp
Cleveland Browns

Jerome Ford Agrees To Pay Cut
Green Bay Packers

Jaire Alexander Not Participating In Voluntary Offseason Work
Green Bay Packers

Christian Watson Working Hard In Recovery From Torn ACL
Triston Casas

At The Hospital, Expected To Be Out A While
Fernando Tatis Jr.

X-Rays Come Back Negative On Fernando Tatis Jr.'s Forearm
José Ramírez

Jose Ramirez Diagnosed With Ankle Sprain
Merrill Kelly

Exits Early With Trainer On Friday
Triston Casas

Injures Knee, Taken Off On Stretcher
Fernando Tatis Jr.

Exits Early On Friday After Hit-By-Pitch
Damian Lillard

Undergoes Successful Surgery
José Ramírez

Jose Ramirez Leaves Early On Friday With Leg Injury
George Kirby

Mariners "Hopeful" They'll Have George Kirby In Late May
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

To Be Out "A While" With High-Grade Strain
Walker Buehler

Lands On Injured List
Sebastian Aho

Misses Practice For Personal Reasons
Corey Seager

Could Return This Weekend
Eric Robinson

Misses Friday's Practice
Oliver Bjorkstrand

Recovering From Surgery
Victor Hedman

Nursing Broken Right Foot
Brandon Hagel

Diagnosed With Concussion
Tyler Tucker

To Remain Out On Friday
Nikolaj Ehlers

Expected To Return Friday
Salvador Perez

Not Playing On Friday
San Francisco 49ers

Ross Dwelley Returns To 49ers
San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco Adds D.J. Humphries
Connor Wong

Activated From Injured List And Starting On Friday
Green Bay Packers

Collin Oliver Signs Four-Year Deal With Green Bay
Ketel Marte

Reinstated From 10-Day Injured List
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Likely Several Weeks From Rehab Assignment
Philadelphia Eagles

Smael Mondon Jr. Inks Rookie Deal With Philly
Gleyber Torres

Dealing With Tight Hamstring, Won't Play Friday
Logan Gilbert

Could Return Before The End Of May
Austin Hays

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Deiveson Figueiredo

Returns To Action
Tyler Stephenson

Activated From 10-Day Injured List
Cory Sandhagen

Set For UFC Des Moines Main Event
Bo Nickal

Set For Co-Main Event
Reinier de Ridder

An Underdog At UFC Des Moines
Daniel Rodriguez

Looks To Win Second Consecutive Fight
Santiago Ponzinibbio

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Daniel Marcos

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Carolina Panthers

Ulcerative Colitis Kept Hunter Renfrow Out Of NFL In 2024
Montel Jackson

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys Sign First-Rounder Tyler Booker To Four-Year Deal
Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals Trying To Get Something Done With Trey Hendrickson?
Carolina Panthers

Nothing Guaranteed Beyond 2025 For Adam Thielen
Cameron Smotherman

Set For His Second UFC Bout
Serhiy Sidey

A Favorite At UFC Des Moines
Mason Jones

Set To Open Up UFC Des Moines Main Card
Jeremy Stephens

Returns For UFC Des Moines
Mikko Rantanen

Finishes Game 6 Loss With Four Points
Roope Hintz

Notches Four Points In Losing Effort
Cale Makar

Enjoys Three-Point Night Thursday
Nathan MacKinnon

Collects Three Points In Crucial Win
Mark Stone

Continues To Heat Up Thursday
William Nylander

Leads The Way In Game 6 Victory
Connor Brown

Tallies Three Points In Series-Clincher
Los Angeles Chargers

Chargers Don't Exercise Zion Johnson's Fifth-Year Option
Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys Don't Pick Up Fifth-Year Option For Kaiir Elam
Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys Expect Trevon Diggs To Start Camp On The PUP List
Tennessee Titans

Titans Don't Pick Up Treylon Burks' Fifth-Year Option
Green Bay Packers

Packers Don't Pick Up Fifth-Year Option On Quay Walker
Isaiah Stewart

Out On Thursday
Max Pacioretty

Moving To Second Line Thursday
Johnathan Kovacevic

To Have Knee Surgery
Frederik Andersen

Expected To Return To Practice Friday
Mark Scheifele

Won't Play In Game 6
Pavel Dorofeyev

Out On Thursday
Jason Robertson

Upgraded To Day-To-Day
Miro Heiskanen

Ruled Out For Game 6
Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders Add Collin Johnson To Wide Receiver Room
Amen Thompson

Fills Stat Sheet In Game 5 Victory
Stephen Curry

Held To 13 Points Wednesday Night
Anthony Edwards

Struggles To Score In Series-Clincher
Rudy Gobert

Comes Up Big In Game 5 Victory
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Battles Back Issue In Game 5 Loss
LeBron James

Undecided On Future
Derrick Jones Jr.

Fine For Thursday
Maxi Kleber

Available For Lakers Debut Wednesday
Jonathan Kuminga

Out With An Illness
Jimmy Butler III

Ready To Play Wednesday
Isaiah Stewart

In Danger Of Missing Another Game Thursday
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Build Off Last Week's Runner-Up Finish
Gary Woodland

Could See Success At CJ CUP
Cam Davis

Making First Appearance At TPC Craig Ranch
Sam Burns

Could Be Due For A Great Week At TPC Craig Ranch
Patrick Rodgers

A Solid Value Play At TPC Craig Ranch
Jamal Murray

Explodes For 43 Points In Game 5
Carson Young

Looking To Recapture Form At CJ Cup
Jayson Tatum

Fires In 35 Points In Series-Clincher
Matt McCarty

An Intriguing Value Play At CJ Cup
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Logs Massive Triple-Double In Game 5
Maxi Kleber

Listed As Questionable For Game 5
Will Zalatoris

Searching For Putting Form At CJ Cup
Rob Dillingham

Out On Wednesday
Jae'Sean Tate

Still Out On Wednesday
Jimmy Butler III

Listed As Probable For Wednesday
Sam Stevens

A Risky Play With Upside At CJ Cup
PGA

Sungjae Im Riding Momentum Into CJ Cup
Ben Griffin

Looking To Stay Hot After First Career Win
Jake Knapp

Looking For More Success At TPC Craig Ranch
Mackenzie Hughes

Is An Interesting Option At CJ Cup
Aldrich Potgieter

Trending Downward For CJ Cup
Taylor Pendrith

Plays Well In Houston Recently
PGA

Niklas Norgaard May Not Be Cut Out For Texas
Rasmus Hojgaard

Could Be Up Or Down In Texas
Scottie Scheffler

The Untouchable Favorite At CJ Cup
Tom Kim

A Popular Name To Avoid At TPC Craig Ranch
Austin Eckroat

Looking To Find Success Again At TPC Craig Ranch
Ben Kohles

Finishes Tied For 59th At Corales Puntacana Championship
Aaron Nesmith

Upgraded To Available
William Byron

Ends With A Strong Top-Five Finish At Talladega
Ryan Blaney

Bad Luck Continues With Talladega Crash
Kyle Larson

Has A Career-Best Performance At Talladega
Ian Machado Garry

Gets Back On Track With UFC Kansas City Win
Brad Keselowski

Talladega Run Ends Early After Crashing
Carlos Prates

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Zhang Mingyang

Still Undefeated In The UFC
Anthony Smith

Retires After UFC Kansas City Loss
Giga Chikadze

Takes Unanimous Decision Loss
Giga Chikadze

Takes Unanimous-Decision Loss
David Onama

Extends Win Streak At UFC Kansas City
Michel Pereira

Drops Decision At UFC Kansas City
Abus Magomedov

Extends His Win Streak
Chase Elliott

Recovers from Speeding Penalty to Finish Fifth
Joey Logano

Finishes Last at Talladega After Disqualification for Missing Spoiler Brace
Ryan Preece

Loses Talladega Race First in Photo Finish Then in Post-Race Inspection
NASCAR

Poor Toyota Strategy Arguably Cost Bubba Wallace Winning Chances at Talladega
Christopher Bell

Unhurt After Hard Contact with Inside Retaining Wall
Chase Elliott

Is One OF The Top Overall DFS Picks Of The Week
Joey Logano

Could Joey Logano Finish A Race With A Top Finish At Talladega?
NASCAR

DFS Players Should Like Bubba Wallace For Talladega This Week
Christopher Bell

Should DFS Players Roster Christopher Bell At Talladega?
Austin Cindric

Is Austin Cindric Worth Rostering For Talladega DFS Lineups?
Shane Van Gisbergen

Is A Solid, Safe, DFS Choice For Talladega Lineups
Austin Dillon

Is Austin Dillon A Viable DFS Play At Talladega This Week?
Josh Berry

Qualifies Too High At Talladega To Be Worth Rostering In DFS
Michael McDowell

Should DFS Players Take A Shot On Michael McDowell At Talladega?
Noah Gragson

Could Be A Sneaky DFS Play For Talladega
Denny Hamlin

Probably Qualified Too Well for DFS Consideration
Kyle Larson

Increasingly Undervalued Due to His Crashing, but Still a Great DFS Option
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF