Elite Eight teams, ranked by national championship chances in 2024 men’s NCAA tournament

March 30, 2024

The Elite Eight for the 2024 Men’s NCAA Tournament has been decided. After the two-day carnage in the Sweet 16, there are still three No. 1 seeds left, but only one No. 2 seed. Please remember. This is his fifth time since 1985 when the top two seeds all advanced to the regional semifinals.

The eight surviving teams offer something for everyone. No. 11 seed North Carolina State and No. 6 seed Clemson are the Cinderellas of the majors. His No. 1 seeds, UConn and Purdue, have been led by true giants with completely unique skill sets. Illinois is one win away from finally returning to the Final Four, while Tennessee has never been to the Final Four. The attacking power displayed is undeniable and the top four teams in terms of efficiency still stand in this field.

After Monday’s win in Phoenix, let’s rank the eight teams still standing by their chances of finishing with a clean sweep.

8. North Carolina State University Wolfpack

Do you believe in teams of destiny? If so, north carolina As the program enters the Elite Eight for the first time since 1986, it’s putting together a compelling case that that’s just the way it is. The Wolfpack continued its miraculous run by defeating second-seeded Marquette with a little help from their physicality and shooting. Gods. The Golden Eagles made just 4 of 31 3-pointers (12.9 percent) and shot just 60 percent from free throws. As the bricks piled up, NC State continued to maintain a physical advantage inside through his DJ Barnes, which led to kickouts and open three-shooters all night.

DJ Horn feels he can make shots in any situation, and if he hadn’t made 4 of 3 against Marquette, the Wolfpack wouldn’t have made it to the Elite 8. Casey Morsell remains one of the most powerful defenders on the field, and Michael O’Connell has continued to garner attention since his buzzer-beater in the ACC tournament that kept NC State’s season alive. Mohamed Diarra feels like the unsung hero of this group, offering defense, energy, and an incredible knack for the glass. The Wolfpack needed to win five games in five days in the ACC Tournament to qualify for March Madness. Why would he quit now when he had three more wins? — Ricky O’Donnell

7. Clemson Tigers

Clemson has a claim to being the most impressive team in the tournament through three games. The sixth-seeded Tigers defeated the Fighting Lobos with relative ease in the first round.Then baylor bears With future draft picks surrounded by athletes, Clemson was no match.Finally the 2nd seed arizona wildcats From the jump, we were the underdogs and the underdogs.

Brad Brownell was exceptional in the final stages of a close game. Against Arizona, after the final media timeout, the Tigers made all four of their field goal attempts and missed just one free throw.

But the quick start gave Clemson the luxury of not having to sweat the game in the final seconds. Clemson led 25-11 against New Mexico, 22-14 against Baylor and 27-14 in the Sweet 16.

They play to their strengths and play their game. PJ Hall is Clemson’s best player. Joe Girard is one of the best shooters in the country. Look, Ian Schiefferin was probably their second-best player all season. But Chase Hunter rose to the occasion in a tournament where great guard play is expected.

Clemson can shoot, rebound, is unselfish when it comes to basketball, and plays team defense. They have a chance against everyone and they proved that through three games.

6. Duke Blue Devils

On the day Kyle Filipovski decided to bypass the NBA draft and return for a second year, Duke began dreaming of a Final Four. The big man was a star Friday night as the Blue Devils defeated No. 1 seed Houston to reach the Elite Eight, their furthest advance under coach Jon Scheyer. Filipovski showed an incredible combination of inside scoring, passing and shooting, contributing to the victory with 16 points, nine rebounds and two assists. Houston didn’t have a big man tall enough to challenge the shot, but absent star guard Jamal Shehead (who did not return with an ankle injury) certainly solved the problem.

Jeremy Roach previously appeared in the Final Four at Duke when he was teammates with Paolo Banchero. His solid hands were once again a big factor in the victory, as he scored 14 points. The Blue Devils will face North Carolina State in a rematch of the ACC Tournament. No one should forget that the Wolfpack’s Cinderella run to the Elite Eight began with an upset of Duke in the ACC quarterfinals. Duke will be the sure-fire favorite going into this game, but Filipovski won’t have much of an advantage internally against DJ Barnes. I’m attending another show. — Rod

5. Alabama

The Crimson Tide were the upset favorites in the first two rounds of the tournament. In the first round against the Charleston Cougars, he shot 56 percent from 3-point range in a 30-point performance behind Mark Sears, taking a commanding first-half lead.

In the next round, against Grand Canyon, Alabama took a risk. With six minutes left, they were trailing 58-55. The score was 62-61 after two minutes, then Muhamed Diubaté and Grant Nelson helped keep things flowing, shutting out Lopez 10-0. Grand Canyon made 2 of 20 3-pointers and missed 15 free throws. As a result, they were bound to suffer a crushing defeat against the No. 1 seed. north carolina tar heels…right?

mistaken.

For the third straight game, Alabama dictated the pace of the game. Every time North Carolina looked like it was going to pull away, Alabama kept going on mini-runs to keep the game within striking distance. This is a team with four legitimate scorers and a shooting threat. Sears and Rylan Griffen are knockdown shooters. Nelson is an impossible cover, but Aaron Estrada is an annoying lefty who always finds a way to go left.

Nelson’s five blocks were a major factor in the difference between victory and defeat. This is a team with irresistible firepower, so it’s no surprise that Alabama is still alive. -KP

4. Illinois against Illinois

Terrance Shannon was about five spots too low in the top 50 March Madness players. He’s playing like the most talented offensive player in the country. Although he is dazed with the ball in his hands, he is strong enough to overcome contact and get to the free throw line. Oh, and he’s also a lock for hitting three or four threes a game.

The Illini had a bit of a scare in the first round against Morehead State, but won by 15 points in the second half. They showed off Duquesne’s quick work in the round of 32 with Shannon trailing by 30 points.

After two efficient offensive productions, Illinois showed they can win one of the toughest games against the Cyclones in the Sweet 16. What was very impressive about the Fighting Illini’s postseason performance was Marcus Domask’s two off games. — A player who can score 25 points at any given time.

So Shannon, Dormask is an unstoppable force and is going to have a big game, and Coleman Hawkins has a stretch five who can do it all. Big man away from the rim.If you have a team that can give you university university Run for money, a team full of shooters like the Illini is what it is. -KP

3. Volunteers in Tennessee

Tennessee knew this was the year they had to make a leap into the tournament. The Vols have been a consistently good program under Rick Barnes, but he has only made it to the Elite Eight once in the program’s history, and he has only made it to the Final Four. There were 0 items. This year’s team had something its stalwart predecessor didn’t have. It was a superstar scorer named fifth-year student Dalton Knecht. The University of Tennessee defeated Creighton 82-75 in a game that showed all the differences between these Vols.

Tennessee gained momentum by making 11 of 24 3-pointers from long range. While Knecht didn’t hit the 40-point blitz he had during the SEC season, he still managed to put up 24 points, six rebounds and five assists despite only making 21 field goal attempts. The rest of the Vols have played in a number of big games thus far, with Josiah Jordan-James providing a 3-and-D connection in his fifth year and Zakai Zeigler improving his scoring ability as a junior. Tennessee is literally about to face its biggest test yet with 7’4 center Zach Eady and Purdue. If there’s any defense that has the answer for Eady, it’s Tennessee. The offense also needs to honor its end of the bargain. — Rod

2. Purdue Boiler Maker

Purdue entered this tournament with the weight of the world on its shoulders after becoming just the second No. 1 seed in history to lose to a No. 16 seed just a year ago. If you watch them play, you would never think there was so much pressure on this team. Purdue defeated Gonzaga 80-68 to claim its third straight victory in a tournament that was never in jeopardy. The Boilermakers look more comfortable and confident with superstar center Zach Eady around, ticking so many boxes about what a potential national champion should be like. Checked.

Brayden Smith has developed into one of the best point guards in the country as a sophomore, giving Purdue a steady hand who knows how to find a huge center in any situation. Smith had an impressive 14 points, 15 assists, and 8 rebounds against Gonzaga, showing off the “pure” point guard play that coaches dream of. The shooters around Eadie and Smith are in the spotlight right now. Purdue made 9 of 20 3-pointers and had four players make multiple shots from behind the arc. Lance Jones was a God-send as the only impactful transfer on this team, giving them enthusiasm on both ends of the floor that was sorely lacking a year ago. Eady’s dominance is all too common at this point, and his 27 points and 14 rebounds against Gonzaga feel like the norm. Purdue hasn’t reached the Final Four or won a national title since his 1980. The Boilermakers need to relax and stay in the moment because they feel like they’re playing great basketball right now. — Rod

San Diego State University v Connecticut

1. Connecticut Huskies

As mentioned in the Sweet 16 rankings, a tougher test was in store for Connecticut as the defending champions headed into the Sweet 16. San Diego State, the team the Huskies defeated in the national championship game a season ago.

Last year, Connecticut defeated the Aztecs 76-59.

This year was an even bigger win.

The Huskies defeated San Diego State 82-52 in an environment more reminiscent of a Connecticut home game in Storrs in December than a regional semifinal. The game had the feel of a home game for the Huskies, as they played at TD Garden in Boston, just 90 minutes from campus.

And Connecticut capitalized on that energy, as the Huskies built a nine-point lead by halftime, and with less than 10 minutes left, Hassan Diarra hit a three-ball in the corner to push Connecticut’s lead to 62-48. . The game ended with four Huskies scoring in double figures: Stephon Castle, Tristen Newton, Cam Spencer and Diarra. Big man Donovan Clingan, who has been a force this season, had another game impacting the game at the rim, adding eight points and eight boards.

As we rotely learned earlier this week, “Their best game still feels better than anyone else in the country.” That’s no different heading into the Elite Eight. -MS