The Sweet Sixteen is here, and I correctly predicted just two matchups: Kansas-Villanova and Texas-Stanford. Ergo, it’s a second chance on all my predictions!

#4 Washington State v. #1 North Carolina

This is the game I can’t wait to see this weekend (remember: I did call myself the biggest Cougs’ fan east of Pullman). The best offense in the nation goes up against the best defense. UNC is averaging 110.5 points in the Tourney, Wazzu has given up 40.5 (since halftime of their first-round game, when the Cougars were tied at 29 with Winthrop, they have allowed just 53 points in 60 minutes, and have nearly doubled up their opponents 103-53). Wazzu boasts one of the nation’s best lockdown defenders in Kyle Weaver, and it will be interesting to see if he checks Lawson or Ellington for most of the night. The Cougars played excellent transition defense against Notre Dame, but then again, UNC is a different animal. Oddly enough, this game will come down to how Washington State operates on the other end of the floor. I think it’s safe to say UNC will score between 65 and 75 points: if Wazzu can hit their shots and play efficiently offensively–something they sometimes struggle to do–they’ll be right there at the end. I think it’s close, but I think the Tar Heels pull it out. UNC marches on, 74-64.

#3 Louisville v. #2 Tennessee

The Vols escaped Butler Sunday in one of the best-played games of the Tourney. But, the Sweet 16 is not the time to develop point guard issues, especially when going up against a Rick Pitino team. These teams play similar styles, and it will be a wildly entertaining game. But the Vols’ problems at point guard and Louisville’s ability to score easier in the halfcourt with David Padgett lead the Cardinals into the Regional Finals. L’Ville, 84-76.

#12 Western Kentucky v. #1 UCLA

In 1995, top-seeded UCLA needed a Tyus Edney coast-to-coast buzzer-beating layup to beat 8-seed Missouri, 75-74, in the second round. In the next round, the Bruins cruised past 5-seed Mississippi State by 19. UCLA fans must already be making the connection after escaping Saturday past Texas A&M (due in large part to Darren Collison’s late buckets), and history will continue to repeat itself Thursday night. UCLA rolls, 74-55.

#7 West Virginia v. #3 Xavier

And to think, I used to like West Virginia. You have to think that the Mountaineers can beat Xavier the same way they beat Duke: by punishing them on the glass and making them settle for perimeter shots. Sure, the Musketeers may not miss 15 in a row from downtown, and Joe Mazzulla may not play the game of his life. And Cam Thoroughman probably won’t end the postgame press conference by mocking the Atlantic 10 Sixth Man of the Year credentials of Josh Duncan. Come to think of it, Duke played really bad in that game, and the Mountaineers came off a little too confident. I’m sensing some sweet irony after the game, when Drew Lavender says, “Sure, they’re a good team. But I mean, in the A-10, we have six or seven really good teams they’d be on par with. And we just manhandled them.” X marks the spot, 74-71 (and no, I’m not bitter at all).

LINKS

Some more on that UNC-Wazzu matchup.

There are no words. Well: Duke, Belmont, dolls, sarcastic sports anchor.

What goes wrong with Duke in March?

And the bad news keeps pouring in to Durham.

Storming the Floor profiles all the Sweet 16 teams and assesses their chances of moving on (that’s a lot of s’s in that word).

So does Seth Davis (who adds his own two cents on Duke’s loss).