2024 March Madness: Reseeding the Round of 32 Field
The Round of 64 is in the books, and it's time to move on to this weekend's Round of 32 to see who can advance. There were a collection of exciting upsets to start it off, but who is the best of the rest? Matt Mackay reseeds the rest of the field ahead of March Madness Round of 32.
Matt MacKay - March 23, 2024, 9:13 AM EDT
5 min2024 March Madness: Reseeding the Round of 32 Field
The Round of 64 gave us a ton of upsets, which could be a recurring theme entering the Round of 32 on Saturday and Sunday.
UConn played like the defending champions in Round 1 during their 39-point win over 16-seed Stetson. In fact, all four of the one seeds showed out, winning by at least 28 points or more. We'll see how difficult it becomes for them against teams with a win under their belt in tournament play this weekend.
Now, we're ranking all 32 teams remaining in the 2024 NCAA March Madness tournament.
2024 MARCH MADNESS POWER RANKINGS: ROUND OF 32
1. CONNECTICUT HUSKIES
Ranked fifth in field goal percentage, converting 49.7 percent of shot attempts, the UConn Huskies combination of offense and stifling defense is the reason why they're favored in the National Champion futures market at +280 odds.
2. PURDUE BOILERMAKERS
Zach Edey recorded 30 points and over 20 rebounds during Purdue's Round 1 rout of Grambling. Purdue isn't far behind UConn in terms of shooting efficiency. Defensively, the Boilermakers are 105th in points allowed, so they could encounter some trouble against 8-seed Utah State in Round 2.
3. HOUSTON COUGARS
Houston disposed of Longwood without flinching in Round 1. The Cougars are relentless on defense, ranked No. 1 in points allowed per game at 56.7. This helps their offense get a boost in transition. They'll certainly have their hands full against Texas A&M in Round 2, who hung 98 points on Nebraska in Round 1.
4. BAYLOR BEARS
The Baylor Bears put on an offensive clinic against Colgate to start their tournament entrance. Ranked 20th in field goal percentage, converting 48.6 percent of attempts, including 39.4 percent from three-point range, the Bears should be able to exploit Clemson's defense. The Tigers give up 70.8 points per contest, 224th in the nation.
5. NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS
UNC is the fourth and final one-seed, preparing for a matchup against 9-seed Michigan State. The Tar Heels offense is 21st in the nation, scoring over 81 points per game, while their defense is also more than capable of stifling opponents. UNC should control the West Region until they potentially encounter Baylor in the Elite Eight.
6. IOWA STATE CYCLONES
Iowa State's defense is its premier weapon. The Cyclones are fourth in points allowed per game, while their offense is more than capable of finishing at the other end. Iowa State is the 2-seed in the East Region but if they go on a run to the second week, UConn is likely going to be there to challenge the Cyclones.
7. ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI
Terrence Shannon Jr. is an absolute playmaker on offense for Illinois. The Fighting Illini point guard has been red-hot in March, scoring 25 or more points in five straight games. When he's playing like this, Illinois could wind up contending for the National Championship. First, a matchup against 11-seed Duquesne needs to be handled.
8. TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
Dalton Knecht is the primary force on Tennessee's offense, which routed 15-seed St. Peter's 83-49 in Round 1. The Volunteers' tournament woes in recent appearances should motivate them to avoid playing poorly. 7-seed Texas awaits Tennessee in Round 2.
9. TEXAS A&M AGGIES
Texas A&M poured in baskets during Round 1 against Nebraska, finishing with 98 points and winning by 15 over Nebraska. The Aggies aren't a prolific scoring team based on their entire season output, however, if they can transfer their momentum into Round 2 against Houston's defense, an upset could be in store.
10. ARIZONA WILDCATS
Arizona feels like a team that hasn't been discussed much thus far during March Madness. The Wildcats are the 2-seed in the West Region and will take on the 7-seed Dayton Flyers in Round 2. Averaging 48.8 percent from the field, Arizona's tendency to disappoint in the tournament will be tested against a resilient Flyers team on Saturday.
11. COLORADO BUFFALOES
After pulling off a win in the 10-seed First Four play-in game, Colorado outlasted Florida in a high-scoring win in Round 1, grabbing a 102-100 win over the Gators. Their athleticism and scoring ability should present challenges against 2-seed Marquette in Round 2 on Sunday.
12. CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS
The Creighton Bluejays beat the UConn Huskies during the regular season, catapulting them to the top of the college basketball rankings. Entering the Midwest Region as a 3-seed, the Bluejays took awhile before disposing of Akron, 77-60. Oregon will be a tough opponent to beat in Round 2, but Creighton's shotmaking ability is the reason why their favored -4.5 on the point spread.
13. GONZAGA BULLDOGS
When it comes to field goal percentage, Gonzaga is the second best team in the nation. The Bulldogs average 51.6 percent from the field and are the best team in the tournament in this metric. Combine this with their ability to hold teams under 69 points per game, and the Bulldogs may be the team to come out of the Midwest Region.
14. KANSAS JAYHAWKS
Kansas is the unfortunate team that has to deal with Gonzaga in Round 2. The Jayhawks had a close call in Round 1 against 13-seed Samford, managing a 93-89 win. Kansas can shoot well, averaging over 49 percent from the field, so if they get hot, perhaps the 5-seed Jayhawks can make another run at a National Championship.
15. NC STATE WOLFPACK
NC State is amongst the hottest teams in March Madness. The Wolfpack are riding a big winning streak and have beat Duke and UNC during this stretch. Next up, this 11-seed gets to take on the 14-seed Oakland Golden Grizzlies, who hung 80 point on Kentucky in Round 1. A win over Oakland puts the Wolfpack in the Sweet 16 in the South Region, facing either Colorado or Marquette.
16. DUKE BLUE DEVILS
Duke got off to a slow start against Vermont in Round 1 but rounded into form late to cover -12.5 on the point spread. Kyle Filipowski and Jeremy Roach lead the offense into a Round 2 matchup against a red-hot James Madison team, which has the makings for another underdog upset.
17. MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES
Marquette is a 2-seed in the South Region but we haven't talked about them a lot. The Golden Eagles average 47.8 percent from the field, top-30 in the nation, while holding opponents under 70 points on average. An early struggle against Western Kentucky could turn into an upset alert against Colorado on Sunday in Round 2.
18. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
Alabama is the nation's top scoring offense, averaging over 91 points per game this season. The Crimson Tide aren't good defensively though and weren't tested hard in Round 1 against 13-seed Charleston. Grand Canyon is better but not a formidable test, so Alabama should find itself in the Sweet 16 against either UNC or Michigan State.
19. DUQUESNE DUKES
Duquesne recorded its first March Madness tournament win in over 50 years against BYU in Round 1. The Dukes are riding a massive winning streak and rely on their defense, ranked 27th in the nation, to contend against more talented rosters. Duquesne could pull off another upset against Illinois if they shut down Terrence Shannon and the Illini offense in Round 2 of the East Region.
20. SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS
San Diego State made a run all the way to the National Championship in 2023 but the Aztecs may not have enough offense to contend in the same fashion this time around. A narrow win over UAB in Round 1 gives San Diego State an intriguing Round 2 matchup against a scrappy, efficient Yale offense.
21. OREGON DUCKS
Oregon may be an absolute problem for teams to beat in the Midwest Region. The Ducks handled South Carolina 87-73 in Round 1, while they average 46 percent shooting from the floor. Their matchup against Creighton in Round 2 on Saturday night should give us a highly entertaining game to enjoy.
22. CLEMSON TIGERS
Clemson was one of a few teams, if not the only team, valued as an underdog in Round 1 despite being a higher seed than their opponent. The Tigers dominated New Mexico 77-56, who were red-hot on offense. Now, they get a tough matchup against Baylor's high-octane offense on Sunday in the West Region.
23. UTAH STATE AGGIES
Utah State took care of TCU after halftime, finishing with 84 points to win by 14 points. In Round 2, the Aggies will get a tough matchup against 1-seed Purdue in the Midwest Region. Ranked 40th in points scored per game this season, averaging 80, Utah State can exploit a pedestrian Boilermaker defense to give them a real scare.
24. WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS
Washington State is efficient shooting, averaging 46.4 percent from the floor. The Cougars escaped Round 1 with a five-point win over 10-seed Drake. Now, they gets the smothering defense of Iowa State in Round 2. Washington State punched up a lot this season, but it'll be a tough task to advance to the Sweet 16.
25. MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS
Tom Izzo and March Madness are synonymous with success. The Spartans didn't have a great regular season, currently a 9-seed in the West Region. Their defensive effort against Mississippi State was impressive though, so if they can maintain over 46 percent from the field and 36 percent from three-point range, the Spartans could record an upset against 1-seed UNC on Saturday.
26. TEXAS LONGHORNS
Texas' offense looked out of sorts against Colorado State, but the Longhorns' defense showed up to win Round 1 by a 12-point margin. Now, the 7-seed Longhorns face Tennessee, which will test their offensive efficiency once again in Round 2. Texas is getting +6.5 on the point spread, with over 71 percent of money coming in on the Volunteers
27. JAMES MADISON DUKES
James Madison handled Wisconsin without much difficulty in Round 1, relying on their offensive scoring, which averages 84 points per game and over 47 percent from the field. The Dukes have all of the momentum on their side, so they could wind up beating Duke outright to advance to the Sweet 16 in the South Region.
28. DAYTON FLYERS
Dayton's improbable comeback late against Nevada should instill confidence and momentum within the Flyers entering Round 2. The 7-seed Flyers rank 32nd in field goal percentage (47.7%) and is a sound defensive team, holding opponents under 67 points this season. Arizona is a solid offense though, but Daron Holmes III is an asset that the Flyers have in the paint on both ends of the court. Expect another gritty performance from Dayton in Round 2.
29. NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS
After a forgettable start against FAU, Northwestern got red-hot in the second half and overtime, draining buckets with ease. Led by point guard Boo Bouie, the 9-seed Wildcats unfortunately have to face UConn in Round 2 of the East Region on Sunday night. It'll take a herculean effort to advance to the Sweet 16.
30. GRAND CANYON ANTELOPES
Grand Canyon's offense is legitimate, shooting over 46 percent from the field. The Antelopes played better in the paint, grabbing more rebounds and forcing turnovers against 5-seed Saint Mary's in Round 1. Now, they get to try to contain Alabama's top-ranked offense with their 45th-ranked defense. This should be a good matchup on Sunday evening in the West Region, especially since the Antelopes can score buckets consistently.
31. YALE BULLDOGS
Yale beat Auburn in Round 1, despite the Tigers having several good looks to tie or win the game outright at the end. The 13-seed Bulldogs advance to Round 2, led by John Poulakidas, who was on fire agains Auburn's top-tier defense. Defensively, Yale holds teams under 67 points, meaning they can contain San Diego State's offense to advance to the Sweet 16.
32. OAKLAND GOLDEN GRIZZLIES
Oakland's John Gohlke drained 10 three-pointers to beat the high-octane Kentucky Wildcats offense in Round 1. The Golden Grizzlies are playing with house money now, ranked 96th in average points scored this season. Their defense leaves much to be desired, so a Round 2 matchup against a talented NC State offense demands another shooting clinic from Oakland to advance.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL ODDS
