Trent Reinsmith
The field of 64 that began the hunt for the 2022 NCAA Basketball Championship has been whittled down to 16 teams as we get deeper into the 2022 edition of March Madness.
- Sweet 16: March 24 & 25
- Elite Eight: March 26 & 27
- Final Four: April 2 at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans
- National Championship: April 4 at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans
Last year’s champion, the Baylor Bears were eliminated in the second round by the No. 8 seeded University of North Carolina. Baylor was a No. 1 seed heading into this year’s tourney.
The only No. 1 seed left playing in Day Two of the Sweet 16 matchups, which take place on Friday, March 25, is the Kansas Jayhawks.
Before we look at the matchups for the second day of the Sweet 16, check out the best sites for March Madness 2022 betting. Also, be sure to check out our NCAA College Basketball betting page for tips and advice on how to wager on NCAA basketball.
Saint Peter’s (No. 15) vs. Purdue (No. 3)
- Date & Location: Friday, March 25 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA
- Time: 7:09 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: CBS
| Teams |  |  |  |  |
| Saint Peters | +675 | +655 | +635 | +625 |
| Purdue | -1050 | -910 | -910 | -950 |
The Saint Peter’s Peacocks might be a No. 15 seed, but they are playing great. Saint Peter’s shot 51 percent from the field in beating No. 2 Kentucky and showed a lot of confidence in the overtime of that game. The Peacocks will be a sentimental pick here.
However, the Purdue Boilermakers are the favorite for a reason. They can shoot from the outside for the three-pointers and if the team struggles there, they have the size to dominate on the inside.
Pick: Purdue to beat Saint Peter’s.
Providence (No. 4) vs. Kansas (No. 1)
- Date & Location: Friday, March 25 at United Center in Chicago, IL
- Time: 7:29 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: TBS
| Teams |  | | | | |
| Providence | +265 | +275 | +275 | +275 | +275 |
| Kansas | -330 | -330 | -345 | -345 | -345 |
The Providence Friars are playing well during March Madness, but this is the same team that lost to the Creighton Blue Jays 85-58 on March 11, and Creighton is not a team one can compare to the Kansas Jayhawks.
I’m not totally dismissing Providence, they have the type of defense Kansas might struggle with, but Kansas is a team that can work through tough games and gets wins, even if those wins are a bit ugly.
Pick: Kansas to beat Providence.
North Carolina (No. 8) vs. UCLA (No. 4)
- Date & Location: Friday, March 25 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA
- Time: 9:39 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: CBS
| Teams | | | | | |
| North Carolina | +120 | +122 | +115 | +120 | +115 |
| UCLA | -140 | -142 | -135 | -140 | -135 |
This has the making of a tight game that could go either way. The North Carolina Tar Heels have played great defense during March Madness. In their past three games, they have limited their opponents to 37.4 percent shooting from the floor.
UCLA is also strong on defense and will be able to threaten North Carolina with three-point shots. UCLA doesn’t turn the ball over a great deal and that’s a big help against a strong defensive club like North Carolina.
Pick: UCLA to beat North Carolina in a highly competitive game.
Iowa State (No. 11) vs. Miami (No. 10)
- Date & Location: Friday, March 25 at United Center in Chicago, IL
- Time: 9:59 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: TBS
| Teams | | | | | |
| Iowa State | +125 | +115 | +125 | +125 | +125 |
| Miami | -145 | -135 | -145 | -145 | -145 |
The Iowa State Cyclones defense was superb in getting a second-round upset win over the Wisconsin Badgers. Iowa State limited Wisconsin to 29.8 percent from the floor in that game. Iowa State has not just been solid on defense during March Madness, but they played at a top-level without the ball all year.
The Miami Hurricanes have a very speedy offense and that could give Iowa State some problems, but I think the Cyclones will be able to adjust quickly to Miami’s offense and tighten things up.
Pick: Iowa State to beat Miami.
See below the best sportsbooks where you can find great NCAAB National Championship odds and bets and choose the best one for you:
