The Sweet 16 field is set, featuring nine teams that returned to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament from last year, the most since 2003. Among the returning teams are Alabama, Arizona, Duke, Houston, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Tennessee, and Arkansas, the latter of which is one of the few double-digit seeds still in contention. Houston has advanced past the first weekend in seven consecutive tournaments, the longest active streak. Several programs are ending long droughts, with St. John's and Iowa reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999, and Nebraska making its first appearance in program history.
The Cornhuskers have been one of the best stories in college basketball this season, as they were the only high-major team that had never won an NCAA Tournament game. Now, they have two wins in less than a week and are looking to make an even deeper run against Big Ten foe Iowa. Nebraska's coach, Fred Hoiberg, has been instrumental in the team's success, leading them to a remarkable turnaround.
Iowa's Ben McCollum is another coach who has been making waves in the college basketball world. In his first season as a coach at the high-major level, he has led the Hawkeyes to the Sweet 16 for the first time this century. McCollum's postseason success is not new, as he had a 32-7 record in the tournament and won four national championships at Northwest Missouri State.
The matchup between Iowa and Nebraska is set to take place on Thursday, with both teams looking to advance to the Elite Eight.
The Sweet 16 matchup between Iowa and Nebraska is shaping up to be an exciting one, with both teams having compelling stories to tell. Iowa's Ben McCollum has been making a name for himself as one of the fastest-rising coaches in the country, and his team's return to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999 is a testament to his skills. Meanwhile, Nebraska's Fred Hoiberg has led the Cornhuskers to a remarkable turnaround, and their first appearance in the Sweet 16 in program history is a story worth following. With both teams having something to prove, this matchup is sure to be an intense and closely contested one.
