The NCAA Tournament's moniker 'March Madness' isn't just a clever nickname. Year after year we are treated to chaos in the bracket tournament. We have witnessed not one but two 16 seeds upset a #1 seed in the past few seasons after decades of never seeing that feat done. The term 'Cinderella' is synonymous with this time of year for college hoops fans, as are terms like darlings and underdogs. But, this year there has been little to no madness. There isn't a true underdog left and Cinderella won't be fitted for her shoe.
The 2024 installment of the NCAA tournament has been mostly bland. We had a few upsets early, but there are no upper seeds advancing, no last second buzzer beaters to hang our hats on and this Sweet 16 is tasting very chalky. Chalk is a term used by sports bettors when you talk about the favorites and favorites were on full display this past Saturday. Favorites went a perfect 8-0 on Saturday with all but one team covering the spread. It was a nightmare scenario for sports books, but the public ended up cheering. That favorite run didn't only start and end Saturday. In fact bookmakers have called this the most chalk filled NCAA tournament of all time.
Entering the Sweet 16 portion this week all four #1 seeds are not only still alive but none seemed to even break a sweat to get here. Purdue put up 106 points in a 39 point blowout, UConn led by 22 at the half and won by 17, Houston and North Carolina had a some concerns but both wound up winning. The #2 seeds also all pushed through with Arizona, Iowa State, Tennessee, and Marquette all advancing. That means of the 16 remaining teams half are the top 2 seeds and another two are the 3 seeds. 10 of the top 12 seeds from the committee will make up the field of 16 with just one team entering being more than a 6 seed.
That doesn't mean we won't have excitement this weekend as all teams have their eyes set on the Final Four, but it does mean that we have just one shot at a Cinderella. North Carolina State sits as the sole team above a 6 seed, being ranked #11 before the tournament, and our last hope for a true underdog story. The Sweet 16 can still be sweet, but it's tasting very chalky.