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NCAA Tournament: Storylines For Every Sweet 16 Team

By Nathan Giese

Mar 20, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Buddy Hield (24) celebrates defeating the Virginia Commonwealth Rams 85-81 during the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 20, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Buddy Hield (24) celebrates defeating the Virginia Commonwealth Rams 85-81 during the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 20, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Villanova Wildcats head coach Jay Wright talks with his team against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the second half in the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 20, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Villanova Wildcats head coach Jay Wright talks with his team against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the second half in the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /

Villanova Wildcats: Did They Have The Luckiest Draw Of The Top Seeds?

Villanova’s recent tournament history rivals Kansas’ in terms of disappointing endings earlier than expected. Both teams have overcome that to this point, but now the hard question has to be asked:

Did Villanova just get the best possible draw of all the top eight seeds in the field?

Their first-round game wasn’t designed to be a challenge, as it rarely is with a No. 2 seed taking on a No. 15 seed (sorry, Michigan State), and the 30-point margin of victory proves that.

Their second-round game was designed to be at least a bit challenging, but going against an Iowa team that had to win on a buzzer-beater in their first game and had lost six of its last eight games before the NCAA tournament, the Hawkeyes really never stood a chance, losing by 19.

Now, Villanova deserves credit for playing well enough to have a 49-point margin of victory through two games, but have they really been challenged to this point? No, they haven’t, but Miami presents the type of team to push them and challenge at every juncture.

Then again, this could just be Villanova reaching its apex as a team and there could be very little other teams can do to stop them.

So are the Wildcats hitting their stride? Or are they in for a rude awakening against the Hurricanes?

Next: Last Hoorah For Carolina?