The first weekend of the 2017 NCAA tournament began slowly, with minimal chaos during the first round, before going into full-on madness mode on Saturday and Sunday. What we’re left with is a Sweet 16 mostly made up of teams we expected to be there as well as a few surprise survivors.
And for all of them, the work is just beginning.
Reaching the Sweet 16 is a notable achievement, but it only means those teams have made it one-third of the way toward their ultimate goal. The stakes only get bigger from here, starting with the regional semifinals set for Thursday and Friday.
To get you prepared, we’ve broken down each Sweet 16 contest to point out the players and matchups to watch, the most notable facts and the X-factors that are most likely to determine the outcomes.
For the complete story, visit TheBleacherReport.com/NCAA.
