Reseeding Sweet 16 bracket? My March Madness update in 2024 NCAA Tournament | Toppmeyer

• UConn is playing up to its No. 1 overall seed, but some other teams are playing better than their seed would indicate.
• North Carolina's battle-tested lineup makes UNC dangerous, while Marquette and Illinois are in a scoring bonanza.
• Tennessee and Alabama are left to carry the torch for the SEC.

First-round upsets gave way to second-round chalk. These are the best NCAA Tournaments, when bracket-buster surprises highlight the tournament’s first two days, but premier teams and their stars stick around to provide three weeks of entertainment.

UConn is playing up to its No. 1 overall seed, but some other teams are performing better than their seed would suggest.

Here’s how I would reseed Sweet 16 teams, No. 1 through 16, from those still playing in March Madness:

1. UConn (Actual seed: No. 1, East)

UConn’s balance makes it so dangerous. Any member of its starting five can go for 20-plus points. The Huskies possess shooters and size, and they play defense.

2. Purdue (Actual seed: No. 1, Midwest)

If Purdue’s supporting cast shoots like they did in Sunday’s rout of Utah State, when the Boilermakers hit 11 3-pointers, they’ll remain tough to topple. Zach Edey is an automatic double-double. If big man Trey Kaufman-Renn stays hot, Matt Painter finally could reach his first Final Four.

3. North Carolina (Actual seed: No. 1, West)

RJ Davis and Armando Bacot are veteran stars who are comfortable with the pressures of March. The Tar Heels could go far, as long as No. 3 scoring option Harrison Ingram keeps playing like he did against Michigan State.

4. Marquette (Actual seed: No. 2, South)

Point guard Tyler Kolek is back from injury, and he’s dropping double doubles. That makes the Golden Eagles a Final Four-caliber team. I’m not alarmed by Marquette allowing 77 points in a second-round win against Colorado, because Colorado's offense is electric.

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5. Houston (Actual seed: No. 1, South)

Am I a little concerned Houston needed overtime to fend off Texas A&M? Yes. Am I also impressed Houston dropped 100 points? Yes. Houston suffered no hangover from its dud showing in the Big 12 Championship.

6. Illinois (Actual seed: No. 3, East)

Terrence Shannon Jr. and Marcus Domask are as good as any 1-2 punch. Illinois’ offense is nearly unmatched. That's handy, because its defense can become a liability.

7. Arizona (Actual seed: No. 2, West)

The Wildcats are well-rounded, and their defense powered them to the Sweet 16. Pelle Larsson must keep playing well to offer Caleb Love a necessary wingman.

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8. Creighton (Actual seed: No. 3, Midwest)

The Blue Jays needed every ounce of their offensive firepower to turn back Oregon. This veteran team kept its cool while rallying past the Ducks. Creighton’s scoring punch revolves mostly around four players, but those four can all go for 20-plus.

9. Tennessee (Actual seed: No. 2, Midwest)

To reach the Elite Eight, the Vols will require more scoring punch than they showed against Texas, but their defense and rebounding have been dependable. Dalton Knecht entering flamethrower mode may be required for Tennessee to reach its first Final Four.

10. Iowa State (Actual seed: No. 2, East)

The Cyclones’ defense keeps delivering, but I harbor concerns about their offense, particularly with a game against Illinois upcoming. In the absence of a true star who can drop 30 points, the Cyclones must be able to count on their balanced scoring.

11. Gonzaga (Actual seed: No. 5, Midwest)

Gonzaga played better than its seed while dismantling Kansas in the second round. Gonzaga’s frontcourt is tearing apart opponents, but that front line will be challenged by Purdue and Edey.

12. Duke (Actual seed: No. 4, South)

Jared McCain scored 45 points in two tournament games. If he keeps hitting shots, look out, Houston, especially if Kyle Filipowski elevates his game. Duke’s star big man has been quiet, and still the Blue Devils look strong.

13. Alabama (Actual seed: No. 4, West)

As encouraging as it was that Alabama beat Grand Canyon despite poor shooting, the Crimson Tide can’t afford another round of misfires. Mark Sears looks the part of superstar, but I’m wondering about his supporting cast.

14. San Diego State (Actual seed: No. 5, East)

The Aztecs will go as far as stud forward Jaedon LeDee will take them, and this probably is as far as he can take them. SDSU plays defense as well as nearly any team, but UConn will put that to the test.

15. Clemson (Actual seed: No. 6, West)

Clemson exceeded the expectations of most bracket prognosticators. Chase Hunter is playing out of his mind. The Tigers can’t afford for his game to come back to earth, or this will be the end of the road.

16. NC State (Actual seed: No. 11, South)

Holy, big man! The Wolfpack’s 6-foot-9, 275-pound center DJ Burns delights the big fella that lives inside all of us. He’s scored 40 points in two games. But, this hot squad that needed overtime to hold off Oakland is probably on fumes.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's SEC Columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.

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