March Madness: Eight things to watch for in the Sweet 16 of NCAA Tournament

The die has been cast for the Sweet 16. A trip to the Final Four and one of the greatest spectacles in American sports is just two games away.

But for now, there are 16 teams remaining - each with the chance of progressing further - deep into April with the shot at glory.

We have Cinderella stories that need more writing in the forms of Princeton and Florida Atlantic. We have bluebloods in UConn and Michigan State that are looking to add to their storied pasts.

Teams that have been powerhouses all year, like one-seeds Alabama and Houston, are just a win away from the Elite Eight. There could be the game of the tournament in the form of Gonzaga-UCLA.

With all of this on the line, DailyMail.com takes a look at eight story lines - one from each game - to look out for tonight, when the madness of March continues in the Sweet 16.

Can a blue blood like Connecticut add to its storied history with a Final Four appearance?

Will Princeton be able to find any more magic to keep their story alive when playing Creighton?

Battle of old vs. new 

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo has been one of the top college basketball coaches in the country since 1995. He's won a national title with the Spartans and made eight Final Four appearances. 

Kansas State coach Jerome Tang is in his first head coaching job ever.

To say there's a gulf in coaching experience would be an understatement, but it wouldn't mean the Wildcats are expected to lose. 

A three-seed that lost only nine games in the nation's top conference (the Big 12), Kansas State has proven to the doubters that they're capable of running with Michigan State.

One key matchup to watch is the battle between the teams from beyond the arc. Michigan State is the eighth best 3-point shooting team in the country while K-State is in the top-15 for 3-point defense, according to Ken Pom. Additionally, Michigan State runs one of the slowest offenses in the country while Kansas State is one of the 50 quickest.

Who will win in a battle of Old v. New? The seasoned Tom Izzo or the upstart Jerome Tang (L)?

Can this UConn team become one of the school's best ever?

In the four teams that won national championships for the Huskies, they've each been led by individuals who rose to the occasion throughout their tournament runs. 

In 1999 it was guard Khalid El-Amin who led UConn to 'shock the world'. In 2004 it was center and national player of the year Emeka Okafor. In 2011, guard Kemba Walker inspired the team - winning eleven straight games en route to conference and national titles. In 2014, Shabazz Napier stepped up as UConn became the first and only seven-seed to win a championship.

If there is any individual who is primed to lead Connecticut to its fifth title, it's Adama Sanogo, a 6-foot-10 forward from Mali. Over two tournament games so far, Sanogo has managed an impressive 52 points and 21 rebounds combined in wins over 13-seed Iona and fifth-seeded St. Mary's.

He'll need UConn's other starters to stay consistent or step up. Jordan Hawkins has been struggling these past few games and Andre Jackson Jr. needs to keep his good run going.

That'll be especially important when they play this Arkansas team which boasts two potential NBA Draft lottery picks in Nick Smith Jr. and Anthony Black. 

Will Adama Sanogo etch his name into the UConn story books as one of the school's best ever?

Florida Atlantic's underdog story continues vs. Tennessee

FAU had only been in one NCAA Tournament prior to this year's edition. They were bounced immediately and went into this year with no games won in March Madness.

This year, they were able to get past eight-seed Memphis in a nail-biter, then took care of Cinderella team Fairleigh Dickinson. 

Coach Dusty May has a well-put together team that does very well on both sides of the ball.

But they'll face their biggest and toughest test yet in Tennessee - one of the most experienced teams at the tournament and the most defensively efficient team in the nation.

The Vols are fantastic on the interior and the perimeter and is seventh in the country in offensive rebounding percentage. FAU will need to play its best game in a season to come out victorious.

The Volunteers' defensive efficiency could prove to be a problem for Florida Atlantic

Gonzaga-UCLA could be the Game of the Tournament

The last time these two teams met in the tournament - back in the 2021 Final Four - the contest was an instant classic. A back-and-forth contest ended on a Jalen Suggs buzzer beating 3-pointer to send Gonzaga to the national title game. 

This Bulldogs team is just as good as that 2021 squad - with the nation's most efficient offensive unit, according to Ken Pom. They're also top 10 in 3-point percentage, 2-point percentage, and block percentage.

UCLA has the nation's second most efficient defense. The Bruins can boast that both their offense and defense are in the top-25 for best efficiency - something Gonzaga can't claim.

Both teams have their star players. UCLA is led by guard Jaime Jaquez Jr., who averages 17.5 points and eight rebounds a game. Meanwhile, Drew Timme is expected to have a big impact for Gonzaga with his 21.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game average.

This is set to be the biggest, most competitive game of the Sweet 16 and both teams hope to take advantage with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line. 

Gonzaga and Drew Timme (L) will be in for one of the best games of March against UCLA

Alabama and SDSU primed for a defensive battle

Both Alabama and San Diego State are listed by Ken Pom in the top-five for defensive efficiency - with each team also falling in the top-five for 3-point defense.

But what separates the two teams is the sheer star power that Alabama possesses.  Brandon Miller is a surefire lottery pick thanks to his shooting ability and his size - as the 6-foot-9 freshman leads the team in both points and rebounds. 

Meanwhile, San Diego State's scoring is more spread out - with only one player averaging double-digit points a game, but six players averaging at least 7.5 points a game.

Another major key to the game is the adjusted tempo of each offense. Alabama is one of the five quickest offenses in the nation. San Diego State ranks 263rd. 

If the Aztecs can keep the ball and slow things down against Alabama, they could pose problems for the Crimson Tide. 

In a battle of defensive prowess and varied tempo, will SDSU be able to slow Alabama down?

Miami's relentless offense vs. Houston's unstoppable defense 

Houston have the second best 3-point defense and the third-best 2-point defense in the country. Not only that, but their offense is ninth in efficiency. 

But they don't excel in one particular area of scoring - having struggled from beyond the arc at times this season.

Meanwhile, the Miami Hurricanes are in the top-40 for 3-point percentage and 2-point percentage while sitting in the top-20 for free throws. 

Both teams' top scorers struggled in their first games before getting their acts together in the second round against tougher opposition. Miami's Isaiah Wong put up 27 points against Indiana while Houston's Marcus Sasser dropped 22 points on Auburn.

As a unit, Miami hasn't been held to under 70 points since a January 21 game against Duke. Houston's defense hasn't allowed more than 70 points since a January 25 game against Central Florida. Logic dictates that for one team to be successful, one of those streaks will have to end.

Marcus Sasser and Isaiah Wong are on a collision course after two great performances

Princeton's Cinderella story could end in an out-sized fight against Creighton 

The Tigers of Princeton pulled off one of the more surprising upsets of the tournament when they shocked Arizona in the first round. Their run continued with a defeat of Missouri to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1967.

However, that run could end here when they face off against Creighton on Friday for one main reason - size. By average height, Princeton's outside the top 100 while Creighton is No. 61 in the country. 

Notably, the Bluejays have Ryan Kalkbrenner, a 7-foot-1, 260 pound center. Not only that, but Creighton has three players - including Kalkbrenner - who are as tall or taller than Princeton's biggest player, Keeshawn Kellman. 

While Princeton was out-sized by Arizona, and still managed to win, the Wildcats were not as efficient on both sides of the floor as Creighton. 

The Bluejays use that size in tandem with fantastic play from guards Trey Alexander and Ryan Nembhard to be in the top-25 for offensive and defensive efficiency - making them possibly the best squad Princeton has faced so far. 

Princeton likely doesn't have an answer for Ryan Kalkbrenner (L) - so can they contain him?

Xavier v. Texas is a tussle of experience

By average, Texas has the sixth most Division I experience of any team in the country. Xavier is not that far behind - with the sixteenth most D-I experience. 

A pair of senior guards - each on their third school - lead the way for both of these teams for scoring.

The Oakland-born Souley Boum - who made stops at San Francisco and UTEP before Xavier - averages 16.5 points per game and shoots about 44 percent from the field. Meanwhile, the Toronto-born Marcus Carr - who made stops at Pittsburgh and Minnesota before Texas - averages 15.8 points per game and shoots just under 43 percent from the field. 

But the depth of these teams is also compelling. Xavier may be without senior forward Zach Freemantle - one of their best players - but Jack Nunge, Colby Jones, and Adam Kunkel have each stepped up as the season reached its end.

Those latter three score more than scorers 2-4 on the Longhorns, but Sir'Jabari Rice, Timmy Allen, and Tyrese Hunter should not be counted out as Texas ranks top-15 for both offensive and defensive efficiency.

The veteran leadership provided by Souley Boum (L) and Marcus Carr will help Xavier & Texas