When it comes to choosing Sweet Sixteen sleepers, there is no exact science. Last year saw North Carolina, Michigan and, of course, Saint Peter’s make it to the second weekend. On the other hand, only 12-seed Oregon and 5-seed Auburn advanced in 2019. Meanwhile, 2018 was just straight-up chaos.
Simply put, anything can happen during March Madness. However, the best method in picking Sweet Sixteen sleepers is finding teams that have talent and a viable path. With that in mind, here are the underdogs we will be betting on this season.
4 Sweet Sixteen sleepers to bet on in 2023
Iowa
No. 8 Seed
Upset Needed: No. 1 Houston
Iowa isn’t exactly coming into the NCAA Tournament hot, having lost four of their last six games. But the team is talented enough to beat anyone in the country as we saw during Big 10 action. Importantly, they have a relatively easy path when compared to other Sweet Sixteen sleepers. In the first round, the Boilermakers face Auburn who finished 4-9 to close the season.
Should they advance, a second-round date against Houston is likely. The Cougars look to be the most vulnerable number-one seed heading into the big dance. Marcus Sasser is fighting a groin injury and probably won’t be 100 percent. Given their performance in the AAC Championship game without him, there is reason to believe they may not make it past the opening weekend.
Iona
No. 13 seed
Upsets Needed: No. 4 UConn and No. 5 St. Mary’s/No. 12 VCU
No, this isn’t a typo. Despite being four-letter schools that start with “IO” and end with “A”, Iona and Iowa had far different ends to the season. The Gales finished with 14 consecutive wins with all but two coming by double digits. You also have the Rick Pitino factor that can’t be overlooked either.
Another reason to think Iona can make it to the Sweet Sixteen is their defense. Even if shots aren’t falling, they can keep games in the 60s which will give them a chance. UConn isn’t the easiest first-round matchup, but this is still worth a wager.
Kent State
No. 13 seed
Upsets Needed: No. 4 Indiana and No. 5 Miami/No. 12 Drake
What is intriguing about Kent State is the fact they have close losses against Houston and Gonzaga this season. They have shown an ability to compete against the best college basketball teams in the nation. Indiana and potentially Miami are good sides but the Golden Flashes won’t be overmatched by any stretch of the imagination.
Duke
No. 5 seed
Upsets Needed: No. 4 Tennessee
Okay, this is kind of cheating. Duke being a number five seed feels like one of those moves the selection committee boxes themselves into before the start of the weekend. Anyway, this is a team that appears to be hitting its stride at just the right time, and while not a traditional sleeper, the Blue Devils offer exceptional value as a five seed.
Related: The story of the worst team in college basketball
