NCAA tournament Sweet 16 preview: Duke vs. Utah
No. 1 Duke (31-4) vs. No. 5 Utah (26-8)
Time, TV: 9:45 p.m. ET, CBS
Site: Houston
Why Duke will win: Jahlil Okafor, who had 26 points against San Diego State, will be the best player on the floor. But what makes Duke, the top seed in the South Region, great is the play of fellow freshman Justise Winslow, who has had three consecutive double-figure rebounding games. If the Blue Devils shoot even close to as well (54.5%) as they did against the Aztecs, they will advance.
Why Utah will win: The Utes' formula for success starts with its defense, which ranks fourth nationally in defending two-point shots. On the road or at neutral courts, Utah holds opponents to 58.2 points a game. It needs a big game from star Delon Wright, who finished second in the Pac-12 in assist-to-turnover ratio and third in assists.
History lesson: The Utes are in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2009, when they were also a No. 5 seed. They are making their first trip to the Sweet 16 since 2005. They have not been to the Elite Eight since 1998.