3 Sweet 16 games you need to watch
If you were living under a rock or in some kind of Wi-Fi-restricted zone over the last handful of days, you missed what was arguably the craziest first weekend in March Madness history.
Massive upsets, viral nuns, buzzer-beaters, shirtless coaches - this tournament's already had it all, setting up an unforgettable Sweet 16.
Related: NCAA posts Sweet 16 tip times with opening weekend complete
These may not be the matchups that appeared in our brackets, and this year's Sweet 16 is a bit light on No. 1 seeds, but there should be no shortage of entertaining, quality basketball. Here are the three Sweet 16 showdowns you need to be glued to the TV for.
Loyola Chicago (11) vs. Nevada (7)
Hands in the air if you picked even one of these teams to make it out of the Round of 32. We'll wait. Regardless, the Ramblers and Wolf Pack have been two of the best stories of the tournament.
Off-court viral sensations aside (no offense to Sister Jean), the squad from the shores of Lake Michigan can really ball, as they showed with upset, buzzer-beating victories over No. 6 Miami and a tough No. 3 Tennessee team.
Stellar guard play from senior Donte Ingram and junior Clayton Custer has the Ramblers looking at a potential Elite Eight berth for the first time since seeding began in 1979.
Even beyond Nevada head coach Eric Musselman's penchant to celebrate shirtless, the Wolf Pack are an exciting group that's come back to win two straight games, first felling Texas in overtime and then overcoming a 22-point deficit against Cincinnati.
It might be a tad bold to deem this contest a "clash of Cinderellas," since Nevada had a strong season besides losing the Mountain West tournament semifinal to San Diego State. No matter how it's categorized, though, this improbable matchup should be a ton of fun.
Texas A&M (7) vs. Michigan (3)
An Aggies season that almost came unhinged due to suspensions and injuries to key players has been resurrected by a sensational March run, teeing up a treat of a Sweet 16 showcase against Michigan.
Sure, the W over a tenacious Providence squad was nice, but obliterating potential Final Four team North Carolina put the rest of the remaining schools on notice: Texas A&M is for real.
Imposing 6-foot-10 big men Tyler Davis and Robert Williams give opposing teams fits on the glass, and the Aggies are playing their best ball of the year on the biggest stage.
Michigan, meanwhile, entered the tourney as a dark-horse pick to make the Final Four and is coming off a buzzer-beating victory against Houston on Saturday.
Though the Wolverines have won 11 in a row, a Texas A&M team firing on all cylinders might be too much for John Beilein and Co. to handle. Michigan will need better performances from leading scorers Moritz Wagner and Charles Matthews, who combined for only 23 points during the Wolverines' Round of 32 contest.
Regardless, the Aggies' dominance on the boards and Michigan's well-balanced attack have helped each team win when it matters most. Don't be surprised if this game produces the eventual national champion.
Villanova (1) vs. West Virginia (5)
Wildcats junior guard Mikal Bridges can really hoop, and fresh off a 22-point second-half showing against Alabama on Saturday, he's worth the price of admission for Nova's meeting with West Virginia all by himself.
Projected to be a top 10 pick in this year's NBA draft, the 21-year-old from Pennsylvania's stock has risen exponentially over the last couple of weeks as he's helped vault Villanova into national championship contention.
In the Wildcats' way are the fifth-seeded Mountaineers, who just comfortably defeated Murray State and Marshall by a combined 40 points. West Virginia soared as high as No. 2 in regular-season polls, but later slipped, and lost the Big 12 tournament final to Kansas.
Both of these teams can shoot the lights out and put up points in a hurry, so sit back, bet the over, and enjoy.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)