Kicking It Old School

The Sweet 16 at the NCAA Tournament reads like the history of college basketball. Thirteen of the 16 remaining teams have won at least one national title. Together, these teams in the Sweet 16 account for 34 national championships:

Kentucky (7): 1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1978, 1996, 1998

N. Carolina (5): 1957, 1982, 1993, 2005, 2009

Indiana (5): 1940, 1953, 1976, 1981, 1987

Kansas (3): 1952, 1988, 2008

Florida (2): 2006, 2007

Michigan St. (2): 1979, 2000

Louisville (2): 1980, 1986

N. Carolina St. (2): 1974, 1983

Cincinnati (2): 1961, 1962

Syracuse (1): 2003

Marquette (1): 1977

Ohio St. (1): 1960

Wisconsin (1): 1941

Pretty much all the great powers are there except for UCLA, Duke and UConn.

Plus you have UK meeting Indiana in the tournament for the first time since 1983, and Cincinnati playing Ohio State for the first time ever since the 1962 title game, as well as the possibility for Elite Eight match-ups between Rick Pitino and Billy Donovan and UNC v. N.C. State.

Even a potential meeting between Kentucky and Baylor in the Elite Eight carries a lot of history; the Wildcats beat Baylor 58-42 to win the 1948 National Championship.

I have thought all year that this year's tournament would be really good, and I think it has been very good so far. Starting on Thursday, it should get even better.