Miami vs Houston and FAU vs Tennessee: All you need to know about these two Sweet 16 Matchups

Miami vs Houston and FAU vs Tennessee: All you need to know about these two Sweet 16 Matchups.  It all begins tonight around the country.  Lets look at the two Florida teams still in it shall we!

Florida Atlantic entered this tournament having lost its only previous NCAA Tournament game, back in 2002.

The Owls are now looking to become the fourth team since 1985 to reach the Elite 8 after entering the year with no NCAA Tournament wins. They would join:

Gonzaga in 1999 (reached Elite 8)
George Mason in 2006 (reached Final Four)
Saint Peter’s in 2022 (reached Elite 8)

Tennessee's defensive prowess is certainly a major factor in their success so far in the NCAA Tournament. Holding opponents to 55 points or fewer in consecutive games.

This is the first time Tennessee has accomplished this since 1967.  Additionally, the Vols are the first SEC team to do so since Florida's Final Four run in 2014.

Florida Atlantic: seeking to become first C-USA team to reach Elite 8 since Memphis in 2008 (lost in National Championship – though appearances and games from that year were later vacated).

The current total for the matchup between Florida Atlantic and Tennessee is listed at 131.5 according to Caesars Sportsbook.

Since the tournament field expanded in 1985, that would be tied for the fourth-lowest total for a Sweet16 game.

Each of the three Regional Semifinal games with a lower total all went under.

Last year, a 10-seeded Miami went on a magical run to the Elite 8 before losing to eventual champion Kansas.

If the hurricanes beat Houston on Friday, they will be the third team since seeding began in 1979 to reach the Elite 8 as a 5 seed or lower in back-to-back NCAA Tournaments. They would join:

Butler – 5 seed in 2010, 8 seed in 2011
LSU – 11 seed in 1986, 10 seed in 1987

Houston is seeking its third consecutive appearance in the Elite 8, which would extend the longest active streak in the NCAA Tournament and match the program’s longest streak all-time (3 consecutive from 1982-84).

The Cougars are two wins away from heading home.

With the Final Four in Houston, the Cougars are seeking to become the first team to win a national title in their home state since UCLA in 1975.

The last team to advance to the Final Four in its home state was Butler in 2010 (Indiana).

ACC teams have lost 7 of last 8 games against No. 1 seeds in NCAA Tournament (only win: 2022 Round of 32 North Carolina vs Baylor).

I am personally going to be at this game, as well as the nightcap in this region featuring #3 Xavier vs #2 Texas.

Both games take place at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

We will breakdown all the the Sweet 16 matchups on Shemon and Sheppard 2-6pm.

Can you name famous sweet 16 alumni ? We will find out during Wiki-Pete-ia on Shemon and Sheppard on ESPN Southwest Florida. It is no doubt that universities around the country benefit from the national exposure March Madness brings to the schools that make the tournament. I think it especially helps smaller, lessor known schools get some publicity. Whenever small schools like Fairleigh Dickinson, Iona, FAU, St. Peters, Liberty, Loyola Chicago, or others qualify for a national basketball tournament and get on national TV, enrollment almost always goes up at these schools the following year. And that means more money for these schools. It's like free advertising!

Another way to garner attention at a school is to have famous alumni. So, today, we will explore famous sweet 16 alumni at these schools still alive in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Some of these will be athletes but most will not. There are so many interesting people to chose from that we will probably do this again tomorrow. In fact, we won't be able to touch on all 16 schools in this segment. But it should be fun. So be caller number 9 at 239-337-3776, or 239-337-ESPN and be a winner. If you can't get through, feel free to play at home!