The opening weekend of the NCAA tournament produced plenty of surprises, but it did not change the favorite to capture the national title. That remains No. 1 overall seed Louisville, which looked as dominant as anyone advancing to the Sweet 16. With the regional semifinals set to tip off Thursday evening, here's ranking of the 16 teams still alive from most likely to least likely to win a championship. To be clear, this is not merely a best-to-worst list – it also takes into account upcoming draw and where those games will be held. 1. Louisville How they got here: Defeated North Carolina A&T and Colorado State Up next: No. 12 Oregon Outlook: Since a five-overtime loss to Notre Dame during Big East play, Louisville has reeled off 12 wins in a row, captured the Big East tournament title and throttled its first two NCAA tournament opponents by an average of nearly 30 points. The team that beats the Cardinals will have to be patient, careful with the ball and torrid from the field, which is bad news for an Oregon team that plays at a fast pace and turns the ball over a little too frequently. 2. Indiana How they got here: Defeated James Madison and Temple Up next: No. 4 Syracuse Outlook: It took a key block, a shrewd coaching decision and a game-clinching 3-pointer for Indiana to survive Temple's round of 32 upset bid, but the Hoosiers did what they needed to do, which was survive and advance. They have the firepower to solve Syracuse's zone and to overcome Miami or Marquette in the regional finals, but more production from everyone besides Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller is essential. 3. Florida How they got here: Defeated Northwestern State and Minnesota Up next: No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast Outlook: Dominant as Florida has been in its first two games, questions remain how the Gators will fare down the stretch in a close game and whether they can hold onto a late lead in an Elite Eight game the way they've failed to do the past two years. Florida may have the size, length and athleticism to put Florida Gulf Coast away early, but whether it's the Elite Eight or the Final Four, the Gators eventually will be tested in a close game.
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