The first round of the NCAA Tournament is in the books, and we already have some early impressions of March Madness' top teams. A relatively chalky opening two days means that all of the top 16 teams in the field are into the Round of 32, but not everyone's chances of cutting down the nets are created equal.
Which teams made a strong first impression in the dance, and who looks destined for a flame-out? Let's look at four teams on each side in a sort of March Madness stock watch.
4 potential NCAA Tournament title contenders after Round 1
Florida Gators
One of the most popular championship picks in bracket pools, Florida did nothing to dissuade their backers with an effortless demolition of poor Norfolk State on Friday night. The Gators jumped out to a 42-14 lead in the first 13 minutes of the game and never looked back in a 95-69 rout, putting them into the Round of 32 against UConn on Sunday.
While the two-time reigning national champs looked feisty in a back-and-forth affair with Oklahoma, Florida simply has too much depth for the Huskies to overcome. Florida is a dominant force in all phases of the game and has the look of a true champion. After watching the Gators play over the past few weeks, it looks like it would take a lot to go wrong for them to not be a factor in the end.
Duke Blue Devils
The Blue Devils didn't really need Cooper Flagg to blow out Mount St. Mary's on Friday, but they did get their star freshman back, which is a big development for their title hopes. Duke has lost once since November and a big part of that is due to the do-it-all abilities of Flagg, who put up a solid all-around line (14 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists) in 22 minutes of work.
The games that Duke played without Flagg in the ACC Tournament were valuable experiences for the rest of the roster, which is arguably the deepest that Jon Scheyer has assembled in his three years as a head coach. The East region also looks like the Duke Invitational as no team appears able to challenge the Blue Devils if they're clicking on all cylinders, which makes their presence in the Final Four all but a lock if they're going to play like they did on Friday.
St. John's Red Storm
Rick Pitino's team took a bit of time to get going on Thursday night but their suffocating defense smothered Omaha's chances of pulling an upset. The Red Storm held the Mavericks to just over 25 percent shooting and forced seven turnovers, making life very difficult on any Omaha shooter who got the basketball.
St. John's much-maligned three-point shooting also had a strong night against Omaha, knocking down 14 triples (albeit in 37 attempts) as part of an 83-point explosion. No team in the country is better defensively than the Red Storm, and Pitino's deep experience in March makes this team a true title threat.
Michigan State Spartans
Its a sign of March when Tom Izzo has his Michigan State Spartans humming on all cylinders. The depth and physicality of the Spartans allowed Michigan State to overwhelm an upset-minded Bryant late Friday night, turning a five-point halftime lead into a 25-point win that was effortless in the second half.
With a potential lottery pick headlining their offense in legacy freshman Jase Richardson, the Spartans are a fast-paced group that crashes the glass and makes smart plays all over the floor. Izzo is also a true March Madness wizard and has a roster capable of returning to the Final Four for the first time since 2019.
Four potential March Madness flameouts
Alabama Crimson Tide
When you're a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, giving up 81 points to a No. 15 seed sends off all kinds of warning signs about your long-term prospects. That is what Alabama did against Robert Morris on Friday, allowing a team that was a middle-of-the-pack offensively to shoot 42.3 percent from the field and nearly tie the rebounding battle.
If Robert Morris can find plentiful success against the Crimson Tide defense, it doesn't bode well for Alabama's long-term title prospects. Grant Nelson is also still limited by injury, playing only seven minutes in the win, and a contrast of styles with snail-paced Saint Mary's in the Round of 32 could be a recipe for an early exit for Nate Oats' squad.
Kentucky Wildcats
Mark Pope's team did what John Calipari's Kentucky Wildcats couldn't last year by winning a first-round game. The Cats pulled away late in the game after Troy hung around for a while, but their suspect defense could get exposed on Sunday against Illinois.
The Fighting Illini were firing on all cylinders in a victory over Xavier and have been one of the most dangerous teams in the country when everything is clicking. With plenty of big-game experience, including a close call against Tennessee back in December, Illinois won't be intimidated by Kentucky's pedigree and could easily send the Wildcats out before the Sweet 16.
Iowa State Cyclones
While Friday's big win over Lipscomb was encouraging for Cyclones backers, it still doesn't take away from their struggles to end the regular season or add Keshon Gilbert back to the lineup. Gilbert is out for the NCAA Tournament due to injury, taking away one of the Cyclones' biggest stars and leaving Iowa State vulnerable to getting picked off in the next round or two.
T.J. Otzelberger also has to be concerned after watching how easily Ole Miss decimated a red-hot North Carolina team since the Rebels are his next opponent. Chris Beard is a very good tournament coach and will have plenty of wrinkles ready to throw at Iowa State, making it very plausible that the Cyclones get bounced by a strong SEC side.
Purdue Boilermakers
Things were far too tense for most of Thursday's win over High Point, which hung around for a long time against the Boilermakers despite a subpar shooting night by their standards. A slow start ended up doing the Panthers in but they gave Purdue a serious run for their money in the second half, which doesn't bode well for the Boilers' longevity in the dance.
There is big-time upset potential in the Round of 32 as a McNeese side playing with house money awaits Matt Painter's team. Even if the Boilermakers survive that game, they look to be outgunned by whoever comes out of the epic Houston-Gonzaga tilt, so a short stay appears likely for the reigning national runners up.