Sweet 16 picks: Only Kansas State-Kentucky is a lock — the Wildcats shall win

ATLANTA — Congrats on surviving three whole days with no NCAA Tournament games. It was rough for me, too. A look at each of Thursday and Friday’s Sweet 16 matchups:

SOUTH (ATLANTA)

No. 11 Loyola vs. No. 7 Nevada

The facts: Thursday, 6:07 p.m., Ch. 2.

One question: Can the Ramblers keep the pace nice and slow? Nevada wants to sprint the floor and get shots up. The length of the Wolf Pack’s Martin twins — 6-7 Caleb and 6-7 Cody — is concerning.

Pick: Nevada. Hey, my picking against the Ramblers has worked for them so far.

No. 9 Kansas State vs. No. 5 Kentucky

The facts: Thursday, 8:37 p.m., Ch. 2.

One question: Can K-State’s Bruce Weber get to the Elite Eight for the first time as a head coach? I mean without Bill Self’s players. Props to him, though, for leading a third school to the Sweet 16.

Pick: The Wildcats — and not the ones from Kansas.

WEST (LOS ANGELES)

No. 3 Michigan vs. No. 7 Texas A&M

The facts: Thursday, 6:37 p.m., TBS.

One question: Can the Wolverines hit a regular ol’ three-pointer? Before Jordan Poole beat the buzzer against Houston, they were an atrocious 12 for 45 (26.7 percent) from deep over their first two games in Houston.

Pick: I just can’t go with a football school. So I’ll go with Michigan.

No. 9 Florida State vs. No. 4 Gonzaga

The facts: Thursday, 9:07 p.m., TBS.

One question: Isn’t this game kind of over before it starts? The Seminoles’ comeback to topple No. 1 Xavier was nuts, but here’s the reality — the Zags are far more skilled offensively and on a huge roll.

Pick: It’s been nice knowing you, FSU.

MIDWEST (OMAHA)

No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 5 Clemson

The facts: Friday, 6:07 p.m., Ch. 2.

One question: Can Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney give the pregame speech to the hoops squad? Because Nebraska might as well be Jayhawk country — KU fans will own that arena. And the fact is Self’s team is playing its best basketball right now.

Pick: Kansas (insert eye-roll here).

No. 2 Duke vs. No. 11 Syracuse

The facts: Friday, 8:37 p.m., Ch. 2.

One question: Where does Syracuse get the nerve? Two years ago, the Orange made it to the Final Four as a 10-seed. If we’re headed down a similar path, the Blue Devils — the most talented team in the country — will have to gag like nobody’s watching.

Pick: Duke (insert eye-roll here).

EAST (BOSTON)

No. 1 Villanova vs. No. 5 West Virginia

The facts: Friday, 6:27 p.m., TBS.

One question: Which point guard outplays the other? No one is better at the position than the Wildcats’ Jalen Brunson. Yet the Mountaineers’ Jevon Carter — a do-it-all star in his own right — has a way of crawling into the head of an opponent and taking up residence there.

Pick: Best game of the Sweet 16 — but ’Nova survives.

No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 3 Texas Tech

The facts: Friday, 8:57 p.m., TBS.

One question: Is Matt Painter allowed by law to reach the Elite Eight? This is the Purdue coach’s 10^th NCAA tourney and it hasn’t happened yet. But the Boilermakers have been the better team all season. They can do this — and do it they must!

Pick: Who else? The Red Raiders.

Follow me on Twitter @slgreenberg.

Email: sgreenberg@suntimes.com