4 Major Conference Teams That Are NCAA Tournament Sleeping Giants

Utah Utes

Just over a week ago, I talked about the Utes and their sleeper status among the top teams in the country.

Nothing's changed.

The Utes are also among the most underrated teams in this year's tournament, as they rank eighth among all teams in our power rankings. According to their true ranking, they "should" be seeded as a 2 seed, despite their eight losses. And there are many reasons why.

Utah is a very skilled and consistent ball team. They're in the 95th percentile in consistency and, according to KenPom, rank 307th in Luck Rating. The Utes are a solid team all around, and give their best every time they hit the hardwood.

The Utes aren't just an elite defensive team, ranking seventh in our defensive efficiency metrics and eighth in Adjusted Defensive Rating. They're also a very efficient offensive team, ranking 18th in Adjusted Offensive Rating.

The one defining characteristic of this Utah team is their game control. The Utes are very consistent on both ends of the floor because they stick to their game plan. They're 322nd in Adjusted Tempo and 239th in Pace -- as you can see, Utah will grind out its opposition on the defensive end of the floor while working efficiently on the offensive end.

Don't sleep on the Utes.