After the Sweet 16 gave us some awesome games, the Elite Eight is primed to follow suit. With the games starting on Saturday, many teams will have a quick turnaround to face their new opponents. The games begin Saturday night, so let's get right into the matchups as they are set for amazing matchups.
Xavier vs. Gonzaga
The first matchup put the Cinderella team, the Xavier Musketeers against the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Xavier is coming off a big win against two seeded Arizona. Trevon Blueitt is carrying the team through the tourney, putting up big scoring numbers in the tourney.
To move into the Final Four, Xavier will need to contain Gonzaga's size. Przemek Karnowski will be the biggest guy on the court and the Musketeers will need to collapse on him whenever he gets in the paint. They can't afford to get bullied inside.
Gonzaga is coming off a tough win over West Virginia. Gonzaga will need to get their point guard Nigel Williams-Goss going early. Their last game he shot 2-10 for only ten points. He will need to step that up for them to have a chance against the streaking Musketeers. They should take advantage of Xavier's size and feed the post. If they can get their offense running smooth they can dominate the game early.
Oregon vs. Kansas
The Kansas Jayhawks will have their toughest test of the tourney in three seeded Oregon.
Kansas has glided through the tournament, but it wont be easy. Kansas will need Frank Mason III to have a Wooden Award type performance. He will need to control the offense and have it run through him. The Jayhawks will also have the home field advantage at their side playing in Kansas City. Kansas hasn't had a real test in the whole tourney so will they step up to the challenge in Oregon.
For Oregon, the need to get Dillon Brooks going early. He has been struggling with his shot over the past few games. If he can get his shot going, he can cause Kansas some problems. Their biggest challenge will be stopping Kansas' fast paced offense. Oregon hasn't faced an offense this great the whole tourney, so the coaches will be up late figuring out a way to slow down Kansas.
South Carolina vs. Florida
South Carolina is making its first Elite Eight appearance in school history. Led by Sidarius ThornWell, the Gamecocks have been stellar on the defensive end. They have shutdown great offenses in Duke and Baylor in back-to-back games. They will need to keep the defensive streak going, as Florida is coming into the game hot. South Carolina is proving that defense wins championships, and they need one more game of great defense to get to the Final Four.
Florida is coming off its last second win against Wisconsin. Florida is a good defensive team, so they will need to slow down Thornwell. KeVaughn Allen had 35 points last game, and in the quick turnaround his teammates will need to take some of the scoring load.
If everyone on Florida can find their shot, it can cause breaks in South Carolina's defense.
UNC vs. Kentucky
The freshmen stars of Kentucky will be facing the experience of North Carolina. DeAron Fox led Kentucky past UCLA with 39 points, but that wont get them a win against Roy Williams' bunch. What Kentucky needs to do is drive the lane, as they have some of the best finishers in the game. The big men for Kentucky will need to play well, as they will be facing a tough UNC squad.
UNC is coming off a win against Butler. Joel Berry stepped up last game scoring 26 points. In order to beat Kentucky, UNC will need to prevent fast break opportunities to the Wildcats. The Wildcats excel in their fast break offense, which helped them get away from UCLA.
North Carolina's should be patient and turnover free. If UNC can perform well in their half court offense, they should win the game.
The Elite Eight is set, and the matchups are expected to be great. This weekend is home to the Elite Eight, so make sure you set your DVRs or sit on your couch and watch it live. Don't miss the NCAA Tournament action on TBS and CBS.
