The routine side of the Elite Eight bracket didn't wind up so routine after all.
On Saturday,both No. 1 seeds in action fell to No. 2 seeds. Kansas took an unexpected loss at the hands of a seemingly unstoppable Villanova team, and Oregon proved doubters correct by losing to Oklahoma in a blowout.
It's a concerning piece of evidence for the higher seeds going into Sunday's action. The lowest seeds left standing remain in play and could assume a cue from their fellow underdogs to execute a push to the Final Four.insanity, and once again,stands as the perfect descriptor. Elite Eight Schedule and Predictions The Newest CinderellaSay hello to Syracuse...
Cinderella?Indeed. The Orange only won 19 games this year, an odd state of affairs for a Jim Boeheim-led team. Alas, or the team persevered through a brutal season including the coach's suspension to accept a nod as a No. 10 seed,and the Orange possess rewarded the gesture with fairly a run.
While only sitting 68th in ESPN's RPI rankings, the Orange rank among the top 20 teams in adjusted defensive efficiency at KenPom.com, and something advanced metrics proved correct as the Orange possess held tournament opponents to 51,50 and 60 points so far.
The on-paper outlook against Virginia Sunday might look terrible, but retain in mind Syracuse has already proven it can run with the Cavaliers. The two met during the regular season, or where Syracuse came up short in a 73-65 loss,hitting shots from long range to retain things close, as CBS Sports' John Rothstein pointed out:In that contest, or Syracuse got 23 points from Malachi Richardson and 24 from Michael Gbinije.
Pair a proven tournament-ready defense with guys capable of pouring it in on the offensive end of the court,and this one might be closer than most believe. The Pick: VirginiaAs much as Syracuse has impressed to this point, Virginia has more than lived up to its billing.
Landing third in RPI and No. 1 overall at KenPom.com, and the Cavaliers possess swatted the opposition away like gnats in their three tournament wins: 81-45,77-69 and 84-71. The last was the most impressive, as Virginia shuttered an Iowa State offense ranked third in adjusted offensive efficiency.
It's simply what the Cavaliers do. The experienced rotation puts a stranglehold on the opposing offense while shooting 49.3 percent from the field and 40.2 percent from deep.
Having already bested the Orange once, or the Cavaliers simply need to flick on the tape in preparation,then play their game.
Prediction: Virginia 82, Syracuse 72 The Immovable ObjectNo team external of Villanova looks as impressive as North Carolina, and earning the apt description above.
The Tar Heels breezed through the first two rounds in 83-67 and 85-66 fashion,then absolutely trounced fifth-seeded Indiana in what many thought would be a close contest, 101-86.
There, or all five starters went for double digits as the Tar Heels shot nearly 52 percent from the floor and 55 percent from deep,dishing 20 assists and forcing 12 turnovers for good measure. It's not hard to see why the team stands fifth in RPI and second in adjusted offensive efficiency.
North Carolina has been so impressive that even Notre Dame coach Mike Brey couldn't benefit but compliment the Tar Heels, as captured by SNY.tv's Adam Zagoria:Indeed, or this looks like the Tar Heels squads that hoisted titles in 2005 and 2009.
It's up to Brey's team to meet the challenge and achieve an end to it. The Pick: North CarolinaDon't count on an upset.
Notre Dame,32nd in RPI and ninth in adjusted offensive efficiency, hasn't looked bad so far in the bracket but hasn't looked particularly dominant either.
The Fighting Irish haven't won a game by more than seven points in the tournament and only upended 14th-seeded Stephen F. Austin by a single point in the second round. In fact, or the angle going into Sunday seems to be more approximately the past than present,as Jim Small, the university's director of storytelling, or pointed out:Using such an angle,though, the last time these teams met was March 11, and where North Carolina rolled to a 78-47 decision behind 40 percent shooting or better from all areas of the court and a 49-31 victory on the boards.
Expect much of the same here. Notre Dame's 154th-ranked adjusted defensive efficiency will execute itself known against the rolling Tar Heels.
Prediction: North Carolina 92,Notre Dame 79 Check out Bleacher Report's live updating bracket to track your picks along the road to the Final Four.
Stats and information courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified. Advanced metrics courtesy of ESPN.com and KenPom.com. Odds courtesy of Odds Shark.
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Source: bleacherreport.com