Now the fun part starts. Only eight teams remain in the hunt for the much-coveted national championship and the competition is expected to be fiercer than ever. Kentucky might be the runaway favorite to win this tournament but don’t even think for a minute that this is already a done deal.
Top-seeded teams Duke and Wisconsin are still alive in the competition. The same goes for conference champions Notre Dame, Arizona and Gonzaga. Even Louisville and Michigan State are still in with a shout, thanks in large part to the tactical brilliance of their respective veteran coaches.
Make no mistake about it. There is still all to play for in this year’s NCAA tournament. Read on below as we break down all four Elite Eight games as we draw ever closer to the Final Four which starts on April 4 at Indianapolis. While you’re at it, you can check out our Elite Eight previews of Duke vs. Gonzaga and Kentucky vs. Notre Dame.
[sc:MarchMadness ]2015 March Madness Complete Elite 8 Picks and Predictions
Midwest Region
No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 3 Notre Dame
Line: Kentucky Wildcats (-11.5) vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+11.5); total: 136.5 – view all March Madness lines
37 down, three to go. The Kentucky Wildcats are inching closer to their date with destiny after obliterating the West Virginia Mountaineers, 78-39, in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night. The Wildcats jumped to a quick 18-2 lead and never looked back as they sealed their fifth Elite Eight appearance in the past six years.
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]Key to the Wildcats’ dominance against West Virginia was their relentless defense. Kentucky held West Virginia to just 24.1 percent shooting from the field, its worst percentage in an NCAA Tournament game in the last 50 seasons and the worst for any team in this year’s tournament.
The question now is can these Wildcats be stopped? If there’s one team that can derail Kentucky’s perfect season, it’s got to be their next opponents Notre Dame. The reigning ACC champions have the firepower necessary to deal with Kentucky’s awesome defense.
They displayed their offensive might in their last game against Wichita State, shooting 18-of-24 from the field in the second half including six three-pointers to blow away the Shockers, 81-70. The Irish are one of the best offensive teams in the nation today, averaging 78.8 points per game (12th in the NCAA). They are also second in the nation in field goal percentage with a high 51.0% shooting clip.
With that being said, the Irish are still massive 11.5-point underdogs against the Wildcats. For them to shock Kentucky tonight, they will need Pat Connaughton to be at his absolute best. The 22-year-old recorded his first double-double of the tournament Thursday, scoring 16 points and hauling down 10 boards.
Playing as a stretch four, he has a unique ability to stretch opposing defenses with his outstanding perimeter shooting (.426 3FG%). If he can continue his good shooting form against Kentucky, who knows? A gargantuan upset might be in the cards tonight.
Writer’s Prediction: Kentucky wins but Notre Dame covers.
West Region
No. 1 Wisconsin vs. No. 2 Arizona
Line: Wisconsin Badgers (+1.5) vs. Arizona Wildcats (-1.5); total: 133.5 – view all March Madness lines
Wisconsin’s quest for a second national title is still very much alive after edging past North Carolina, 79-72, in a thrilling Sweet 16 showdown Thursday night. Their frontcourt trio of Frank Kaminsky, Sam Dekker and Nigel Hayes were at the forefront of their victory once again, combining for 54 points on 18-of-37 shooting from the field.
Among the three, though, it was Dekker who shone the brightest, putting up 23 points and 10 rebounds in a brilliant all-around performance. With Kaminsky and Hayes struggling mightily in the first half, it was Dekker who picked up the scoring cudgels, netting 15 points to keep the Badgers afloat. Dekker has been a vital cog to the Badgers’ success this season, averaging 13.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
For all our musings on Dekker, though, Wisconsin’s championship hopes still largely depend on Kaminsky. The reigning Big Ten Player of the Year had an average day in the office against the Tar Heels, scoring just 19 points and grabbing eight boards. He needs to pick up his game quickly as lying in wait in the Elite Eight are the surging Arizona Wildcats.
It will be a rematch of their Elite Eight clash a year ago where Wisconsin pulled off a thrilling 64-63 win. The Wildcats will fancy their chances, however, of exacting some revenge this time around as they enter the contest with a 14-game unbeaten run.
Arizona’s latest victim was No. 6 Xavier, who they beat, 68-60, in the Sweet 16. A total of eight players scored for the Wildcats in that win and that depth is the main reason why Arizona has a much better shot against Wisconsin this time around.
Also, the Wildcats are one of the best defensive teams in the nation today. They are third in adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing just 87.0 points per 100 possessions. That will be crucial in handling a Wisconsin offense that is tops in adjusted offensive efficiency, scoring a whopping 125.8 points per 100 possessions.
You can read a complete preview of the game here.
Writer’s Prediction: The Badgers edge past the Wildcats in a thriller, 70-68.
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East Region
No. 4 Louisville vs. No. 7 Michigan State
Line: Louisville Cardinals vs. Michigan State Spartans – view all March Madness lines
What would an Elite Eight be without Michigan State? For the second year running, the Spartans will play for a spot in the Final Four after they beat No. 3 Oklahoma, 62-58, in the Sweet 16 on Friday night. Travis Trice and Denzel Valentine powered the Spartans to the famous victory, combining for 42 points and 10 rebounds.
The Spartans have now won 11 of their last 14 games and are headed to their fourth regional final since 2009. Much of the credit should go to head coach Tom Izzo who once again showed why he is Mr. March. He is now 12-9 (.571) in NCAA Tournament games where his side is the lower-seeded team. That is the best winning percentage in tournament history.
The Spartans have a grand opportunity to improve that amazing record even further when they take on fourth-seeded Louisville next. The Cardinals are fresh off an impressive 75-65 win over the NC State Wolfpack in the Sweet 16. Montrezl Harrell was a beast for Louisville, scoring 24 points and grabbing seven rebounds.
The Cardinals have a fantastic chance of reaching their third Final Four in the last four years, thanks in large part to their excellent defense. They are fifth in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing just 89.7 points per 100 possessions this season.
Click here for an in-depth preview of this game.
Writer’s Prediction: The Cardinals storm into another Final Four with a 61-56 win.
South Region
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 2 Gonzaga
Line: Duke Blue Devils vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs – view all March Madness lines
Duke barged into its 20th regional final after holding off Utah, 63-57, in a highly-physical Sweet 16 encounter. Justise Winslow played the game of his life, scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to give Mike Krzyzewski his record 85th NCAA Tournament win.
Winslow became the third freshman in Duke history to have at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game. He is also the fifth freshman in NCAA history to record at least 10 rebounds in each of his first three tournament games.
He has clearly benefited from a Duke system that is third in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency, scoring 121.5 points per 100 possessions. The Blue Devils will look to sustain their momentum when they take on the red-hot Gonzaga Bulldogs next.
The Zags reached the Elite Eight for the first time in 16 years after beating 11th-seeded UCLA, 74-62, on Friday night. Przemek Karnowski powered the Zags’ win with 18 points and nine rebounds. The Polish big man scored 16 of his 18 points inside the paint as Gonzaga’s frontcourt wreaked havoc inside the shaded area.
In fact, Gonzaga scored a total of 42 paint points, the most UCLA has allowed in the last two seasons. The Bulldogs will need that same kind of production in the interior if they are to upset Duke in the next round.
Writer’s Prediction: Duke wins, 80-75, to reach its 15th Final Four.
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