NCAA Tournament 2015: Everything You Need to Know About the Elite Eight
We started the 2015 NCAA men's basketball tournament with 68 teams, and now there are eight.
Kentucky is still around striving for perfection, Arizona and Wisconsin are set for a sequel that will hopefully be as good as the original, Notre Dame is trying to get to its first Final Four since 1978, while Gonzaga is attempting to reach its first Final Four ever.
If that's not enough, Tom Izzo and Rick Pitino are facing off, and Jahlil Okafor and Frank Kaminsky are both still around. This should be a weekend of basketball for the ages.
Here's everything you need to know about the Elite Eight.
Schedule and TV Info
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Saturday, March 28
No. 1 Wisconsin vs. No. 2 Arizona, 6:09 p.m. ET, TBS
No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 3 Notre Dame, 8:49 p.m. ET, TBS
Sunday, March 29
No. 4 Louisville vs. No. 7 Michigan State, 2:20 p.m. ET, CBS
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 2 Gonzaga, 5:05 p.m. ET, CBS
No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 3 Notre Dame
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Kentucky
The Kentucky Wildcats are in a class of their own, chasing history as they strive for an undefeated season. Led by a bevy of future NBA players, including Karl-Anthony Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein, John Calipari's squad is coming off a 78-39 destruction of West Virginia in the Sweet 16.
Notre Dame
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are on a hot streak of their own. They're undefeated in March, a run that includes an ACC tournament championship and the program's first Elite Eight appearance in more than 35 years.
Notre Dame is very dangerous on offense; on Thursday in the Sweet 16, the team shot 75 percent from the field in the second half.
Buzz Meter
This game is a must-see. If Notre Dame shoots the way it did in the Sweet 16, Kentucky's quest for perfection would be in danger.
Wildcats' Keys
Kentucky is more talented than Notre Dame, particularly defensively, but the Wildcats are also under a lot more pressure. The key for Kentucky will be to stay calm and focused on the task at hand. Defending the perimeter would help too; Notre Dame was 9-of-19 from beyond the arc Thursday.
Fighting Irish's Keys
Notre Dame has to stay hot offensively if it has any hope of toppling Kentucky. The Wildcats aren't going to give the Irish many looks, so when they get a shot, they need to take it. You can't beat the Wildcats if you can't keep up with them—just ask West Virginia.
No. 1 Wisconsin vs. No. 2 Arizona
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Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Badgers were the best team in the Big Ten all year long with their tough, methodical play and great defense. This fun-loving team likes to laugh off the court but is all business on it, particularly senior Frank Kaminsky, a prime candidate for the national Player of the Year.
In the Sweet 16, Wisconsin beat North Carolina 79-72.
Arizona
This Arizona team is the most dangerous of all the No. 2 seeds. Coming into Friday, the Wildcats were sixth in the nation in field-goal percentage this season and 14th in points allowed. They haven't lost a game since Feb. 7 and are coming off a win over an inspired Xavier team in the Sweet 16, 68-60.
Buzz Meter
If this is anything like the nail-biting overtime battle these two teams had last year in the Elite Eight, you won't want to miss it. Last year, Wisconsin won 64-63, so the Wildcats will certainly be out for revenge.
Badgers' Keys
The Badgers proved Thursday against North Carolina that they are able to win a fast-paced offensive battle. They don't want to have to do that again versus Arizona, a much better team than UNC. Wisconsin needs to play this game on its own terms: slow and physical.
Wildcats' Keys
Somehow, some way, the Arizona Wildcats need to find a way to stop Frank Kaminsky. Kaminsky had 28 points and 11 rebounds in their Elite Eight game last year, and he's an even better player this season. Arizona has to stay physical inside and take it to Frank the Tank.
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No. 4 Louisville vs. No. 7 Michigan State
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Louisville
The Louisville Cardinals have found their footing in this NCAA tournament, and in a 75-65 win over NC State in the Sweet 16 they proved that they are a legitimate Final Four threat. Montrezl Harrell and Terry Rozier lead a strong defense that has held opponents to under 60 points per game on average this season.
Michigan State
Tom Izzo has once again figured out how to get his team to play its best in March. This Spartans squad was prone to mental breakdowns and inconsistent play in the regular season, but in the NCAA tournament it has been tough and clutch.
Michigan State advanced to the Elite Eight after beating yet another higher seed, No. 3 Oklahoma, 62-58 in the Sweet 16.
Buzz Meter
This is the only Elite Eight game without a top-two seed. While it would be easy to overlook this matchup, a Rick Pitino vs. Tom Izzo battle should never be considered an undercard.
Cardinals' Keys
The Cardinals have to figure out how to score in the paint against the physical Spartans. Louisville shot 50 percent from the field Friday but only 25 percent from beyond the arc. The Cardinals are strongest inside, and they need to play to their strengths against Michigan State.
Spartans' Keys
If the Spartans are going to make it to the Final Four for the first time since 2010, they are going to have to stay mentally strong in the final five minutes of the game and make their free throws.
The late-game pressure is going to be more intense than anything they've experienced, and they need to stay calm and play like Michigan State in March, not Michigan State in January.
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 2 Gonzaga
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Gonzaga
The Gonzaga Bulldogs are into the Elite Eight for only the second time in school history after dominating UCLA 74-62 in the Sweet 16. Mark Few's team is a force to be reckoned with offensively; coming into Friday, it was first in the nation in field-goal percentage, sixth in assists and 10th in points per game.
Duke
After defeating a tough Utah team 63-57 in the Sweet 16, the Duke Blue Devils have a shot to get to their first Final Four since winning the national championship in 2010. Despite being led by a trio of freshmen in Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones and Justise Winslow, the Blue Devils haven't found the biggest stage in college basketball to be too much for them.
Buzz Meter
This won't be the most talked-about Elite Eight game because it isn't a rematch and perfection isn't on the line. However, it is still a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup, so expect a great contest.
Blue Devils' Keys
Duke is going to be good inside with Jahlil Okafor, but to keep up with Gonzaga's high-powered offense, the three-pointers are going to have to go in. On Friday against Utah, the Blue Devils were only 3-of-10 from beyond the arc. That's not going to cut it against the Zags.
Bulldogs' Keys
Of course, the Gonzaga Bulldogs want to keep the perimeter under control, but really, they just need to do what they've done all year: stay confident, keep making shots and grab those rebounds on both ends. Make Duke keep up with them offensively, and try to expose Duke's biggest weakness: depth.
Biggest Storylines
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Can Kentucky Stay Perfect?
Excuse me for starting with the obvious, but Kentucky's quest for an undefeated season is the biggest storyline in the tournament as long as John Calipari and Co. are still around. Notre Dame's offense has the potential to give Kentucky a run for its money, but can the Fighting Irish prevent 38-0?
Will Sean Miller Get Revenge and Finally Reach the Final Four?
"The best coach to never make a Final Four" is how Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports described Arizona's coach Sean Miller, and he's not going to get any argument from me. Miller and his talented Arizona team lost a heartbreaker to Wisconsin last year in the Elite Eight, so now is the time for Miller to get revenge while also getting the monkey off his back.
Can Gonzaga Make Its First Final Four?
Mark Few has done some great things in his time at Gonzaga, but he's never taken his team to college basketball's Promised Land. Overcoming Duke will not be an easy task, but this is an impressive squad that certainly has a shot.
"Gonzaga doesn't hurt itself," C.L. Brown of ESPN.com wrote. "The Zags play like every player understands his role. They don't take many bad shots. They stay patient, doing so even when the game's tempo at one point got a bit hectic."
Which Team From the East Region Can Take Advantage of the Busted Bracket?
Both Louisville and Michigan State are March staples, so we're not talking about Cinderellas. But the East Region is without top three seeds Villanova, Virginia and Oklahoma in the Elite Eight.
Either the Cardinals or Spartans are going to earn a berth in the Final Four that their fans weren't necessarily expecting this season.
Stars to Watch
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Frank Kaminsky (Wisconsin)
Kaminsky is averaging 18.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game this season, and the Big Ten Player of the Year has been even better this NCAA tournament, with 20.7 points and nine rebounds per game. Kaminsky hasn't been shy about his love for college basketball, and the 7-footer is sure to pull out something special as he tries to make another Final Four in his final tournament in a Badgers uniform.
Jahlil Okafor (Duke)
Okafor is projected to be the top pick in the NBA draft this spring, and he is Kaminsky's only challenge for the National Player of the Year Award. Okafor had an off game against Utah (Justise Winslow was the star to watch in that game), but he was an absolute monster in the first two NCAA tournament games. Watch this 6'11" agile and athletic center before he moves on to greener ($$$) pastures.
Jerian Grant (Notre Dame)
OK, so you should definitely tune into the Kentucky vs. Notre Dame game to watch all of the Kentucky players—they're spectacular and I couldn't single out one here. But don't forget to check out Grant. He is an elite guard who is capable of game-changing fast-break plays.
Montrezl Harrell (Louisville)
Harrell was the difference-maker in the Sweet 16 against NC State, with 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists and one block. The big man can take over the game from the inside; watch out for him against a physical Michigan State team.
Biggest X-Factors
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Przemek Karnowski (Gonzaga)
Gonzaga has tons of great shooters, but Friday it was Karnowski who stole the show with 18 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two blocks. He was a driving force in the paint and opened up the floor for the rest of the team. This 7'1", 288-pound junior could give the Bulldogs the boost they need to make it to the program's first Final Four if he can repeat that performance Sunday.
Sam Dekker (Wisconsin)
While Frank Kaminsky was off to a slow start in the Sweet 16 game against the Tar Heels, Dekker completely took over, scoring a career-high 23 points. He even went 9-of-9 from the paint. If Dekker can do that again in the Elite Eight, he might just provide Kaminsky the relief he needs and drive the Badgers to victory.
"I just tried to stay on attack mode," Dekker said after the win over the Tar Heels. "My shot wasn't falling like I'd like it to be, so I just tried to take it to the lane more and get some easy buckets and just cause a difference in there."
Denzel Valentine (Michigan State)
Travis Trice is the electric player to watch for the Spartans, but Valentine is the wild card who tips the scales. In the Sweet 16 against Oklahoma, Valentine surged in the second half, scoring 13 of his 18 points in the final 20 minutes to lift the Spartans to the Elite Eight. A similar second-half surge could end Louisville's season.
Projected Final Four Field
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Kentucky
The Kentucky Wildcats are just too talented on both ends of the court not to find a way past Notre Dame and back into the Final Four. The depth on the Wildcats is simply too much; in the Sweet 16, five of their players were in double figures.
Arizona
This is Sean Miller and Arizona's time. The Wildcats of the West have such a balanced team this season and won't be intimidated by Kaminsky inside. Freshman star Stanley Johnson and junior Brandon Ashley, who was injured during the Elite Eight last year, should give Arizona the spark it needs to get revenge.
Michigan State
The Spartans have more weapons than Louisville when they are playing well. The trio of Denzel Valentine, Travis Trice and Branden Dawson is just too tough to keep up with, especially for a Louisville team that is prone to scoring droughts.
Duke
This Blue Devils team is outstanding, and I would consider it the favorite for the national championship if it wasn't for a certain Kentucky squad. Even if Jahlil Okafor is contained like he was Friday, Justise Winslow, Quinn Cook and Tyus Jones are there to take over. Gonzaga's lack of defense will finally be exposed.
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