Elite 8 2016: Latest Odds, Picks for Final Four Matchups

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 take a cue from their fellow underdogs to make a push to the Final Four.

Madness, once again, stands as the perfect descriptor.

Elite Eight Schedule and Predictions

Date	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV	Pick ATS
March 27	No. 1 Virginia (-8) vs. No. 10 Syracuse	6:09 p.m.	TBS	Virginia
March 27	No. 1 North Carolina (-9.5) vs. No. 6 Notre Dame	8:49 p.m.	TBS	North Carolina

The Newest Cinderella

Say 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, the team persevered through a brutal season including the coach's suspension to get a nod as a No. 10 seed, and the Orange have rewarded the gesture with quite 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, something advanced metrics proved correct as the Orange have held tournament opponents to 51, 50 and 60 points so far.

The on-paper outlook against Virginia Sunday might look terrible, but keep in mind Syracuse has already proven it can run with the Cavaliers. The two met during the regular season, where Syracuse came up short in a 73-65 loss, hitting shots from long range to keep things close, as CBS Sports' John Rothstein pointed out:

In that contest, 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 think.

The Pick: Virginia

As 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, the Cavaliers have 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, the Cavaliers simply need to flick on the tape in preparation, then play their game.

Prediction: Virginia 82, Syracuse 72

The Immovable Object

No team outside of Villanova looks as impressive as North Carolina, 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, 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 help but praise the Tar Heels, as captured by SNY.tv's Adam Zagoria:

Indeed, 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 put an end to it.

The Pick: North Carolina

Don'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, the angle going into Sunday seems to be more about the past than present, as Jim Small, the university's director of storytelling, pointed out:

Using such an angle, though, the last time these teams met was March 11, 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 make 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.