Elite 8 2017: Updated Bracket and Full Schedule for NCAA Tournament

Two Elite Eight matchups in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament are now set.

Gonzaga, which has lost only one game this season, will face Xavier, which is one win away from being the fourth No. 11 seed to make the Final Four, in the West Regional final.

On the opposite side of the bracket, it will be a battle between sharpshooting guards as Kansas will face Oregon in the South Regional final.

Here's a look at the latest bracket and NCAA tournament schedule, as well as previews and predictions for the two confirmed Elite Eight games.

Bracket

Schedule

Matchup	Round	Date	Time (ET)	Television
No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 4 Butler	Sweet 16	Friday, March 24	7:09 p.m.	CBS
No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 7 South Carolina	Sweet 16	Friday, March 24	7:29 p.m.	TBS
No. 2 Kentucky vs. No. 3 UCLA	Sweet 16	Friday, March 24	9:39 p.m.	CBS
No. 4 Florida vs. No. 8 Wisconsin	Sweet 16	Friday, March 24	9:59 p.m.	TBS
No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 11 Xavier	Elite Eight	Saturday, March 25	6:09 p.m.	TBS
No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 3 Oregon	Elite Eight	Saturday, March 25	8:49 p.m.	TBS
Baylor/SC winner vs. Florida/Wisconsin winner or UNC/Butler winner vs. UK/UCLA winner	Elite Eight	Sunday, March 26	2 p.m. or 4:55 p.m.	CBS
Baylor/SC winner vs. Florida/Wisconsin winner or UNC/Butler winner vs. UK/UCLA winner	Elite Eight	Sunday, March 26	2 p.m. or 4:55 p.m.	CBS
South Regional winner vs. Midwest Regional winner or East Regional winner vs. West Regional winner	Final Four	Saturday, April 1	6 p.m.	CBS
South Regional winner vs. Midwest Regional winner or East Regional winner vs. West Regional winner	Final Four	Saturday, April 1	8:30 p.m.	CBS
Final Four winners	Championship	Sunday, April 3	9 p.m.	CBS

No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 11 Xavier

Sometimes in sports, we see players take their game to new heights and lead their teams to postseason glory with incredible individual performances.

The most notable case in men's college basketball this decade has been point guard Kemba Walker leading UConn to the 2011 Big East and NCAA tournament championships.

We're seeing it again with junior guard Trevon Bluiett and the Xavier Musketeers.

Bluiett has averaged 25 points per game in the NCAA tournament. He scored 18 of his 21 points in the second half against Maryland, 21 of his 29 points in the second half against Florida State and 18 of his 25 points in the first half against Arizona.

As impressive as Bluiett has been in this tournament, Xavier's performance as a team without second-leading scorer Edmond Sumner, who suffered a torn ACL in late January, has been remarkable.

Bluiett could dominate again in the Elite Eight and lead Xavier to the Final Four, but the Musketeers haven't faced a team with an elite defense like Gonzaga's.

The Bulldogs are ranked first in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom.com, and they only allow 61.0 points per game, which ranks fifth in Division I.

Gonzaga presents a big issue for teams given their size, strength and length, especially down low. Starting center Przemek Karnowski is 7'1" and 300 pounds. Freshman backup center Zach Collins is 7'0" and 230 pounds. Lastly, forward Johnathan Williams is 6'9" and 228 pounds. This is in addition to a starting backcourt that is 6'3", 6'3" and 6'4".

That will be a problem for Xavier, and it will lead Gonzaga to its first-ever Final Four appearance.

Pick: Gonzaga

No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 3 Oregon

Kansas went on a 47-18 run to close its 98-66 win over Purdue in the Sweet 16 on Thursday.

The Jayhawks were on fire from deep, hitting 15-of-28 three-pointers. Senior guard Frank Mason III and junior guard Devonte' Graham each scored 26 points to lead KU.

Kansas has won its three NCAA tournament games by an average of 30 points, while Oregon has lived on the edge in its past two games. The Ducks squeaked by Rhode Island in the second round, beating the Rams 75-72 thanks to a last-minute three-pointer from sophomore guard Tyler Dorsey, who scored 27 points on 9-of-10 field-goal shooting.

On Thursday night, it was more of the same, as Dorsey hit the game-winning bucket and Oregon fended off its opponent (this time Michigan) on the last possession. Michigan senior guard Derrick Walton Jr., who scored 20 points, shot a long two-pointer at the buzzer to win, but his effort fell just short, and Oregon won 69-68.

Given how these two teams have performed in the NCAA tournament, it's hard seeing Kansas losing this game, especially because it is playing in the Sprint Center in Kansas City, just a 45-minute drive away from the KU campus. It will feel like a home game for Kansas on Saturday, and that should help KU win.

That being said, Oregon will hang tough because of Dorsey, who has averaged 23 points per game and shot 61.2 percent over his last six matchups. If the Ducks pull off the upset, it will be because Dorsey is lights-out from the field and scores 30-plus. That's certainly possible, but expect KU to outscore Oregon and advance to the Final Four.

Pick: Kansas