NCAA Tournament 2017: Updated Bracket and Matchups to Watch in Final Four

March Madness brought wild finishes, highlighted unheralded college stars and lifted a Cinderella team into the national spotlight. April's Final Four places the men's NCAA tournament creme de la creme in Glendale, Arizona, for three more games before crowning a new champion.

Among the four teams, No. 1 North Carolina stands out as a perennial contender. When comparing Final Four appearances, the Tar Heels lead the pack by a wide margin, per USA Today's Art Stapleton:

As the alpha team of the bunch, and with an iconic head coach in Roy Williams, the Tar Heels project as a strong favorite to win the NCAA title, per OddsShark:

"

Odds to win National Championship at the start of #MarchMadness:

North Carolina +600
Gonzaga +1000
Oregon +1800
South Carolina +20000

— OddsShark (@OddsShark) March 26, 2017"

Nonetheless, we all know odds and labels don't win championships. The players will settle the score on the court. Which individual matchups should spectators look out for in the next round?

No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 7 South Carolina

PJ Dozier vs. Jordan Mathews

After a month of spectacular play, casual college basketball fans can name one South Carolina player: Sindarius Thornwell. The Southeastern Conference Player of the Year deserves the nationwide acclaim, but the Gamecocks will need more than one breakout performance to beat Gonzaga on Saturday.

Throughout the tournament, sophomore guard PJ Dozier has fulfilled the sidekick role to Thornwell. He's tallied double figures in the scoring column in all four victories and plays solid defense.

After a relatively quiet first half in the Gamecocks' Elite Eight contest, Dozier rose to the occasion in the second half, as South Carolina pulled away from Florida down the stretch.

Both NBA and college basketball analysts like the sophomore guard on the next level:

That's pretty good for the second-best player on a No. 7-seeded Cinderella team in the Final Four.

Gonzaga will feed the hot hand, but they must score points to beat a South Carolina team that's averaging 82 points per game during tournament play. The Bulldogs average 72 points per contest.

As a secondary scorer behind Nigel Williams-Goss, fellow guard Jordan Mathews must contribute his three-point shooting to push Gonzaga over the top. He's connected on 11 three-pointers throughout the tournament and nailed a big shot against West Virginia in the Sweet 16 round. 

For the season, Mathews lists fourth on the team in points per game, but he's the sharpshooter in the starting lineup. If he's on target, the Bulldogs should be competing for an NCAA title on Sunday.

No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 3 Oregon

Tyler Dorsey vs. Joel Berry

Oregon guard Tyler Dorsey earned the name "Mr. March" this year. He grabbed the spotlight as the Ducks' top scorer in the tournament over forward Dillon Brooks. Dorsey has scored 20-plus points in each victory, which includes a game-winning shot against Rhode Island in the second round:

As a result, North Carolina should focus on turning the calendar on Mr. March in Saturday's matchup, when we'll have moved into April. For approximately 38 minutes of their Elite Eight contest, the Tar Heels' length and defensive prowess minimized Kentucky's star players, De'Aaron Fox and Malik Monk. Dorsey will stand in the crosshairs on Saturday.

Poor shooting and minor ankle tweaks have plagued guard Joel Berry II throughout the tournament. He turned in one exceptional performance, against Butler, over the past four games. Shooting 32 percent from the field, Berry must pick up his efficiency to help his team keep pace with Oregon.

In addition to low shooting percentages, the Tar Heels' leading scorer through the season must work on minimizing turnovers, which may lead to easy buckets. He gave the ball up four times against Kentucky.

Jordan Bell vs. Justin Jackson

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Senior forward Chris Boucher, Oregon's primary interior defender, went down with an ACL injury earlier in March, but casual college basketball fans saw forward Jordan Bell fly all over the court in the Elite Eight round.

Bell officially arrived by stifling Kansas in the Midwest Regional final. He logged 11 points, 13 rebounds and eight blocks in a well-rounded performance, which contributed to holding Kansas' high-octane offense to 60 points. The Jayhawks scored 90 or more points in each of their tournament victories.

Bell doesn't shoot three-pointers, and he won't lead his team in scoring in the Final Four matchup, but head coach Dana Altman will use him to contest a bigger Tar Heels' starting lineup in the paint. 

Because of Berry's inconsistencies, North Carolina has relied on other secondary scoring options to deliver in its victories. Forward Kennedy Meeks led the team against Arkansas in the second round, with 16 points. Forward Luke Maye became a hero back at Chapel Hill for his 17-point performance, capped with a game-winning shot, in the Elite Eight round.

Through it all, forward Justin Jackson has delivered on the offensive end. In the past two games, he struggled with his three-point shot but compensated with field-goal attempts closer to the basket. Despite Bell flexing like a paint monster in his previous performance, the Tar Heels will need Jackson to carry them back to the championship game.

Stats provided by Sports Reference unless otherwise noted.