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Elite 8 2019: Updated Bracket and Full Schedule for NCAA Tournament
March 29, 2019
Half of the Elite Eight field was set on Thursday night, as four teams won to move on. Four more teams will join them on Friday night when the rest of the Sweet 16 matchups are completed.
No. 1 seeds Gonzaga and Virginia and No. 3 seeds Purdue and Texas Tech are the four teams already in the Elite Eight, which will take place on Saturday and Sunday with two games each day.
The winners of those matchups will advance to the Final Four in Minneapolis on April 6.
Bracket
NCAA Tournament Schedule (All Times ET)
Sweet 16
Friday
No. 3 LSU vs. No. 2 Michigan State, 7:09 p.m., CBS
No. 5 Auburn vs. No. 1 North Carolina, 7:29 p.m., TBS
No. 4 Virginia Tech vs. No. 1 Duke, 9:39 p.m., CBS
No. 3 Houston vs. No. 2 Kentucky, 9:59 p.m., TBS
Elite Eight
Saturday
No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 1 Gonzaga, 6:09 p.m., TBS
No. 3 Purdue vs. No. 1 Virginia, 8:49 p.m., TBS
Sunday
No. 4 Virginia Tech or No. 1 Duke vs. No. 3 LSU or No. 2 Michigan State, 2 p.m. or 4:55 p.m., CBS
No. 5 Auburn or No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 3 Houston or No. 2 Kentucky, 2 p.m. or 4:55 p.m., CBS
Final Four and National Championship
Saturday, April 6
Semifinal 1, 6 p.m., CBS
Semifinal 2, 8:30 p.m., CBS
Monday, April 8
National championship, 9 p.m., CBS
Tournament Breakdown
This year's NCAA tournament has been dominated by the top teams. Two No. 1 seeds and two No. 3 seeds have already secured spots in the Elite Eight. Friday's Sweet 16 games feature two No. 1 seeds, two No. 2 seeds, two No. 3 seeds, a No. 4 seed and a No. 5 seed.
There is a high chance that the four No. 1 seeds could compose half of the Elite Eight field.
Gonzaga beat No. 4 seed Florida State 72-58 in the Sweet 16 round on Thursday night, improving to 33-3 this season. The Bulldogs have beaten all three of their NCAA tournament opponents by at least 12 points, and they'll take on No. 3 seed Texas Tech on Saturday.
After losing to Saint Mary's in the West Coast Conference tournament championship game, Gonzaga appears to be back on track.
"We hadn't had much adversity in a long, long time. I think we just started leaking a little oil and were kinda getting away from what and why we were so good," Bulldogs coach Mark Few said, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com). "I'm happy we reacted the way we did because we're back playing the way we played most of this year."
Virginia has relied on its defense, which was the case again Thursday when it beat No. 12 seed Oregon 53-49. The Cavaliers have allowed 56 or fewer points in all three of their NCAA tournament games.
According to ESPN Stats & Info, Virginia's 11 games with fewer than 50 points allowed this season is three more than any other Division I team.
The Cavaliers are in the Elite Eight for just the second time since 1995. They also made it in 2016.
"I mean, it's definitely a milestone for us," Virginia junior guard Braxton Key said, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com). "But we're not done yet."
Duke and North Carolina have a chance to join their ACC rival in the Elite Eight on Friday night. It's been a strong year for the ACC already, and having all three of its No. 1 seeds move on another round would be impressive.