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NCAA Tournament: Breaking Down The Elite 8 Matchups

By Casey Pazzalia

Mar 16, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; General view of a March Madness basketball prior to the game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Xavier Musketeers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 16, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; General view of a March Madness basketball prior to the game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Xavier Musketeers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 23, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Frank Mason III (0) and forward Dwight Coleby (22) react during the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers in the semifinals of the midwest Regional of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Sprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 23, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Frank Mason III (0) and forward Dwight Coleby (22) react during the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers in the semifinals of the midwest Regional of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Sprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /

Midwest Region: No. 3 Oregon vs. No. 1 Kansas

  • Date: March 25, 2017
  • Venue: Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO
  • Tip-Off: 8:49 P.M ET
  • TV: TBS
  • Line: Kansas (-7)

Saturday’s game between Oregon and Kansas is probably the most predictable of the four Elite Eight games.

The Ducks have taken a tough road to get where they’re at, overcoming a big injury to one of their best players, Chris Boucher, and surviving two very close games. In the Round of 32, they escaped No. 11 Rhode Island 75-72, and in the Sweet 16 they edged out Michigan 69-68.

Junior Dillon Brooks is leading the team in scoring with 16.3 points per game.

In the Jayhawks’ case, they look like the best team in the entire tournament. They’ve steamrolled through their first three games, beating No. 16 UC Davis by 38, No. 9 Michigan State by 20, and No. 4 Purdue by 32.

Future NBA players Frank Mason III (20.9 PPG) and Josh Jackson (16.5 PPG) are leading the way for Kansas, and will definitely be X-factors in the Elite Eight.

These two programs haven’t met since 2003, a 77-67 win by the Jayhawks.