The two Regional Champions in Florida Atlantic and UConn await their matchups in the Final Four as their opponents will be revealed after day two of the Elite Eight.
Sunday, March 26
No. 5 San Diego State vs No. 6 Creighton
The Aztecs shocked the nation Friday in their upset over No. 1 Alabama as San Diego State shut down the Tide’s offense. They’ll have to perform similarly in their Elite Eight matchup against the Blue Jays, as Creighton is shooting above 45% in the NCAA Tournament. Their opponent, unlike Alabama, is older and won’t be pushed around by the Aztecs’ physicality. San Diego State has proven they can halt any fast-paced offenses in the NCAA Tournament as they won against Charleston, Furman and Alabama. The key to victory for the Aztecs is to out-physical the Blue Jays and out-rebound Creighton, as they rank highly in the nation in rebounding. The Blue Jays need to break the will of the Aztecs with a combination of an early lead and flexing their muscle early to win the rebound battle.
Prediction: Creighton
No. 2 Texas vs No. 5 Miami
Similarly to the first Elite Eight matchup, the Hurricanes are coming off an upset against No. 1 Houston. Miami scored 89 points, the most the Cougars allowed all season. On the other hand, Texas is coming off a dominant defensive victory against No. 3 Xavier, as the Longhorns proved that defense wins championships, the theme of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. This will be a classic best offense vs best defense matchup as Miami will be looking to run up the score while Texas will look to hold Miami under 70. If the Hurricanes are to reach the Final Four, they’ll need to rely on their shooting and guard play to carry them again, as it’s gotten them this far in the tournament. Texas will need to crash the boards and lanes to dominate the inside of the arc and hope to slow down Maimi’s shooting to get the chance to play UConn in the Final Four.
Prediction: Texas
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