Elite 8

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Whenever someone would ask Kelvin Sampson if the dream scenario for No. 1 seed Houston would be playing in the Final Four just 10 miles ...

Sampson had a squad that had the makings of a national champion. According to Sasser, the team wasn't impacted by the pressure of that possibility. [Marcus Sasser](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4432107/marcus-sasser) suffered a groin injury that affected him for multiple games. You guys have got to be in the paint like you were in the elevator yesterday.' And they did that." We were just taking it game by game, but we fell a little short." "We were just taking it game by game," he said. [Norchad Omier](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4702134/norchad-omier)'s brawn -- he finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds -- was a problem for the Cougars, who are accustomed to being the most aggressive team on the floor no matter who they face. "I'm sure the rest of the guys did as well. "Then the guys left the meeting and got on the elevator. They packed 12 guys into the elevator, and it got stuck, and it took a half-hour for the firemen to get them out of there. ... We played a lot of 7-footers this year. Instead, Sampson would tell the story about the first time he suffered an upset during March Madness.

After a wild week-and-a-half to kick off the 2023 NCAA Tournament, the 68-team field we had to begin March Madness has been trimmed to only eight as we head ...

Xavier in the Sweet 16, and it mattered not as the Longhorns trounced the Musketeers. This team has the weapons to combat San Diego State's defensive-minded unit that took down No. It is playing like the team midseason that raced out to a 14-0 lead and has the inside-out depth and talent to contend with this balanced Zags bunch. Gonzaga (and arguably the team to beat in the field, too). KSU -2 The Jerome Tang-coached Wildcats can go deep into their bench and have the two best players -- by miles -- in this game: Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson. Let's take a look at our expert picks for the Elite Eight. 5 seed San Diego State and No. Of course, there's nothing wrong with getting some extra skin in these games. 3 seed Gonzaga and No. 3 seed Kansas State faces No. By the time Sunday turns to Monday, four more teams will be cut from the bracket with the others punching their tickets to the Final Four.

The University of Miami women's basketball team built a 21-point lead and held on late to upset Villanova and advance to the Elite 8 for the first time in.

The back-and-forth continued as Lucy Olsen drove the lane and banked in a floater to give Villanova a 65-64 lead with 49 seconds left. Roberts then sealed the win with two more free throws with 11.1 seconds left, punching Miami’s first ticket to the Elite 8. A three-point play by Ja'Leah Williams and putback by Harden increased the Miami lead to 40-29 with three minutes remaining in the half. Villanova regained the lead on a putback by Christina Dalce that made it 63-62 with 3:21 to go. Roberts followed with a pair of free throws to put Miami in front at 64-63 with 2:20 left. Villanova made it a one-possession game when Brooke Mullin hit a three with 7:15 remaining to pull the Wildcats within 59-56.

History was made in the Sweet 16 when No. 1 seeds Alabama and Houston were bounced from the NCAA Tournament.

In the end the No. [Purdue](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/PURDUE/purdue-boilermakers/) in getting bounced from the second round Big Dance with a stunning 72-71 loss to No. [kenpom.com](http://kenpom.com/), but Miami dictated the pace of the game by playing in transition with its small-ball lineup. The Crimson Tide became the ninth No. [smallest team](https://twitter.com/rodger/status/1636867295879233537) in college basketball, downed the Boilermakers, the [largest team](https://twitter.com/rodger/status/1636867295879233537) in the sport, by raining down 3-pointers, badgering Purdue big man [Zach Edey](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/players/3178244/zach-edey/) and running the tempo up to pull-off the [historic upset](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/march-madness-2023-umbc-college-basketball-world-react-to-fairleigh-dickinsons-stunning-upset-over-purdue/). 1 seed 1 seed to lose to a No. Goliath story in the first round of the [NCAA Tournament](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/ncaa-tournament/), becoming the second No. 1 seed [Purdue](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/PURDUE/purdue-boilermakers/) in the East Regional. 1 seed reached the Elite Eight. [Fairleigh Dickinson](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/FDU/fairleigh-dickinson-knights/) delivered a modern-day David vs. 1 seeds have been eliminated from the NCAA Tournament before the Elite Eight for the first time since the NCAA Tournament began seeding teams in 1979.

The No. 3 LSU women's basketball team beat the Utah Utes 66-63 and will advance to the Elite 8. The Tigers haven't played in the Elite 8 since 2008.

For the first time in March Madness history, the Elite 8 will be without a No. 1 seed, as the Miami Hurricanes knocked out the last one standing on Friday.

Houston battled back to make it a two-point game, but then Pack made three 3s, and Miller, and Wooga Poplar hit one each to fuel a 16-2 run that put the Canes ahead 70-53. It bounced off the front of the rim, then the backboard, then the front of the rim again before dropping through. Isaiah Wong’s mid-range game helped get the 'Canes out to a fast start, and he finished with 20 points. Miami and UConn are the only schools with teams remaining in both tournaments. Miami (28-7), only the fifth team this season to score at least 70 points against Houston (33-4), will play second-seeded Texas or No. 1 seed among its final eight teams for the first time since seeding began in 1979.

As the NCAA Tournament rolls on, betting expert Jason McIntyre is making picks for every single game. Here's how he's betting the Elite Eight.

3 [Gonzaga](https://www.foxsports.com/college-basketball/gonzaga-bulldogs-team) [UConn](https://www.foxsports.com/college-basketball/connecticut-huskies-team) vs. [Drew Timme](https://www.foxsports.com/college-basketball/drew-timme-player) (85 points in three games) vs 6-foot-9, 245 pound [Adama Sanogo](https://www.foxsports.com/college-basketball/adama-sanogo-player). [FAU](https://www.foxsports.com/college-basketball/florida-atlantic-owls-team) vs. 3 [Kansas State](https://www.foxsports.com/college-basketball/kansas-state-wildcats-team) [Just download the Super 6 app and make your picks today!](https://foxsuper6.onelink.me/y0bF?pid=Cross_Sale&c=FOX_Sports&is_retargeting=true&af_dp=super6%3A%2F%2F&af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxsuper6.com%2F%3Fsource%3D19259167&af_adset=Sports&af_ad=college-football-week-4-odds-point-spreads-more-for-every-top-25-game&af_sub1=Article&af_sub2=ALL&af_sub4=19259167&af_sub5=Editorial) The trend continued in the Sweet 16, with [UCLA](https://www.foxsports.com/college-basketball/ucla-bruins-team) falling to [Gonzaga](https://www.foxsports.com/college-basketball/gonzaga-bulldogs-team) in spectacular fashion. Still, when the world goes one way (UConn), I'll go the other. [NCAA Tournament](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/2022-ncaa-mens-march-madness-bracket-release) has been super exciting thus far. In 2017, McIntyre began producing gambling content on the NFL, college football and NBA for FOX Sports. Whether it's against the spread (ATS), on the moneyline or picking an Over/Under — we have you covered. Kansas State is on a charmed run, getting beaten on the defensive glass in every game while still prevailing.

Miami continued its stunning NCAA tournament run Friday against Villanova, becoming the fifth team seeded ninth or lower to reach the Elite Eight, ...

... We still had another big win ahead of us and so this is -- I'm not going to say this is the biggest win in our career, either." "At the free throw line, honestly, I was just telling myself, 'These are the biggest free throws of your life, you've got to hit these,'" Roberts said. ... We still had another big win ahead of us and so this is -- I'm not going to say this is the biggest win in our career, either. "I'm not going to act cool. We're going to keep preparing to win." [Virginia Tech](/womens-college-basketball/team/_/id/259/virginia-tech-hokies) in the ACC tournament March 3. We were in some foul trouble, which was from the press, but still remained together as a team." We're going to keep plugging. We're going to keep pushing. 9 or lower to make it to the Elite Eight. Meier made sure to find Dillon in the hallway after the teams cleared the floor to apologize. She then tried to put into words just how much it means to not only her, but her players, to make it as far as they have -- as a No.

The Elite Eight begins Saturday and includes two games: No. 3 Kansas State vs. No. 9 Florida Atlantic and No. 3 Gonzaga against No. 4 Connecticut.

The Owls, seeded No. The No. [Half: No. That would be No. 9 FAU 42, No. 4 UConn Huskies lead the No. 6 Kentucky No. No. 8 Memphis, No. 13 seed Iona, No. 4 seed Connecticut shut down No. 6 Creighton and No.

The evidence mounts with each passing March as Jim Larranaga and Katie Meier's teams continue to march.

"We emphasized moving the ball and finding the open man, and the guys did such a fantastic job from start to finish," Larranaga said after Friday's game. Harden won the game with a shot in the lane with 3.5 seconds left, lifting Miami to the 70-68 victory and a spot in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1992. Those shots have been the catalysts for another run to the Elite Eight, where Miami has silenced any doubters about its ability to win a national title. While that might present defensive obstacles against bigger teams, Miami's ability to score in transition and run the floor has been the catalyst for its run to this stage. [Nijel Pack](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4576062/nijel-pack), the Kansas State transfer who has made 41% of his 3-point attempts this season, is both a point guard and a playmaker who creates defensive challenges for opponents, too. This year, not only did they both make it to the Elite Eight but they both beat a No. Miami has won five national championships in football, the most recent in 2001, but has never won an ACC championship. Miami rallied to win 62-61, matching the fifth-largest comeback in tournament history. Larranaga has been here before, of course, taking the men to the Elite Eight a season ago -- a first in program history. In his 12 seasons, Larranaga has led Miami to the tournament six times -- including those two Elite Eights and two other Sweet 16 runs. Miami has been in the ACC only since 2004, but it has done more than hold its own in waving the conference flag. Now this year, Meier has led the women to their first Elite Eight in program history.

The Hurricanes have doubled down on their basketball success with the men's and women's teams reaching the Elite Eight — and both knocking off No. 1 seeds.

Their recruitment was instantly scrutinized and led to Meier missing the first three games of this season through a university-imposed suspension that was handed down in anticipation of NCAA sanctions. ACC player of the year Isaiah Wong, who reportedly has a six-figure NIL deal, had 20 points against Houston and is averaging 17.3 in the tournament. “I think it’s cool to see us both doing this together in a sense, and bringing Miami more of like a basketball-school realm,” she said. A version of the football-basketball question was the first to be asked at Larrañaga's postgame news conference Friday. Haley Cavinder has led the women's balanced offense with 12.5 points per game for the season. The ninth-seeded women have never before advanced so far in the tournament, and it's been a thrilling ride. 4 Villanova on Friday after squandering a 21-point lead in the second half. “It was really fun watching their game, seeing them beat Villanova, when they were expected to lose,” Pack said. They will play Sunday for the opportunity to go to their first Final Fours. “The two programs have a lot in common,” Meier said. "We’re very competitive, like a big brother-little sister or big sister-little brother, depending on who won that week. 1 seeds along the way.

Final Four bids are on the line. Here's how to watch the Elite Eight of the 2023 men's NCAA Tournament.

No. 1 seeds after No. The Elite Eight contests will air across CBS and TBS. - No. 9 Florida Atlantic is the lowest-seeded squad still standing. And this year's Elite Eight field is a historic one as it doesn't feature any No.

Only 8 of the initial 68 teams are still dancing as we get closer and closer to the National Championship. With the Sweet 16 now in the rearview, the Elite 8 is upon us. After looking at the Tipico Sportsbook'sNCAATournament odds and lines, ...

2 seed after 1-seeds Alabama and Houston were upset in the Sweet 16. The weekend slate of games showcases no team higher than a No. Only 8 of the initial 68 teams are still dancing as we get closer and closer to the National Championship.

Only eight teams are still standing in the 2023 men's NCAA tournament, and at this point, it truly feels like any of them can win the whole thing with every ...

En route to their Elite Eight appearance, the Longhorns held the best three point shooting team in the nation (Colgate) to 20% from distance in a blowout, and completely stifled one of the highest-scoring teams in the nation in Xavier, holding them to one of their lowest-scoring games of the entire season. Dylan Disu was shooting a mind-boggling 75.4% from the floor this tournament, but sat out the Xavier win with a bone bruise in his foot and was seen wearing a boot on the sidelines. The last time the Huskies advanced to the Elite Eight? The Blue Jays seem to always be in control of the scoreboard and their emotions, and this cool demeanor has them on the doorsteps of the Final Four. Throughout the season, the Huskies were one of the most efficient offensive teams in the nation, and they showed that again Thursday night. Connecticut used a pair of runs to pull away from the Razorbacks, the first of which was a 14-0 run in the first half which turned a three-point Huskies lead into a 34-17 lead. No one is anointing Gonzaga this year, and at this point we should know no one will fully believe in them until they cut down the nets in the last game of the season. While many college basketball coaches have cried about the NIL and transfer portal, Miami is back in the Elite Eight after getting Nigel Pack $800K of NIL money to transfer from Kansas State. Kalkbrenner in particular has been as dominant as promised, and even with a less-than-stellar shooting night against Baylor, the Blue Jays had enough firepower to sustain his slump. San Diego State ranked fourth in the nation in defensive efficiency according to KenPom, and we saw that defensive efficiency on the floor Friday night. 13 Furman to get to this stage — but knocking off perhaps the best team in the nation is quite the addition to their resume. By Sunday night, the Final Four will be set, and the teams will be off to Houston to compete for the national title.

No. 3 seed Gonzaga and No. 4 seed UConn square off in the Elite 8 of the 2023 NCAA Tournament on TBS.

The Elite 8 odds and lines are here. Check out expert projections from Sean Koerner on the spreads and totals for all 4 March Madness games.

No. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. 25)](https://www.actionnetwork.com/ncaab/uconn-huskies-vs-gonzaga-bulldogs-odds-picks-ncaa-tournament-elite-8-betting-guide-saturday-march-25). 25)](https://www.actionnetwork.com/ncaab/fau-owls-vs-kansas-state-wildcats-odds-picks-ncaa-tournament-betting-guide-saturday-march-25). NCAA Tournament Betting Guide (Saturday, Mar.

Miami and LSU are standing in each other's way for a trip to the women's Final Four.

The New Orleans native [also tweeted a shoutout to Reese after LSU’s win](https://twitter.com/LilTunechi/status/1639443972258144256?s=20). [third straight Associated Press first-team All-American](https://apnews.com/article/all-america-womens-basketball-team-68861808a2dac321e1093c0ccf760f2e) to face Miami in this tournament. “I think he likes women’s basketball and that’s a win for women’s basketball,” Haley Cavinder said. [The Hurricanes first rallied from 17 down](https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-miami-oklahoma-state-cavinder-0f6e9c3ebe893bff15b2a45dd72c7216) to beat Oklahoma State. Top seeds made up 14 of 20 teams in the last five Final Fours, five were 2-seeds and one was a 3. It was an example of how the Hurricanes are savoring a wild [March Madness](https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness) ride even while determined to keep winning — next against LSU on Sunday to reach the Final Four. ... I think to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best.” “We were going at each other. “And we expect that. “I mean, obviously we have a lot to celebrate, but we’re not done. “You’d better listen,” Tigers star forward Angel Reese said. ... If they love basketball and they’re a competitor, I can coach them.”