East Region
NO. 3 BAYLOR (27-7) VS. NO. 7 SOUTH CAROLINA (24-10)
Time, TV: 7:29 p.m. ET, TBS
Why Baylor will win: The Bears’ path to the Final Four couldn’t be clearer. They’re the highest seed left in the region that originally had No. 1 overall seed Villanova and surging No. 2 seed Duke. Now, after two major upsets, Baylor is the top dog — and the team that has been strongest and most consistent all year. Expect a monster game from the monster himself, Johnathan Motley. Why South Carolina will win: The Gamecocks have come this far, surprising even die-hard college basketball fans with their suddenly potent offense. Combine that with a tough, physical defensive effort, and quickly this surprising Sweet 16 run (and potentially more) makes total sense. Oh, and Sindarius Thornwell has been fantastic.
NO. 4 FLORIDA (26-8) VS. NO. 8 WISCONSIN (27-9)
Time, TV: Approx. 9:59 p.m. ET, TBS
Why Florida will win: The Gators have been surprisingly dominant this NCAA tournament — particularly on the defensive end — winning first-weekend games by an average of 20.5 points. Expect Florida to use Wisconsin’s greatest strength — veteran experience, and the fact that that will mean a lot of pundits will pick the Badgers to win this game — as a motivational tactic. Why Wisconsin will win: No one has more NCAA tournament wins over the last four years than the Badgers, a testament to the talent and grit of stars such as Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig, who both hit big shots late to knock out No. 1 Villanova. Experience matters this time of year, and, with a wide-open region, that should give Wisconsin a major advantage as this senior class seeks its third Final Four appearance.