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The first day of Elite Eight weekend was dang good TV watchin'. The second day figures to be even better, with both games featuring teams as close in talent and ability as they come.
On Kenpom.com, it says that No. 7 Gonzaga faces No. 6 Duke, while No. 15 Michigan State faces No. 16 Louisville. Both "favored" teams only figure to win by one point by KenPom's laptop.
And each game rates high on Pomeroy's "thrill score' metric. It should be a good Sunday for college basketball fans.
(7) Michigan State vs. (4) Louisville
East Region - Syracuse, NY
11:20 a.m. PT | CBS | Streaming
When looking at the seeds, this is a "suprise" Elite 8 match-up. But really, are we that surprised that teams led by Rick Pitino and Tom Izzo made it this far?
Apart from the coaches, there are plenty of stars. Travis Trice is one of the nation's top point guards. Montrezl Harrell is one of the nation's most exciting players, and his disdain for rims leads to plenty of ferocious dunks.
Grab an Irish Coffee, sit back, and enjoy some brunch basketball.
(2) Gonzaga vs. (1) Duke
South Region - Houston, TX
2:05 p.m. PT | CBS | Streaming
I love to give Gonzaga crap for its early-round flameouts as much as anyone, but credit where credit is due. The Zags got some fortune on the draw, with a pair of first-round upsets, but they still took care of business in games that they have fallen apart in years past under Mark Few. For their efforts, the program has reached the Elite Eight for the first time since the 1999 run that started it all.
Now it gets tougher, with Duke playing as well as it has all season, rolling through the first three games without much resistance and taking out San Diego State and Utah, two very good teams, on the way.
Looking for a differentiator between these two squads? Good luck. Gonzaga's offense is fourth nationally in adjusted efficiency, Duke's is third. The Zags are 30th in adjusted defense, Duke is 26th.
So the Blue Devils might be a little better, but it's a minute difference. Should be a fun one to watch for the neutral party, and a nerve-racking torture-fest for each team's fans.