Sweet 16 Preview: West Region

East Region
West Region
Midwest Region
South Region

Site: Indianapolis, IN
Tip-off: Sunday, 2:10 p.m. 

In the West Region highlighted by undefeated Gonzaga, each of the other three favorites in the quadrant suffered upset losses during the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. No. 4 Virginia was unable to practice during much of the week leading up to the tournament, and Ohio was able to pull off an upset. No. 3 Kansas also dealt with COVID-19 issues of its own during the Big 12 Tournament but advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a nine-point victory. However, the Mobley brothers took charge for USC during the second round and led the Trojans to their first Sweet 16 since 2007. No. 2 Iowa was in control for most of the team's first-round matchup against Grand Canyon, but the Hawkeyes struggled against the experienced Oregon program in the second round and suffered a 90-75 loss.

Top-seeded Gonzaga had little trouble during a 43-point victory over Norfolk State in the first round of The Big Dance. The Zags shot 49.1 percent from the floor during a closer matchup against Oklahoma in the second round, but the team was dominant on the offensive boards and pulled off an 87-71 win over the Sooners. No. 5 Creighton struggled mightily during the Big East Tournament final and nearly suffered an upset loss during the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Bluejays faced Cal-Santa Barbara to begin the tournament, and the Gauchos held a 58-52 lead with just over five minutes remaining in the contest. However, Creighton went on an 11-4 run to close out the game and pull off a 63-62 win. Creighton got off to a slow start against Ohio in the Round of 32 but went on an 18-4 run over the final few minutes of the first half and cruised to a 14-point victory.

No. 6 USC played Drake, and the Bulldogs kept the game close during the first half of the first-round matchup. However, the Trojans had a strong second half against the Bulldogs to advance to the second round. USC was dominant throughout the contest against Kansas and outscored the Jayhawks 40-21 during the first half behind stellar performances from Evan Mobley and Isaiah Mobley. The team stayed hot during the second half, and the Trojans were able to rest some of their starters late in the game while cruising to an 85-51 win. No. 7 Oregon was slated to face VCU's staunch defense in the first round, but the game was declared a no-contest due to COVID-19 issues within the Rams program, and the Ducks advanced to the second round. Even though Oregon was tasked with facing Wooden Award frontrunner Luka Garza and the Hawkeyes during the Round of 32, the Ducks held three of Iowa's starters scoreless while four Ducks totaled at least 15 points during the 95-80 victory.

No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 5 Creighton

Key Matchup: Drew Timme vs. Christian Bishop.  Rebounds, rebounds, rebounds. The boards are crucial for each team's success, and Timme and Bishop will be battling it out in the frontcourt throughout the matchup. Bishop will need to control the defensive end of the court and haul in defensive rebounds if the Bluejays hope to limit Gonzaga's second-chance opportunities Sunday. He'll also need to limit Timme's scoring chances in the Sweet 16, as the Gonzaga center dropped a team-high 30 points against Oklahoma while shooting 75 percent from the field and converting on 12 of his 14 free throw attempts. Both players played key roles for their programs during the first two rounds of the tournament, and the battle matchup between the two frontcourt contributors will be key if Creighton hopes to keep pace with the efficient Zags.

Gonzaga will Win IF: The Bulldogs create second-chance opportunities. The Zags didn't shoot particularly efficiently early in their second-round matchup with Oklahoma, but their production on the offensive boards still allowed them to pull away to a comfortable victory. Even in games when Gonzaga struggles defensively, the team's offensive efficiency has allowed them to go undefeated this season while facing elite programs early in the year. Creighton is slightly more efficient defensively than Oklahoma, but the Zags shouldn't have much trouble offensively if they're able to create second-chance opportunities once again.

Creighton will Win IF: The Bluejays control the boards. On the flip side of the matchup, Creighton needs to make sure that it can limit second-chance opportunities while hauling in offensive rebounds of its own. The Bluejays looked completely outmatched in the Big East Tournament final against a middling Georgetown program when they struggled to haul in rebounds, and they simply can't afford to let that happen against the undefeated Zags. Creighton is relatively effective at limiting field goal percentage on the defensive end of the ball, but the Bulldogs will be able to run up the score if they're able to get second and third chances offensively.

Player to Watch: Marcus Zegarowski, G, Creighton. While the aforementioned Timme and Bishop will be crucial in the frontcourt during the Sweet 16, Zegarowski has provided an offensive spark for the Bluejays over the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament and will need to do so once again Sunday if Creighton hopes to keep pace with Gonzaga. He'll also be tasked with guarding Jalen Suggs defensively, who has been inconsistent this year and shot just 33.3 percent from the floor over the first two rounds of the tournament. Zegarowski has converted on 60 percent of his field goal attempts over his past three appearances and will have to remain efficient against Gonzaga to keep the Bluejays competitive.

Prediction: In a tournament that has featured plenty of upsets in the first two rounds, Gonzaga has left little doubt that it is the favorite to win the title. While the Bluejays could force low-percentage shots during the Sweet 16, the Zags' ability to create second and third opportunities has allowed them to remain efficient throughout the season. Gonzaga matches up nicely against the Bluejays, and the Bulldogs should have plenty of opportunities to dominate on the boards and punch their ticket to the Elite Eight.

No. 6 USC vs. No. 7 Oregon

Key Matchup: Evan Mobley vs. Eugene Omoruyi. During the Round of 32, Mobley brought in 13 rebounds while Kansas only managed to haul in 18 as a team. Omoruyi will be key to changing that in the frontcourt during Sunday's Sweet 16 matchup. Mobley is six inches taller than Omoruyi, but Oregon's center will need to limit Mobley's production on the boards while also creating some frontcourt production of his own to complement the team's three-point efficiency, similar to Oregon's win over Iowa. Luka Garza was able to put up 36 points and nine rebounds while matching up against Omoruyi in the Round of 32, and the Ducks will struggle to keep up with USC if Mobley is able to achieve that level of offensive production Sunday since the Trojans have such stellar defense against two-pointers.

USC will Win IF: The Trojans remain effective defensively. USC was able to hold each of its opponents to under 30 percent from the floor during the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, something Iowa was unable to do against the Ducks in the first round. Oregon was dominant in the frontcourt against the Hawkeyes, and USC's defense will need to hold the Ducks in check in what should be a close matchup between two Pac-12 opponents. USC won the only matchup between the two teams during the regular season while holding the Ducks to 40.4 percent on their field goal attempts, but Oregon's experienced lineup will be well-rested heading into the Sweet 16 with plenty of momentum after four starters topped 15 points against Iowa. The Trojans are the best team in the nation against two-point attempts, according to KenPom, and they'll need to control the Ducks inside the arc to limit momentum.

Oregon will Win IF: The Ducks are efficient from beyond the arc. The key to Oregon's win over Iowa in the Round of 32 was frontcourt production, but the Ducks also shot 44 percent from three-point range during the 95-80 victory. The Ducks are unlikely to have as many chances inside the arc since USC has the best defense against two-pointers in the nation, but the Trojans have less success guarding the perimeter. Oregon will still need to create opportunities in the frontcourt Sunday, but the team has a chance to create some separation against a USC program that relies more heavily on offense inside the arc. The Ducks have the fourth-highest three-point conversion rate of any team remaining in the NCAA Tournament, and the team will try to seize an opportunity against USC's middling perimeter defense.

Player to Watch: L.J. Figueroa, F, Oregon. Figueroa was one of two Ducks to top 20 points in the Round of 32 against Iowa, and he's been the team's most prolific shooter from beyond the arc over the past few games. He's shot 44 percent from beyond the arc over the past two contests and will need to be efficient from long range once again since the Trojans figure to limit Oregon's ability to produce in the frontcourt. Figueroa also led the Ducks with seven rebounds against Iowa and will need to work with Eugene Omoruyi on the boards to limit USC's opportunities while also creating second chances for Oregon. Omoruyi and Evan Mobley figure to battle underneath the basket throughout Sunday's game, but Figueroa will need to provide a spark for the Ducks to keep them in contention for a spot in the Elite Eight.

Prediction: Defense wins championships. While defense may not lead USC to a national title with Gonzaga standing in its way, the Trojans' strong defense should be enough to limit Oregon's production in the frontcourt. The Ducks are a much more efficient offense than Kansas and Drake, and their efficiency from the perimeter isn't something that the Trojans had to deal with during the first two rounds of the tournament. Oregon will be well-rested with an experienced lineup, but USC's strong presence with Evan Mobley and Isaiah Mobley underneath the basket should propel the Trojans to the Elite Eight.