March Madness: 3/23 in Review

This year's Elite Eight got its first four members: Syracuse, Louisville, Ohio State, and Florida.

Syracuse survives Wisconsin: The Badgers just wouldn't quit, hitting shot after shot to remain within striking distance despite early double-digit deficits. They even briefly snatched away the lead from the Orange in the second half. But the Orange managed to hold on for the win, 64-63, as Wisconsin failed to get a good look in its final possession. It was another balanced scoring effort for Syracuse, with C.J. Fair, Scoop Jardine, Dion Waiters, and Brandon Triche all scoring in double figures. The Orange will face #2 Ohio State with a Final Four berth on the line.

Louisville's defense upends Michigan State: Tom Izzo's Spartans are the first #1 seed to fall. Fourth-ranked Louisville held Michigan State to sub-30% shooting and forced 15 turnovers en route to a decisive 57-44 victory. Gorgui Dieng dominated the interior for the Cardinals, blocking seven shots with nine rebounds. Rick Pitino stays perfect in the Sweet Sixteen and his suffocating defense will be tasked with shutting down Florida's potent attack on Saturday.

Ohio State's 17-1 run ends Cincinnati's season: The Bearcats were in this one with 10 minutes remaining, using a 19-4 run to briefly grab the lead. But the Buckeyes responded with a 17-1 run of their own to grab control of the game and eventually win by 15 points. Aaron Craft contributed 11 points, all in the second half, while Jared Sullinger and DeShaun Thomas combined for 49. Ohio State's battle with top-ranked Syracuse should be an electrifying showdown.

Florida shuts down Marquette's stars: The Golden Eagles have been leaning on Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder all season long. But against the Gators, the two combined to shoot 10-for-30, limiting Marquette's powerful offense to just 58 points. Freshman guard Bradley Beal was the game's dominant offensive player, hitting on 8 of his 10 shots to score 21 points. Florida will need more players to step up if they're going to overcome Louisville's pressure defense in the Elite Eight. But Billy Donovan deserves a lot of credit for getting his 7th-seeded Gators to the brink of the Final Four in consecutive years despite an up-and-down season.