Instant Analysis - Ncaa Tournament 2012 - Saturday's Elite Eight Roundup - Ncaa Basketball

Sporting News' crew regarding higher education basketball writers offer on the spot study connected with Saturday's Elite Eight video games from the NCAA Tournament:

East Region: No. 2 Ohio State 77, No. 1 Syracuse 70

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Deveney column about Lenzelle Smith's unpleasant night

BOSTON Jared Sullinger ended up being restricted in order to just five minutes associated with playing moment from the first half, victim, like oh yea so many players with this game, connected with harmful calls on the referees, centric his means with the Syracuse zone pertaining to 19 details along with seven rebounds that will head Ohio State back to your Final Four.

Syracuse's Dion Waters, James Southerland, Rakeem Christmas plus Baye Keita many have at the least four fouls. Ditto pertaining to Ohio State's Aaron Craft.

Syracuse, trailing by nine having 59 mere seconds left, manufactured it helpful decrease the stretch out due to Ohio State turnovers and missed totally free throws. SU got in just 70-67 about Waiters' traveling layup as well as and-one zero cost throw by using 37 seconds. Sullinger made one zero cost throw, and then Brandon Triche missed a new jumper. OSU then built 6-of-6 zero cost includes from the ultimate 20 just a few seconds in order to safe your win.

Sullinger, right after all those two low-priced fouls early, maintained his composure plus assisted bruise as well as batter Syracuse within the subsequent half. The Buckeyes, not having to fret concerning halted SU 7-foot center Fab Melo (academics) inside middle, dominated the particular boards, 37-22. Forwards Deshaun Thomas in addition to Lenzelle Smith Jr. additionally click dual information from the next half.

On other end, Syracuse's very best offensive weapons just about all acquired tough evenings firing this ball: Scoop Jardine (5-of-12), Triche (4-of-10), Kris Joseph (4-of-11) plus Waiters (2-of-8).

West: No. 4 Louisville 72, No. 7 Florida 68

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Fagan column on 'Russ-diculous'

PHOENIX Rick Pitino nudged out and about Billy Donovan for the area while in the Final Four on Saturday when his Louisville team finished the experience on a 23-8 work for a victory about Florida throughout this West Regional.

Chane Behanan hit the go-ahead basket along with 1:04 kept for fourth-seeded Louisville, then soon after not one but two Cardinals zero cost throws, Florida's Bradley Beal plus Kenny Boynton each one overlooked possibilities to tie.

The seventh-seeded Gators (26-11) fell inside the regional semifinals for your subsequent consecutive year, even though Louisville (30-9) will probably check out that Final Four for the ninth time as well as the minute under Pitino. Russ Smith brought about Louisville by using nineteen details along with Behanan had 17. The Cardinals played this ultimate 3:58 without having place safeguard Peyton Siva, who fouled out.

The Gators shot 8-for-11 from 3-point selection inside earliest half nonetheless decided not to produce one within the second. Donovan is now 0-7 lifetime towards Pitino, that dude who taught him during Providence, employed him or her being a assistant during Kentucky along with believed as incredibly to be a papa while he / she watched Donovan win his / her not one but two country's something throughout '06 and also '07.

Sunday's Elite Eight games

South: Baylor (30-7) vs. Kentucky (35-2), 2:20 p.m. DeCourcy column

Midwest: North Carolina (32-5) vs. Kansas (30-6), 5:05 p.m.

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