First batch of Elite Eight participants feature new blood

03/28/2021

1982, 2012, 1995, and 1984.

Prior to Saturday, those were the respective years of the most recent Elite Eight appearances for Oregon State, Baylor, Arkansas and Houston. But the long waits for those schools to reach their next Regional Final came to an end, following a full day of action from Bankers Life Fieldhouse and Hinkle Fieldhouse.

In Saturday’s opening game, Oregon State became just the second 12-seed ever (joining Missouri in 2002) to reach the Elite Eight, as the Beavers outlasted Loyola-Chicago.

In the following game, Villanova was seemingly on their way to a 4th consecutive victory over a 1-seed in March Madness play, with a 7-point halftime lead over Baylor. But the Bears were not willing to cooperate.

Saturday’s best game of the day was waged between the Cinderella squad from Oral Roberts, the 15th-seed who took 3rd-seeded Arkansas down to the game’s final seconds.

Finally, Saturday’s action concluded with the Houston Cougars bringing back the glory days of the early 1980’s, as they cooled off a red-hot Syracuse team at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

On Monday, Arkansas will face Baylor, while Oregon State will battle Houston, as the first two spots in the 2021 Final Four will be up for grabs.

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