After all the games and upsets that make the NCAA Tournament so special, the top two seeds collide in the South Region’s Elite Eight. While ‘Cinderella’ teams like Davidson and Western Kentucky grab most of the spotlight, high seeds Texas and Memphis continue to topple opponents en route to Sunday’s matchup.

Advertisement

The Longhorns figured to take a step back this season with departed superstar Kevin Durant bolting for the NBA, but the school is just one victory away from their first Final Four since 2003. Texas captured a share of the Big XII title, and set a school record during the regular season with 26 victories. The Longhorns also have regular-season victories over Tennessee and UCLA, and have won 15 of their last 17 games.

Memphis has dominated opponents all season, and is just a possession or two away from an unblemished record. The Tigers’ lone setback occurred in a tightly contested home contest with Tennessee, so there will be no talk or extra pressure about being the first undefeated champion since the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers. Memphis didn’t skate through an easy schedule either despite playing in the modest Conference USA, beating out-of-conference opponents UConn, Georgetown, Oklahoma, Southern Cal, Arizona and Gonzaga.

Caesars Palace currently lists Memphis as a three-point ‘chalk’ over Texas, with the total set at 144 ½. The Tigers opened as a two-point favorite, with the total set at 145. CBS Sports will provide coverage of the South Regional final from Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas beginning Sunday at 2:20 p.m. ET.

Texas (31-6 straight up, 17-14 against the spread) routed third-seed Stanford Friday as a two-point ‘chalk,’ 82-62. The combined 144 points toppled the 134-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 3-1 the past four games. The Longhorns have alternated ATS wins and losses their last six outings.

Texas lost the rebounding battle to the inside-dominant Cardinal, 40-37, but prevailed by shooting a stellar 50 percent (32-of-65) from the field. Four of the five starters reached double digits in scoring, led by guard D.J. Augustin’s 23 points, five rebounds and seven assists.

The Longhorns salted away the game with a 20-3 run after holding onto a narrow 52-51 advantage. Center Dexter Pittman contributed on the defensive end, helping keep Stanford’s Brook Lopez scoreless the last 13:55. The hefty sophomore center came off the bench to provide four points and six rebounds.

Memphis (36-1 SU, 15-19 ATS) throttled fifth-seed Michigan State Friday as a 5 ½-point favorite, 92-74. The Tigers had failed to cover their previous two contests. The combined 166 points soared past the 136-point closing total, enabling the ‘over’ to cash the third game in a row.

The Tigers dominated the Spartans, cruising after taking an incredible 30-point halftime advantage, 50-20. Memphis won the rebounding battle, 32-25, while shooting a robust 53 percent (31-of-59) from the field. The Tigers defense also limited Michigan State to just 28-percent shooting (5-of-18) from behind the arc.

Freshman guard Derrick Rose led all scorers with 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting, while grabbing four rebounds and dishing out five assists. Backcourt-mate Chris Douglas-Roberts added 25, while forward Robert Dozier contributed nine and 10. The defense really clamped down on Michigan State shooting guard Drew Neitzel, who managed just six points on 2-of-8 shooting.

Texas and Memphis actually collided back in 2006, with the Longhorns prevailing as a 5 ½-point road underdog, 69-58. However, many key players on both sides were still in high school during that contest.

Free-throw shooting remains one of the few chinks in both the Texas and Memphis armor. The Longhorns rank a lackluster 186th in the country at the charity stripe, while Memphis is 326 out of 328 teams by connecting at just a 59.2-percent clip. In a close contest, how a team fares at the free-throw line might determine which school punches its ticket to San Antonio and the Final Four.

Brad Young can be reached at byoung@vegasinsider.com.