Keys for every Elite 8 team to reach the Final Four

Scott Gleeson

And then there were eight.

Xavier Musketeers guard Quentin Goodin (3) and forward Tyrique Jones (0) celebrate after defeating the Arizona Wildcats during the semifinals of the West Regional of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center.

Kudos to whoever picked Xavier or South Carolina. Seriously.

With all of these teams one step away from the Final Four, the little things can be the difference maker in a trip to Phoenix or a trip back home.

Here's a look at the biggest keys to victory for each Elite Eight squad.

BRACKET: Track the tournament

Gonzaga Bulldogs

If the 'Zags can play defense like they did on the last possession of their gritty win vs. West Virginia — when the Mountaineers couldn't hit the rim on a strand of final shot attempts, they'll be in good shape to get to the Final Four. But Gonzaga's offense was off its A-game against WVU and will need to come back to life to advance. The main guy the Bulldogs need to step up is All-American point guard Nigel Williams-Goss, who went 2-for-10 against WVU.

GAME PREVIEW: Gonzaga vs. Xavier 

Xavier Musketeers

Trevon Bluiett needs to Trevon Bluiett. In other words, the Musketeers' main catalyst needs to keep his stellar tournament run going, as he's averaging 25 points. But the win against Arizona was a collective effort, with big boosts from role players like Sean O'Mara. If Xavier wants to advance, it will need another cohesive showing and to impose its will on Gonzaga just like it did against the Wildcats.

Kansas Jayhawks

If KU shoots the ball like it did against Purdue, it's difficult to see any team stopping them. The key is Devonte' Graham, who had 26 points off five three-pointers in that Purdue game. National player of the year Frank Mason III and ultra-athletic freshman Josh Jackson consistently affect the game on a consistent basis, but when Graham is drilling treys, too, that's a lot of offense coming all at once.

GAME PREVIEW: Kansas vs. Oregon

Oregon Ducks

Tyler Dorsey's scoring has been a key factor in getting the Ducks this far, but if they're going to go further, it'll be in large part due to coach Dana Altman's defensive schemes. Altman is a coach who understands the game's momentum as well as any coach, and he used an array of different defenses — from 2-3 zone to man-to-man to trapping — to offset a really hot Michigan team's offense in the Sweet 16. In the Elite Eight against Kansas, getting the offensively-loaded Jayhawks out of their rhythm will be a must.

South Carolina Gamecocks forward Maik Kotsar (21), forward Chris Silva (30) and guard Rakym Felder (4) celebrate after beating the Baylor Bears in the semifinals of the East Regional of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Madison Square Garden.

South Carolina Gamecocks 

Sindarius Thornwell has been the best player in this tournament (averaging 26 points a game), so it's no secret that South Carolina needs a big game from him to go to the Final Four. But what's gotten this team this far as well is how exceptional the Gamecocks have been on defense, mainly in making teams score tough twos and limiting three-pointers. In the same light, South Carolina has to make shots from beyond the arc to advance. That's something it didn't do in a regular-season loss to Florida (Feb. 21) in which it shot 21% from three.

SEC: Conference beats ACC, Big Ten with three Elite 8 teams

Florida Gators

In a perfect world, Florida would ride the momentum of an epic buzzer-beating win to the Final Four. But that momentum could cool off quickly against a gritty South Carolina team. In a Jan. 18 loss to the Gamecocks, Florida went 0-for-17 from three-point land. That was partially a cold shooting night and partially South Carolina's defense. Facing the conference rival Gamecocks in another clash that figures to be a rock fight, the Gators will need strong shooting from players like Canyon Barry and KeVaughn Allen, who had 25 points in Florida thrilling overtime win against Wisconsin.

Kentucky Wildcats

Kentucky looked impressive against UCLA, thanks in large part to freshman De'Aaron Fox's 39 points. And that's an underrated thing the Wildcats do really well: They ride the wave if a teammate is feeling it. Malik Monk, Fox Isaiah Briscoe and Bam Adebayo all have takeover abilities, but it shows superb team chemistry to continually let the offense flow through a guy who's in the zone. But Kentucky's defense has been what made UCLA look so pedestrian and what helped it get past a similarly defensive-oriented Wichita State team.

North Carolina Tar Heels

The production of Joel Berry II and Justin Jackson are essential in keying UNC to victory. But so is the small boosts it gets from role players like Luke Maye, who had 16 points and 12 boards against Butler in the Sweet 16. The Tar Heels are the best rebounding team in the country and if they can control the glass behind bigs Kennedy Meeks and Isaiah Hicks, that will be big in offsetting great guard play by Kentucky, which got a bevy of second-chance points due to UCLA's poor rebounding in the Sweet 16. The less possessions, the less opportunity for Monk to burn you on a deep three.