The North Carolina Tar Heels overcame a 16 point deficit by imposing an 18-0 run on the USC Trojans halfway through the second quarter. The Tar Heels ended the night beating the Trojans 74-64 and securing a seat in the Elite Eight where they took on the Georgetown Hoyas.

Jason Williams' 28 points and Shane Battier's fourth consecutive double-double led the Blue Devils to their 13th Final Four appearance ever. The Trojans' David Bluthenthal and Sam Clancy tried to keep the night interesting with a combined 36 points and 24 rebounds, however, Duke prevailed and took one step closer to clinching the 2001 national championship.

USC advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1954 after beating Kentucky 80-76. Kentucky freshman Jason Parker sparked a 22-3 run that threatened USC's victory, however, David Bluthenthal's three 3-pointers and clutch free throws helped seal the game and secure the Trojans a spot against top-seeded Duke in the Elite Eight. Bluthenthal finished with 27 points and 3 rebounds on the night, while Kentucky's Jason Parker and Keith Bogans combined forces for a total of 45 points.