N.C.A.A. Tournament: What to Watch as the Final Four is Determined

In Miami’s first-round win over Southern California, it was third-year sophomore Isaiah Wong’s 22 points. Against Auburn, it was sixth-year senior Charlie Moore, a former Kansas guard, who poured in 15 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists. And against Iowa State, Kameron McGusty scored 27 points.

“We got picked to finish 12th preseason in our conference eight months ago,” McGusty said after beating Iowa. “It’s a long season, but at the beginning of the season if we would have told you we were going to the Elite Eight, everybody would laugh at us and look at us crazy.”

A Final Four juggernaut vs. a tournament novice.

North Carolina has been to the Final Four six times since 2000 and has one of the richest histories of any team left in the tournament. Some of the greatest players in basketball have passed through the program.

The Tar Heels used a 30-point game from sophomore guard Caleb Love to move past U.C.L.A. in the round of 16. And even under first-year head coach in Hubert Davis, this is a team few would expect to falter under the bright lights, even as a No. 8 seed.

So why does it feel like this matchup is a lot closer than a storied program versus a No. 15-seed?

St. Peter’s, the small Jesuit school from New Jersey that stunned No. 2 seeded Kentucky in the first round, has captured the nation as the only 15th-seeded team to ever reach the round of 8. It has played with the poise of a team that had been there before.

The Peacocks’ fans, packed inside Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, roared as their team got past the No. 3-seeded Purdue Boilermakers, some stroking their makeshift mustaches every time St. Peter’s junior guard Doug Edert, who’s facial hair has been a popular talking point throughout the tournament, made free throws.

“Jersey City has been unbelievable for us,” Peacocks Coach Shaheen Holloway said after their win over Purdue. “But I want to give a shout-out to our student-athletes and the whole student body. They’re taking buses down here, they’re doing videos, watch parties. It’s been tremendous.”