Kansas State vs. Loyola Chicago: NCAA Tournament game preview, schedule and prediction

An unlikely matchup in the Elite Eight comes as Kansas State and Loyola-Chicago takes the stage Saturday night. Who continues their improbable run to the Final Four?

TV Schedule: Saturday, March 24, 6:09 p.m. ET. TBS

Arena: Phillips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia

The symbolic South Region Championship is upon us and the finalists are two no one expected to be here, outside of their own fan bases.

Loyola-Chicago (31-5) was the one double-digit seed that was pegged to have a “mini-run”. The Missouri Valley champs were an elite defensive unit filled with veterans. But their offense was viewed as a slight question mark.

But the Ramblers had just enough offense in their games. And led by the now legendary 98-year-old team Chaplin Sister Jean, they pulled off three game-winning shots in a row to get to this point.

Kansas State (25-11) might be the power conference team in this situation, but they arguably had the toughest path to get here. Not necessarily by competition, but having to do it without their leading scoring and First-Team All-Big 12 player Dean Wade.

The Wildcats lost a lot on offense but still played some outstanding defense on their way to the Elite Eight. They first took out Creighton, before becoming the villains when taking out UMBC. But for the anti-Kentucky crowd, they were the heroes, upsetting the other Wildcats in a thriller.

No matter who wins this game, a lower-seeded team is guaranteed to make the Final Four. This is an incredible opportunity for both teams, so let’s see how this game breaks down.