The Latest: Elite Eight starts with Tar Heels as favorite

The Latest on the NCAA Tournament regional finals between Oregon and Oklahoma in Anaheim, California, and Kansas and Villanova in Louisville, Kentucky (all times Eastern):

6:37 p.m.

Oklahoma is getting good work done on the offensive boards, and that's why the Sooners are off to a 24-13 lead. Their sixth offensive rebound in the first 12 minutes led to Jordan Woodard's 3-pointer, Oklahoma's fourth of the game. Oregon coach Dana Altman's clipboard hit the floor hard before the Ducks' huddle at the TV timeout.

- Greg Beacham reporting from Anaheim, California

6:20 p.m.

Honda Center is almost full for the afternoon tipoff between Oklahoma and Oregon, with Ducks fans slightly outnumbering the Oklahoma fans, who are still representing very well in Orange County.

Buddy Hield has his third 3-pointer and the Sooners are up 17-12 with 13:21 left.

--Greg Beacham reporting from Anaheim, California.

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6:18 p.m.

Player of the year candidate Buddy Hield is on the board. The Oklahoma star made two 3s in the first three minutes, and then added a putback. The Sooners are up 12-7 on top-seeded Oregon with 15:34 left.

Hield leads the nation in 3-pointerts made per game with just under four.

Another pretty good shooter is at the game: Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant.

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6:06 p.m.

The only NCAA tournament meeting between Oregon and Oklahoma came in 1939, the first NCAA Tournament. The Ducks beat the Sooners in their first and only Final Four appearance.

Buddy Hield, Isaiah Cousins, Jordan Woodard and Ryan Spangler did not start that game for Oklahoma though it might seem they have been together that long. Saturday night's West Regional final against Oregon marks the 104th straight game that foursome as started for the Sooners.

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5:51 p.m.

According to Las Vegas odds makers, North Carolina is the favorite to win the NCAA Tournament heading into the Elite Eight. The Tar Heels, the top seed in the East, are 3-to-1.

Kansas, No. 1 in the South, is the second choice at 4-to-1, and then comes Midwest top seed Virginia at 5-to-1.

Notably, Oklahoma is 6-to-1 and Villanova is 8-to-1. Both are two seeds, with better odds than Oregon. The top seed in the West is 10-to-1. The Ducks and Sooners are scheduled to tip off at 6:09 p.m. ET.

Syracuse, the lowest seed left at No. 10 in the Midwest, is 25-to-1.

Notre Dame, which faces North Carolina on Sunday is 50-to-1 to win it all.

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The Final Four could end up all 1s.

The Elite Eight begins out West, with top-seeded Oregon trying to become the first of four one seeds to make the Final Four. The Ducks face player of the year candidate Buddy Hield and No. 2 Oklahoma in Anaheim, California. Oregon has not been to a Final Four since winning the first NCAA Tournament in 1939.

The first game of the night is scheduled to tip off at 6:09 p.m.

The nightcap is another 1 vs 2 matchup, with maybe the most impressive teams of the tournament so far. Top overall seed Kansas and second-seeded Villanova play in the South regional final at Louisville, Kentucky.

The winners are off to Houston for next week's Final Four.

On Sunday, two more one seeds - North Carolina and Virginia - will play. The only time all one seeds played in the Final Four was 2008.