Final Four matchups: Who has the edge?

This Final Four has a trio of Cinderellas and a king.

In the NCAA tournament semifinals Saturday at the University of Phoenix Stadium, one team — the South Carolina-Gonzaga winner — will go on to play for its first tournament championship. Oregon hasn’t been to the Final Four since winning the title — in 1939.

North Carolina is the lone blueblood here. The Tar Heels are considered the heavy favorites, making their 20th trip to the Final Four — they lost to Villanova in last year’s final on a last-second 3-pointer — and are looking for their sixth championship.

Will the Final Four be as unpredictable as the rest of the tournament has been? Here’s how the games break down:

Gonzaga vs. South Carolina

Offense: South Carolina guard Sindarius Thornwell has made a name for himself recently, scoring at least 20 points in nine of his last 11 games. But against Gonzaga’s stifling defense, he needs his supporting cast of Chris Silva, Maik Kotsar and PJ Dozier to supply points as well. Bulldogs guard Nigel Williams-Goss has been hot and cold in the tournament and needs to have a strong game. Against West Virginia’s defense he hit only 2 of 10 shots with five turnovers. Gonzaga has offensive weapons inside with 7-footers Przemek Karnowski and Zach Collins as well as a Williams-Goss driving ability. Edge: Gonzaga.

Defense: South Carolina’s defense is ranked second nationally. The only team better in efficiency numbers? Gonzaga. The Gamecocks blanked Florida on 3-pointers (0 of 14) in the second half of their Elite Eight game and seem to try to disrupt every pass. They are committed and tough. But the Bulldogs already escaped a rigorous defense against West Virginia and should be able to do the same against the Gamecocks. Edge: Gonzaga.

Coaching: There’s a reason Gonzaga’s Mark Few was named the Associated Press coach of the year. Few’s Bulldogs had an almost perfect season, losing only to BYU. He has made a West Coast Conference team into a powerhouse program and legitimized his already solid reputation in advancing to the program’s first Final Four. South Carolina coach Frank Martin led Kansas State to its first Elite Eight in nearly 30 years and has South Carolina in its first Final Four. Edge: Gonzaga.

Intangibles: Gonzaga always has been the so-close team. The Bulldogs have played in 19 straight NCAA tournaments, but this is their first Final Four. The long run of success under Few already has shed the mid-major label from Gonzaga. This run will cement the program’s legacy and legitimacy, but a trip to the championship changes everything. South Carolina certainly wants to keep playing, but this means more to the ‘Zag’s program. Edge: Gonzaga.

Prediction: Gonzaga 72, South Carolina 60.

North Carolina vs. Oregon

Offense: Without injured big man Chris Boucher, Oregon has used an effective four-guard lineup led by dynamic scoring from Tyler Dorsey (24.5 points per tournament game). (The four guard system worked out OK for Villanova last season.) Oregon needs to create turnovers and get in transition. The Tar Heels turned it over 16 times against Kentucky in their Elite Eight game. North Carolina’s offensive rebounding provides an impressive advantage. The Tar Heels collect 41.9 percent of their own misses, providing a chance to feed off second-chance scoring. North Carolina’s Justin Jackson has been difficult to stop, averaging nearly 20 points per tournament game. The health of hobbled point guard Joel Berry II (ankles) could be a factor. Edge: North Carolina.

Defense: Oregon throws a variety of defenses at opponents. The Ducks limited Michigan and Kansas to shooting nights that ranked among their worst of the season. The Jayhawks’ Josh Jackson scored only 10 points in the Elite Eight as Oregon controlled the tempo. Jordan Bell will need to figure out whether to concentrate on affecting the game with shot blocking (eight against Kansas) or to focus on the importance of being competitive with North Carolina on the glass. The Ducks rank 180th in defensive rebounding, where the Tar Heels excel with their distinct size advantage, and finally might feel the effects of losing Boucher. North Carolina’s size with Kennedy Meeks and Isaiah Hicks will be tough to handle. Oregon has only two players taller than 6-4. Edge: Oregon

Coaching: Oregon’s Dana Altman has managed to guide the Ducks to their first Final Four since 1939, taking out top-seeded Kansas last weekend. Roy Williams knows as well as any coach how to operate through the last weekend of college basketball. This is his ninth Final Four appearance and he’s going for his third title, adding to championships in 2005 and 2009. Edge: North Carolina

Intangibles: The Tar Heels were in the Final Four just one season ago. While some players said they weren’t thinking about last season’s championship loss to Villanova, that defeat has to stick with them and serve as some fuel. Don’t underestimate redemption as a factor. Oregon is eager to prove it’s not just a Cinderella story. Edge: North Carolina.

Prediction: North Carolina 78, Oregon 70.

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FINAL FOUR

Saturday in Glendale, Ariz. | CBS

No. 1 Gonzaga (36-1) vs.

No. 7 South Carolina (26-10), 5:09 p.m.

Projected lineups

Gonzaga

G Josh Perkins, 8.2 ppg

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G Jordan Mathews, 10.7 ppg

G Nigel Williams-Goss, 16.7 ppg

F Johnathan Williams, 10.3 ppg

C Przemek Karnowski, 12.2 ppg

South Carolina

G Sindarius Thornwell, 21.6 ppg

G Duane Notice, 10.2 ppg

G PJ Dozier, 13.8 ppg

F Maik Kotsar 5.9 ppg

F Chris Silva, 10.1 ppg

No. 1 North Carolina (31-7) vs.

No. 3 Oregon (33-5), 7:49 p.m.

Projected lineups

North Carolina

G Justin Jackson, 18.2 ppg

G Joel Berry II, 14.6 ppg

F Kennedy Meeks, 12.3 ppg

F Isaiah Hicks, 12.1 ppg

F Theo Pinson, 6 ppg

Oregon

F Jordan Bell, 10.9 ppg

F Dillon Brooks 16.3 ppg

G Payton Pritchard, 7.4 ppg

G Tyler Dorsey, 14.5 ppg

G Dylan Ennis, 10.7 ppg

Championship game

Semifinal winners, 8 p.m. Monday.