Kentucky Captures 8th National Championship with 67-59 Win over Kansas

After a grueling college basketball season and the rigors of the NCAA tourney, fans got the match-up they wanted when the Wildcats and Jayhawks met in the New Orleans Superdome to decide the national championship.

For Kentucky, the game broke down to a frenetic first half and a test of stamina and perseverance in the second, holding off a determined Kansas squad to capture its eighth title with a 67-59 victory.

Kentucky led by as many as 18 points in the first half, which ended with a 41-27 Wildcat advantage. The Wildcats were too quick for Kansas and pushed the ball upcourt with relentless ferocity and were also efficient with the basketball, making 16 of 30 field goal attempts (53%). Though they committed five first half turnovers, the Wildcats dished nine assists and out-rebounded Kansas, 22-14 through the first 20 minutes.

The Jayhawks struggled on offense, hitting just 33% of their first half shots (11-33) but picked up the scoring pace after the break, scoring the first three points of the second half to cut briefly into the Kentucky lead.

As had been their forte throughout the tournament, the Jayhawks deployed their defense to claw back into the fray, though this time they would come up short as Kentucky had forged too big a lead and was reluctant to slow the game down and offer any hope to the Kansans.

With 12:30 remaining, Kansas had cut the lead to 10 points, but Doron Lamb made two three-pointers within a 38 second span to give Kentukcy its largest second half lead, at 54-38.

Anthony Davis, who made only one field goal in the game but dominated the interior with a game high 16 rebounds and six blocks, hit a short baseline jumper with 5:10 left to boost Kentucky back to a 59-44 lead that signaled the end was in sight.

Kansas was relentless down the stretch, however, eventually cutting the lead down to five points when Thomas Robinson made a pair of free throws with 1:37 to go, but that was as close as the Jayhawks would get. Kentucky's Marcus Teague made two of three free throws and Lamb sunk a pair from the foul line with 17.5 seconds left to complete the scoring.

Elijah Johnson threw up a three-point attempt as time wound down, the ball suitably ending up in the hands of Davis as the final buzzer sounded.

Kentucky had survived, giving John Calipari the most cherished coaching prize in college basketball, his first national championship after three years of building the Kentucky program into an NBA feeding ground.

The scrambled second half took its toll on the stat sheet. Kentucky made just seven of 26 shots in the last 20 minutes, finishing with a shooting percentage of 41% for the game. Kansas shot just 35.5%, making 22 of 62 field goals attempts. Kentucky turned the ball over just 11 times - to nine for Kansas - and won the battle of the boards, 39-34.

Freshman Anthony Davis will not likely return to Kentucky, taking the route of winning the national title straight to the NBA, as did Carmello Anthony after his championship with Syracuse in 2002.

The Kentucky program may be decimated by the NBA draft, as, along with Davis, fellow freshmen Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Marquis Teague could also go pro. Sophomore Terrance Jones will almost certainly opt for an early exit as well, leaving only Lamb, a sophomore, as the only returnee from the starting five.

Leading all scorers with 22 points on 7-for-12 shooting, including three 3-pointers and 5 of 6 from the foul line, Doron Lamb's contribution cannot be understated. While Davis had one of his worst shooting performances (1-for-10) of his brief collegiate career, it was Lamb who picked up the scoring, with 12 in the first half and 10 in the second. He is College Basketball Daily's final player of the day for the 2011-12 season.

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Conference Tournament Scoreboard FINAL

With Kentucky's victory in the final, the SEC proved to be the best conference through the tournament, racking up an impressive 11-3 record. with the Big Ten and Big 12 also putting in impressive performances. With nine losses and just 14 wins, maybe it's time for the selection committee to pare down the number of Big East teams invited next season, though Louisville may argue with that scenario.

The worst record was that of the Mountain West, which sent four teams but won just one game (New Mexico). The PAC-12 sent just two teams - Cal and Colorado - and won only one game, that being Colorado's win over UNLV, while Cal fell in one of the play-in games, to South Florida.

2012-2013 will see a good number of teams shifting of conferences, but clearly, the best basketball is being played East of the Mississippi, primarily in the heartland, mid-atlantic and mid-southern states.

Through games of Monday, April 2

Conference	W	L
Atlantic-10	4	4
ACC	6	5
Big East	14	9
Big Ten	11	5
Big 12	10	7
Conf-USA	0	2
Missouri Valley	1	2
Mountain West	1	4
Ohio Valley	1	1
PAC-12	1	2
SEC	11	3
West Coast	2	3
All others	7	20

Kentucky Captures National Championship, 67-59, over Kansas

Kentucky captured the NCAA Men's basketball national championship with a 67-59 victory over the Kansas Jayhawks, Monday, April 2, 2012, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Complete report, recap and player of the game on Tuesday, April 3, 2012.

NCAA Final Preview: Kansas- Kentucky Final One for the Ages

NCAA National Championship - Kentucky Wildcats vs. Kansas Jayhawks - 9:23 pm EDT

Just in case you've been asleep under a rock the past month, tonight's the night, the BIG ONE, for all the college hoops marble, the national championship final pitting the Kentucky Wildcats against the Kansas Jayhawks.

They are the two winningest programs in collage basketball. Kentucky has 2,089 victories all-time, while Kansas is a close second with 2070.

Without a doubt, this one will be a thriller. It has all the elements of a classic that will be looked back upon when maybe half a dozen of the players on the court tonight will be NBA stars.

Two of the greatest college hoops programs feature two exceptional coaches. Kansas' Bill Self has done nothing but win in his nine years with the Jayhawks, compiling a record of 269 wins and 52 losses, a winning percentage of .839, seven straight Big 12 regular season championships and five Big 12 tournament titles, a national championship in 2008 and his second trip to the Final Four.

John Calipari, coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, has had his sights set on winning a national championship since he set foot on the Kentucky campus in 2009. In three season, Coach Cal has produced a record of 101-14, winning the SEC championship each year and is making his second straight Final Four appearance.

The teams are highly regarded, as Kentucky owns the best overall record this season at 37-2, while Kansas went through the 2011-12 season with a 32-6 tally. Both teams lost in their conference tournaments, Kentucky falling to Vanderbilt in the SEC final, while the Jayhawks were ousted from the Big 12 tourney by Baylor in a semi-final meeting.

Featured in the game will be the two leading player of the year candidates, Kentucky's Anthony Davis and Kansas' Thomas Robinson. Freshman Davis averages 14 points and 10 rebounds and is a shot-blocking specialist, setting the single-season record for blocked shots. Robinson is the complete power forward, averaging 17.9 points and 11.6 boards.

While those two will almost certainly wage a battle royal in the lane, their running mates, UK forward Terrance Jones and Kansas 7-footer Jeff Withey will also play key roles, while the backcourt battle between point guards Tyshawn Taylor and Marcus Teague will be a determinant of which team gets the better scoring opportunities.

The two teams met back in November, with Kentucky taking a 75-65 win at Kansas, though the outcome of that game is nearly meaningless five months later. Both teams have matured and dominated their opponents since, and there is nary a weakness on either squad.

Nationally televised by CBS, the Wildcats are the bettors' choice, having been installed as 6 1/2 point favorites in most popular venues.

Anthony Davis Leads Kentucky over Louisville; Kansas Shoots Down Ohio State; Kansas-Kentucky Final Monday Night

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, March 31, 2012

National Semi-Final: Kentucky 79 Louisville 71 - The highly-anticipated Final Four meeting between Louisville and Kentucky lived up to its billing, but in the end, Kentucky forward Anthony Davis proved virtually unstoppable.

Kentucky led almost the entire game, though the Cardinals mounted a second-half rally that eventually tied the game, but the Wildcats always had an answer, even under pressure situations. Usually, that answer was Davis, who led the Wildcats with 19 points and 14 rebounds, reaching the national championship game for the first time since they won it all in 1998.

Davis had all his stuff working in the win, hitting seven of nine shots from the field and adding four of six from the foul line. On defense, he made the lane a no-driving zone for the Cardinals, blocking five shots, but mostly just imposing his presence in the middle, forcing Louisville into a shooting nightmare of 35% for the game while the Wildcats were hoisting it at a 57% clip.

Despite losing the rebounding battle, 37-32, and Louisville's 16 offensive boards, the Cardinals were forced into tough second-chance shots, many of which realistically had no chance of finding the inside of the rim.

For Louisville head coach Rick Pitino, the irony was bitter, because the last time the Wildcats won the national championship he was their head coach.

John Calipari, who has guided Kentucky to a 37-2 record, has to work his coaching magic for just one more game in order to fulfill his goal of winning a national title. Calipari has coached Kentucky for three seasons, but this team, despite its youth, appears to have all the elements necessary to complete the task and cut down the nets when they face the Kansas Jayhawks Monday night.


National Semi-Final: Kansas 64 Ohio State 62 - Kansas roared back in the second half, erasing a 34-25 Ohio State half time lead, to win their Final Four meeting with the Buckeyes and proceed to the national championship game with Kentucky Monday night.

The Jayhawks couldn't get into a smooth offense in the first half, eventually falling behind by as many as 13 points as Jared Sullinger and Ohio State stormed to what appeared to be an insurmountable lead.

Kansas head coach Bill Self never lost faith in his players' abilities and the Jayhawks used pressure defense in the final 20 minutes to force Ohio State into mistakes and tough shooting chances. Though the game had a helter-skelter quality to it throughout, Kansas kept pressing until finally taking the lead for good with 1.35 left when Travis Relaford calmly tossed in two free throws to give the Jayhawks a 60-59 advantage. A driving layup by Elijah Johnson off a Jeff Withey blocked shot gave Kansas a 62-59 lead with 1:08 to play.

Ohio State eventually cut the lead back to one at 62-61 on a William Buford dunk, but there were only nine ticks left on the clock by then. The Buckeyes fouled Tyshawn Taylor with seven seconds to go, and the senior nailed both freebies to put the Jayhawks back up by three.

With time running down, Kansas chose to foul Aaron Craft, sending him to the line for a 1-and-1. Craft made the front end and purposely missed the second shot and was called for a lane violation as he raced in after his purposeful miss.

With just 2.5 on the clock, Kansas quickly inbounded the ball and the confused Ohio State players failed ot foul, ending the game and sending Kansas back to the championship game for the second time in five years. The Jawhawks won the national championship in 2008, giving Self his first title. The Jayhawks-Wildcats showdown Monday will feature two of the most storied programs in college basketball history.

Kansas will be seeking its fourth tournament championship and sixth overall. Kentucky has won the championship tourney seven times and was also national champion in 1933.

Game time for the final game of the college basketball season is set for an opening tip at 9:23 pm EDT, Monday, April 2nd. The game will be televised nationally by CBS.

Final Four Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Kansas Jayhawks

National Semi-Final, Saturday, March 31

(2) Ohio State (31-7) vs. (2) Kansas (31-6), 8:49 pm EDT - The second game of the Final Four is likely to be a battle down to the final buzzer, as both Kansas and Ohio State have done everything needed to reach the penultimate game of the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

The Buckeyes, headed by coach Thad Motta, with a career coaching record of 323–95 (.773) and 221–64 (.775) at Ohio State, will be coaching in his second Final Four game, after getting Butler, Xavier and the Buckeyes into the tournament eight times, reaching the championship game in 2007, when they lost, 84-75, to the Florida Gators.

For Kansas, coach Bill Self has distinguished himself as one of the nation's finest coaches, having taken over the KU program from Roy Williams following the 2002-03 season. In his nine years at Kansas, Self has produced an outstanding record of 268–52 (.838), having won the national championship with the Jayhawks in 2007-08. He has a career mark of 475–157 (.752).

On the court, battles will rage in both the front and back courts, as these two teams are about as evenly matched as any contest in the tournament.

Up front, the Buckeyes feature the burly Jared Sullinger, a strong scorer in the paint and a ferocious rebounder, who leads the team in both scoring and rebounding at 17.6 points and 9.3 boards per game. Aside him will be 6'7" sophomore, Deshaun Thomas, who has flourished in Motta's free-flowing system. Thomas, a big time scoring threat is dangerous from just about anywhere on the court, but his best forte may be from the seven to ten foot range, where he can either nail jumpers or back opponents into the paint.

Contesting the boards with Thomas and Sullinger will be Kansas' star Thomas Robinson, who, like Sullinger, leads his team in scoring and rebounding, with 17.9 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. His wingman is 6'11" Jeff Withey, a shot-blocking machine who is not a great rebounder, but has shown more than adequate ability in the low post.

The back court battle will be vied by the two point guards - Ohio State's Aaron Craft and Kansas specialist Tyshawn Taylor. Craft, more of a defensive specialist, will be on curt for almost the entire duration, trying to stay in front of Taylor, who is a slick dribbler and excellent finisher at the rim.

Role players will be vital to each team. For the Buckeyes, William Buford is the best pure shooter of the starters, and he will be joined by Lenzelle Smith Jr. a slasher with good inside moves and a nice shooting touch.

Opposing them for Kansas, Elijah Johnson will be a key player, as he has been throughout the tourney, providing key baskets at critical moments. He's very much like Smith, though probably has more offensive potential than his Ohio State foe. Travis Releford doesn't do much scoring, but he's a capable passer and strong rebounder for the Jayhawks.

Another player to watch is Ohio State's Even Ravenel, who has performed quite well when spelling either Sullinger or Thomas.

For an idea of how close this match-up is, the statistics tell the story. Ohio State is 35th nationally in scoring at 75.1 points per contest, 57th in rebounding, at 36.8 and 12th in the nation in field goal percentage, stroing it at a .486 clip. The Jayhawks are 36th in scoring (75.0), 54th in rebounding (36.9) and shoot a field goal percentage of .485, 14th nationally.

Las Vegas has installed the Buckeyes as a 2 1/2 point favorite, but this one is really up for grabs.

Final Four Preview: Kentucky Wildcats vs. Louisville Cardinals

National Semi-Final, New Orleans, LA

(1) Kentucky Wildcats (36-2) vs. (4) Louisville Cardinals (30-9), 6:09 pn EDT - Seriously, does it get any better than this?

Two storied programs located just 69 miles apart in the great state of Kentucky, Louisville and Kentucky will meet for the 44th time in their shared histories in a series that dates back to 1913, the year the Federal Reserve was formed.

The Wildcats hold the series edge, 29-14, with the most recent meeting being earlier this season, on New Year's Eve, December 31, 2011, when Kentucky escaped with a 69-62 home win at Lexington.

The programs and their coaches - Louisville's Rick Pitino and John Calipari - are no strangers to the Final Four. Kentucky has been there 14 times, Louisville, eight. The Wildcats' last Final Four appearance was in 2011; the Cardinals last made it into the Final Four in 2005.

The coaches will get plenty of attention in this match-up, as they are two of the greatest of all time. Rick Pitino, 26 years a college basketball coach, has a career record of 627-229, for a .732 won-loss percentage. Since 2001, Pitino has been head coach of Louiville, where he's compiled a record of 275-105. He's guided teams to the Final Four six times, and this will be his second Final Four appearance as coach of the Cardinals.

Ironically, Pitino won his only national championship when he was head coach of Kentucky, a position he held from 1989 through 1997, winning the national championship in 1996. A year later, he left the Wildcat program and headed down the road to Louisville after racking up a record of 219-50 in Lexington.

John Calipari has a similar resume. In 20 years of coaching, he's amassed a career record of 545-154, a winning percentage of .780. His earlier stints at Massachusetts (193-71) and Memphis (252-69) led to his hiring as head coach of Kentucky, replacing Tubby Smith in 2009. In just three seasons with the Wildcats, Calipari has produced a record of 100-14, the best of any Division 1 coach during that span.

Calipari is becoming quite the regular at the Final Four, having taken Kentucky there last season, losing in a semi-final game to eventual national champion, Connecticut, 56-55. He took Memphis there in 2008 and UMass was a Final Four team in 1996 under his guidance. Calipari has never won a national championship, though he came awfully close with Memphis in 2008, losing to Kansas, 75-68, in the national final.

The two used to be good friends, though lately, the descriptions of their acquaintance have ranged from "frenemies" to rivals to unfriendly associates.

While the sidecourt drama will be something of a sideshow to the main event on the court, the players will ultimately decide which team advances to the title game, and here, Kentucky seems to have a large advantage.

According to the latest line, Kentucky is an 8 1/2 point favorite over the Cardinals, a number that may well add more fuel to the underdogs' fire.

The Wildcats have a decided height advantage, with freshman Anthony Davis patrolling the lane along with fellow frosh Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and sophomore Terrence Jones. David stands 6'10", Jones, 6'9" and Kidd-Gilchrist, 6'7".

By contrast, the Louisville front line has center Gorgui Dieng at 6'11", who, like Davis is a ball-swatter and shot-changer, but after that the height drops off dramatically. Freshman Chane Behanen is only 6'6", but his bulky 250-pound frame allows him to bang with the big men. The usual Louisville lineup will feature three guards, though Kyle Kuric, a 6'4" swingman who does most of his scoring from the perimeter, isn't going to help out much on the boards or in the paint. The disparity in size - on paper, at least - gives Kentucky a huge inside advantage.

In the back court, there's no faster player than Louiville's senior point guard Peyton Siva, who will match up with larger rivals, either Marcus Teague, the starter or Darius Miller, who is a real spark off the bench. Siva will likely play at least 36 minutes, while Teague can get plenty of rest, so in this match-up, Siva, who is in exceptional condition, may be worn down by the time the game reaches the crucial last four or five minutes.

The shooting guards are somewhat of a stand-off. Chris Smith and Russ Smith of Louisville have responded well to the rigors of tournament play with solid games in the regionals. They'll have to be on the mark if Louisville is going to keep pace with the Wildcats, which sports players that can score in a variety of ways from virtually anywhere on the court. Sophomore Doron Lamb is Kentucky's best scoring guard, hitting at 47% both inside and outside the 3-point line.

Statistically, the Wildcats enjoy even more advantages. They are the 20th-highest scoring team in the country, at 77.1 points per game, are 15th in rebounding (39.2) and 10th in field goal percentage, at .487%. The Cardinals rank 155th in scoring at 68.8 ppg, 27th in rebounds (38.2) and a troubling 255th in field goal percentage, checking in at .425%.

None of this is particularly bothersome to the confident Pitino nor his troops, who have taken the same path as last season's national title-holders, UConn, winning the Big East tournament and all four of their NCAA games, for an eight-game winning streak.

Kentucky doesn't seem the least bit concerned either. They've lost only twice all season and they've already avenged one of the losses. A December, 73-72, defeat at Indiana was reversed when the Wildcats thumped the Hoosiers, 102-90, in the South regional semi-final. Their other loss was to Vanderbilt, in the SEC championship. Though it was a disappointment for Kentucky, it didn't matter, as they were named the tournament's overall #1 seed, remain the #1 team in the polls and now have a chance to prove it in New Orleans.

Stopping Kentucky on offense is going to be difficult of the Cardinals, though penetrating their huge defense could prove to be just as daunting a task. Key to Louisville's success will be the shooting of Kuric, who can be a dagger from downtown, and the Smith boys, along with Siva's penetration. The Wildcats can spread the scoring around, but their defense is probably the most critical aspect of this contest.

We'll all know how it turns out shortly after dusk on Saturday.

Friday: Kansas vs. Ohio State Preview

Kansas Punches Out Tar Heels, Heads to Final Four

Midwest Regional Final

(2) Kansas 80, (1) North Carolina 67 - The loss of Kendall Marshall turned out to be an achilles heel for North Carolina as they could not make plays down the stretch and Kansas overwhelmed the Tar Heels late, en route to a date with Ohio State in the Final Four.

A frenetic first half ended in a 47-47 tie. Thomas Robinson led all scorers with 14 first-half points, James Michael MacAdoo had 10 for Carolina; Tyler Zeller and Harrison Barnes, 8 apiece. Kansas made a 12-2 run to lead, 40-33, but Carolina quckly scored eight straight to grab a brief, 41-40 advantage.

Kansas set the tone for the second half by scoring the first seven points and held the lead throughout most of the period. Elijah Johnson broke the game open with a 3-pointer at 3:09, followed by Tyshawn Taylor's layup and 3-point play, then a Travis Relaford dunk gave Kansas a nine-point lead - their largest of the game to that point - with just 1:28 to play.

Carolina could not muster any offense in the final minutes. Kansas ended the game on a 12-0 run, holding North Carolina scoreless for the final 3:58. Taylor led all scorers with 22 points, plus six rebounds, five assists and five steals. The Jayhawk big men dominated inside. Jeff Withey had 15 points and eight rebounds. Thomas Robinson scored 18, with nine boards.

Kansas will face East region #2 seed Ohio State in the Final Four at New Orleans next Saturday in one of two semi-final games.

Kentucky is the sole #1 seed remaining. Ohio State and Kansas are both 2-seeds, while Louisville was the #4 seed from the West.

Wildcats Cruise into Final Four with 82-70 Win over Baylor

South Regional Final

(1) Kentucky 82, (3) Baylor 70 - For the first 6:35 of the first half, the Baylor Bears made a game of it, when they had Kentucky tied at 10 apiece. From there the Wildcats put on an exhibition of extraordinary basketball execution, outscoring Baylor, 32-12, into the half time break.

The half time deficit was the largest of the season for Baylor and the 22 points their lowest scoring half.

With the game well in hand, Kentucky was less ferocious on offense in the second half, allowing Baylor to chip away at the lead, getting it down to 13 on a couple of occasions and eventually to 10 with only 0:50 seconds left. Though the outcome was never in doubt, the final score was deceptive of how completely Kentucky dominated the affair.

Quincy Acy and Pierre Jackson scored 22 and 21 for the Bears, but had little support. Kentucky was paced by Michael Kidd-Gilchrist's 19 points with five rebounds. Anthony Davis had 18, with 11 boards and six blocked shots. Four Wildcats ended in double figures, the team shooting a brisk 53% for the game, taking only nine three-pointers, making four.

Kentucky also had a huge edge on the foul line, making 30 of 44 free throws, compared to 16 of 19 for Baylor.

The Wildcats will face Louisville, the #4 seed from the West region, in one of two Final Four semi-final games next Saturday in New Orleans.

Jared Sullinger Leads Buckeyes to Final Four with Win over Orange

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, March 24, 2012

Ohio State is in the Final Four for the first time since 2007 after defeating Syracuse in the East region final, 77-70, on Saturday.

The Buckeyes head to New Orleans with an experienced squad that finished the Big Ten regular season tied with Michigan and Michigan State for the title at 13-5 and is 31-7 overall. Their on-court leader, sophomore Jared Sullinger, the team's top scorer and rebounder, was once again a key factor in the Buckeyes' success.

Sullinger was forced to sit out the final 16 minutes of the first half after picking up his second foul just four minutes into the contest. Still, he finished with a game-high, 19 points, scoring 15 points in the second half and leading the Buckeyes to break open a 29-all tie at the break. Sullinger has had four fouls in a game 11 times this season, fouling out just once, in a February 21, 83-67, win over Illinois. On Saturday, he committed just one more foul over the last 20 minutes of play.

Leading all scorers with 19 points, Sullinger also was a factor on the boards when he was allowed to play his usual fearless, low-post style. He ripped down seven rebounds for the Buckeyes, which led Syracuse, 37-22, in rebounding. Considering he played only 26 minutes, his personal numbers and the final score might have been vastly different had he been on the floor his normal 32-35 minutes.

Ohio State will face Sunday's winner of the Midwest regional final between North Carolina and Kansas. They'll be in New Orleans for one of the two national semi-final games on Saturday, March 31.

Ohio State Defeats Syracuse, 77-70, Heads to New Orleans

East Regional Final

(2) Ohio State 77, (1) Syracuse 70 - Despite playing only six minutes of the first half due to two early fouls, Jared Sullinger scored 15 of his game high 19 points during the second half, turning a 29-29 tie at the break into a win and trip to the Final Four for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Sullinger was 5-for-9 from the field, made nine of 12 free throws and pulled down seven rebounds, leading four Ohio State starters in double figures.

The game was tight throughout, with Ohio State maintaining a narrow lead through most of the second half. Syracuse committed a number of crucial turnovers late in the contest, but overall the game was a statistical draw, except on the boards, where the Buckeyes held a 37-22 advantage and at the foul line, where Ohio State was 31-42 compared to 20-25 for the Orange. Two Syracuse players fouled out of the game and three others finished with four.

Ohio State will advance to the Final Four next Saturday to face the winner of Sunday's Midwest regional final, pitting top seed North Carolina against the region's #2 seed, Kansas.

Louisville Reaches Final Four with Comeback Win over Florida

West Regional Final


(4) Louisville 72 (7) Florida 68 - Russ Smith came off the bench for 19 points, sparking the Louisville Cardinals to a win over Florida and a trip to the Final Four. The Cardinals were outshot, 50% to 45% and out-rebounded, 32-27, but won the turnover battle, 13 to 6, overcoming as much as an 11-point deficit to rally back against the Gators for a hard-earned victory.

Smith added five rebounds and Chane Behanen had 17 points and seven boards for Louisville. Florida, which led most of the game and took a 41-33 lead into the half, made eight three-pointers in the first half but none in the second.

It was the seventh time Louisville coach Rick Pitino had faced his protege, Florida coach Billy Donovan. Pitino's teams have prevailed in all seven meetings.

Louisville will meet the winner of Sunday's South region final between Kentucky and Baylor in the Final Four, Saturday, March 31, in New Orleans.

NCAA Tournament Conference Scoreboard:

With just eight teams remaining after Thursday and Friday's regional semi-final games, all of the smaller conferences have been ousted, leaving only the ACC (North Carolina), Big Ten (Ohio State), Big East (Syracuse, Louisville) Big 12 (Kansas, Baylor) and SEC (Kentucky, Florida).

Regional final match-ups include only one scenario that could produce a Final Four meeting within the same conference, that being the potential South-West game that could come down to an all-SEC showdown between Florida and Kentucky.

Suffered the worst in regional play was the Big Ten, which entered the week with five teams still in the hunt (Wisconsin, Ohio State, Purdue, Michigan State and Indiana), but was decimated in the semi-finals, leaving only the Buckeyes to fend for the conference.

The Big East, which sent nine teams to the tournament, still has two left - Syracuse and Louisville. Syracuse could eliminate the Big Ten completely with a win over Ohio State on Saturday, while the Cardinals hope to whittle the SEC down to one with a win over Florida, also on Saturday.

Two potential meetings in the championship game could involve teams from the same conference. Syracuse could face Louisville in an all-Big East final or Kansas could meet up with Baylor, a Big 12 championship assured.

The SEC, which sent only four teams to the tourney, leads the way with a 7-2 record. Alabama went down ot Creighton in the opening round, while Vanderbilt won one game before falling to Wisconsin in the sub-regional round of 32.

Through games of Friday, March 23

Conference	W	L
Atlantic-10	4	4
ACC	6	4
Big East	13	7
Big Ten	10	5
Big 12	8	5
Conf-USA	0	2
Missouri Valley	1	2
Mountain West	1	4
Ohio Valley	1	1
PAC-12	1	2
SEC	7	2
West Coast	2	3
All others	7	20

NCAA Tournament Regional Semi-Final Results and Recaps, Late Friday Games

South Region

(1) Kentucky 102, (4) Indiana 90 - The Kentucky Wildcats prevailed in a game played at a breakneck pace from start to finish and avenged one of just two losses suffered this season by taking Indiana out of the tournament.

The Wildcats advanced to a Sunday regional final against third-seeded Baylor, which took down Xavier in the region's earlier semi-final.

Indiana's Christian Watford led all scorers with 27 points, but Kentucky's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist equalled his career high with 24 points and had 10 rebounds.


Midwest Region

(2) Kansas 60, (11) NC State 57 - Elijah Johnson scored a layup off an inbounds pass to put Kansas up 60-57 with 13.5 seconds to play, and NC State could not respond in the final seconds as the Kansas Jayhawks advanced to the regional final to face the North Carolina Tar Heels on Sunday.

Thomas Robinson led the Jayhawks with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Jeff Withey had a career high 10 blocked shots. Kansas barely survived a poor shooting night, making just one of 14 three-pointers and shooting only 37.5% for the entire game. The Jayhawks were only 11-20 from the foul line, but held the Wolfpack to 28% from the field.

NCAA Tournament: Sweet 16 Results & Recaps, Thursday Late Games

East Region

(2) Ohio St. 81, (6) Cincinnati 66 - The Sweet 16 battle of Ohio became Cincinnati's Waterloo as the Ohio State Buckeyes cruised past the Bearcats and onto the regional final against Syracuse.

Buckeye forwards Deshaun Thomas and Jared Sullinger led the charge with 26 and 23 points, respectively. Point guard Aaron Craft's heady defense and 11 points, six steals, five assists and four rebounds were a huge contribution to the success of Ohio State.

The East region will conclude with a chalky complexion, as the #1 and #2 seeds battle for the right to advance to the Final Four in New Orleans.


West Region

(7) Florida 68,(3) Marquette 58 The Florida Gators will face the region's #4 seed, Louisville, in Saturday's regional final after taking out Marquette Thursday night.

Florida freshman Bradley Beal led all scorers with 21 points on 8-for-19 shooting, along with six rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocked shots.

Billy Donovan's efficient Gators held the edge in rebounding and assists and made 13 of 15 free throws.

NCAA Tournament: Results & Recaps of Thursday Sweet 16 Early Games

East Region

(1) Syracuse 64, (4) Wisconsin 63 - 32-2 Syracuse survived their second one-point victory of the season, advancing to the regional final as the #1 seed. Wisconsin, forced to foul with 18 seconds to play and down by a point, put Kris Joseph on the line for a one-and-one. When Joseph missed the front end, Wisconsin had their opportunity for the upset, but Jordan Taylor's heave from well beyond the three-point line did not catch iron and the clock expired on the Badgers.

The only other one-point win for the Orange this season was a 52-51 nail-biter at Louisville, on February 13. Wisconsin stayed in the game by hitting an amazing 14 of 27 three-point shots (52%). The two teams combined for just 12 turnovers, six by each team. Jared Berggren and Jordan Taylor each had 17 points for the Badgers. Syracuse had four players in double figures, led by CJ Fair's 15 points. The Orange shot 55% from the field, including five of nine from three-point range and the same (5-9) from the foul line.

West Region

(4) Louisville 57, (1) Michigan St. 44 - Louisville's defensive effort produced an easy win over Michigan State, the first #1 seed in the tournament to taste defeat. The Cardinals held the Spartans to a mere 29% from the field and 24% (5-for-21) from three-point range. Louisville was superior in the paint. Chane Behanen was the game's leading scorer with 15 points, along with eight boards. Center Gorgui Dieng scored just five points but blocked seven shots and ripped down nine rebounds.

Louisville has run off seven straight wins, including four in a row to capture the Big East championship.

NCAA Tournament: Sweet 16 Previews, Thursday Games

East Region

(1) Syracuse (33-2) vs. (4) Wisconsin (26-9), 7:15 pm ET - A serious contrast in styles awaits fans at the TD Garden in Boston. The Syracuse attack is predicated on turnovers and fast break points out of their 2-3 zone defense that most teams have trouble penetrating successfully. Wisconsin, however, does have advantages in three-point shooting and their own steady, heady defense on the opposite end.

While the Orange haven't seemed to have missed their center, Fab Melo, they also haven't played a team as disciplined as the Badgers, who don't turn the ball over very often. In their 60-57 win over Vanderbilt, Wisconsin suffered only eight turnovers and despite coming up on the short end in rebounds, shooting percentage and free throws, still managed to prevail. It gets tougher in the round of 16, and even though Syracuse has played well enough to win their previous two games, they'd better not get down early, because the Badgers have a way of milking leads and making others pay for their mistakes.

(2) Ohio St. (29-7) vs. (6) Cincinnati (26-10), 9:45 pm ET - The all-Ohio regional semi-final will be a gut-check for both teams, though if the Buckeyes get hot, they may be able to romp home with a win here because the Bearcats are not a great shooting team, relying more on defense to survive low scoring games. Cincinnati's wins in the tournament were both in the 60s, and, during the Big East regular season, they topped 80 points only twice.

By contrast, the Buckeyes have the players and system that can put up points in a hurry. Through their Big Ten season, they scored 80 or more four times and had a slew of wins in the 70s. Their two tournament wins were both in the 70s as well, and they won them by comfortable margins - 19 points over Loyola (MD) and seven better than a solid Gonzaga team.


West Region

(1) Michigan St. (29-7) vs. (4) Louisville (28-9), 7:47 pm ET - Both West regional semi-final games will be played at the US Airways Center in Phoenix, AZ, so there won't be any perceived home advantage for any of the contestants. Both Michigan State and Louisville have been impressive through the first two games of the tournament and play very similar styles, though the Cardinals depend more on penetration by point guard Peyton Siva, whereas the Spartans have a go-to guy in Draymond Green, who registered a triple double in Michigan's opening win and a double-double taking down St. Louis to get to this point.

This is likely to be the defensive struggle of the night, as neither team is blessed with an abundance of offensive talent. A score with both teams in the 60s would not be surprising. Louisville, which ended their regular season with four losses in six games, has turned things around nicely, winning six straight, including the Big East tournament.

(3) Marquette (27-7) vs. (7) Florida (25-10), 10:17 pm ET - The Gators are arguably the faster team in this Big East-SEC match-up, but the Golden Eagles are a determined, consistent bunch who are difficult to label. They are surely among the best defensive teams remaining in the tourney, but they can go cold for long stretches on offense, which will hurt them badly if they don't score well against Florida.

Marquette made a shambles of their first two opponents in the tourney - BYU and Murray State - but Florida has big school credentials and demolished Virginia, 71-45 and Norfolk State, 84-50, making the Gators the tournament's biggest margin-of-victory team remaining. They have big time scorers in Kenny Boynton, Bradley Beal and Eric Murphy. Either team will be a tough out, but Florida has coaching expertise in Billy Donovan and the scoring punch that could turn this into a catch-up game for the Golden Eagles, a condition at which they do not excel.

Walter Offett and DJ Cooper Lead Upstart Ohio Bobcats into Sweet 16

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, March 18, 2012

In the search for the tournament's most broken bracket, the Midwest region comes up a winner and it could have been worse had Purdue been able to hang on against 2nd-seeded Kansas Sunday night.

While the Jayhawks moved onto the Sweet 16, as did #1 seed North Carolina, the middle of the bracket became a mess as #11 NC State stopped #3 Georgetown and #13 Ohio prevailed over the 12 seed from South Florida. While the Bobcats may be accused of bottom-feeding, they still managed a to make the round of 16, no mean feat for a school from the Mid-America conference, whose teams are supposed to genuflect and gently give way to teams from the power conferences.

Ohio may be a small school without much of a basketball pedigree, in sharp contrast to their upcoming opponent, North Carolina, a programs whose legendary players and coaches - like Michael Jordan and Dean Smith - fill the record books and are woven into the fabric of March Madness.

What the Bobcats do have is a sound back court, a small detail that may come in handy against the Tar Heels, who may be without point guard Kendall Marshall in their upcoming meeting (Friday, March 23, 7:47 pm, TBS) after Marshall suffered a fractured bone in his right wrist in the Tar Heels' win over Creighton.

In Ohio's 62-56 triumph over South Florida, the champions of the Mid-America conference were led by their back court duo of Walter Offett and DJ Cooper, who scored 21 and 19 points, respectively. Offett was 7-for-9 from the field, 4-for-4 on three-pointers and had three rebounds and four steals. Cooper was 7-for-9 from the foul line, with seven assists, six rebounds and a pair of steals.

With a pair of guards with that kind of capability, Ohio is a threat whenever and wherever they play. North Carolina had better not be looking past the surprising Bobcats.

NCAA Round of 32 Saturday Results & Recaps, Early Games

East Region

Syracuse 75 Kansas State 59 - The region's top seed, Syracuse went down by seven early, but stormed past the 8th-seeded Wildcats, who shot just 31% against the active Orange zone and made only four of 17 three-point attempts.

While Kansas State struggled offensively, Syracuse turned up their game a few notches, shooting 51% for the game, including a sizzling 6-for-9 from three-point land. Dion Waiters led the Orange with 18 points and Scoop Jardine was especially effective in the second half, scoring 15 points with a 3-for-3 stroke on threes.

Even without their shot-swatting center, Fab Melo, the long Orange tallied eight blocks in the contest. Syracuse advanced onto the Sweet Sixteen round, to face the winner of the Vanderbilt-Wisconsin game, to be played later on Saturday.

Ohio State 73 Gonzaga 66 - For the third straight year, Ohio State advanced to the Sweet 16 with a helter-skelter win over the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Gerald Sullinger, who spent much of the game on the bench with foul issues, still finished with 18 points, tying him with Deshaun Thomas as the game's high scorers. Point guard Aaron Craft provided key buckets with 17, making seven of nine from the field with 10 assists.

Gonzaga, the region's 7-seed, stormed back from a 10-point deficit to tie the game at 61 on an Elias Harris 3-pointer, but #2 seed Ohio State was too much in the final minutes, keeping the Zags at bay the rest of the way. The Buckeyes will face the winner of the Florida State-Cincinnati game, a 3 vs. 6 contest.

NCAA Round of 64 Results & Recaps: Late Games

South Region

Kentucky 81 Western Kentucky 66 - Anthony Davis scored 16 points with nine rebounds three assists, a steal and seven blocked shots. Terrence Jones led all scorers with 22 points on 9-for-13 shooting. Jones added ten rebounds.

VCU 62 Wichita State 59 - Bradford Burgess, who played on last year's Final Four VCU squad, hit a key 3-pointer late in the game, propelling the Rams to the 12-over-5-seed victory. VCU held a sizable advantage most of the game, but the Shockers cut into the lead late and took a two point lead late in the game. The resolute Rams were not to be denied, however, moving onto the next round with a solid victory over a worthy opponent. Burgess finished with a game-high 16 points.

Baylor 64 South Dakota State 60 - Baylor did just enough to topple the 14 seed Jackrabbits. Perry Jones III had just two points on 1-for-6 shooting.

Iowa State 77 Connecticut 64 -Defending champions taken out to little fanfare by a rugged Iowa State squad. Iowa State faces Kentucky, Saturday.

Indiana 79 New Mexico State 66 - JOrdan Hulls was 4-for-6 from 3-point distance and 8-for-12 overall for a game high 22 points, leading Indiana over the Aggies and onto a match-up with VCU on Saturday. Three other Hoosiers scored 14 points each in the runaway victory.

Colorado 68 UNLV 64 The region's 11-seed, Colorado, kept PAC-12 hopes alive with an upset win over 6-seed UNLV. Reserve guard Askia Booker paced the game's scoring with 16 points. The Buffaloes are the only remaining PAV-12 team after Val was bounced by South Florida Wednesday night in a First Four meeting. Colorado committed 23 turnovers but outscored the Rebels 17-9 at the foul line.

East Region

Gonzaga 77 West Virginia 54 - Seventh-seeded Gonzaga throttled West Virginia, shooting 56% as 11 different players scored for the Bulldogs. Gonzaga's bench was responsible for 49 of the team's total. The Zags were 9-for-17 from three-point range as compared to 3-for-17 for the Mountaineers.

Ohio State XX Loyola (MD) XX - Deshaun Thomas was the game's high scorer with 31 points, adding 12 rebounds, as the Buckeyes made quick work of the Greyhounds. Ohio State had a huge, 45-23 rebounding edge and move on to the next round, where they will meet 7th seeded Gonzaga.

NCAA Round of 64 Results & Recaps: Early Games; Syracuse Escapes; Murray State, 31-1

West Region

Murray State 58 Colorado State 41 - Murray State employed an 18-2 run to open the second half, erasing a 1-point deficit from the break. The 31-1 Racers were out-rebounded 38-32 and shot just 36% but got 15 and 13 points, respectively, from guards Isaiah Caanan and Donte Poole. They advance to meet Marquette.

Louisville 69 Davidson 62 - Louisville led almost the entire game and got 14 points and 11 rebounds from freshman Chane Behanen to punch their ticket to the next round.

Marquette 88 BYU 68 - Marquette, the #3 seed in the East region, had few problems getting past the Cougars, winners of a Tuesday play-in game over Iona. The Golden Eagles were led by Jae Crowder's 25 points and 20 from Darius Johnson-Odom.

New Mexico 75 Long Beach State 68 - Behind 18 points and 15 rebounds from Drew Gordon, the Lobos advanced to the round of 32 with a win in which they handled a slim lead throughout most of the contest. New Mexico shot 51% from the field and had a 10-point edge at the foul line, where they made 18 of 24. As the 5 seed, their win sets up a 5-4 matchup with Louisville in the next round on Saturday.

East Region

Kansas State 70 Southern Miss 64 - Rodney McGruder scored a game-high 30 points as the Wildcats prevailed in a closely-played contest. Even though Kansas State hit 50% from the field to Southern Miss' 36% the Golden Eagles made eight three-pointers to just two by the Wildcats, keeping them in the game. Kansas State advances to the round of 32 for a likely meeting with #1 seed in the region, Syracuse.

Syracuse 72 UNC-Asheville 65 Asheville led by as many as seven points and took a 34-30 lead into the half as Syracuse made just one of 13 three-point attempts in the first half. The Orange escaped thanks to some sharp-shooting from James Southerland, who led the Orange with 15 points and three of five 3-pointers.

Syracuse was aided by two of the most horrible calls ever seen on national television, a missed goaltending call and an inbounds pass that clearly was off Syracuse point guard Brandon Triche but ruled out against Asheville.

Whatever can be said of the Syracuse program, it is becoming a national nightmare for major college athletic programs - as in the case of Penn State - that have entrenched coaches and institutions. Under such structures, much is taken for granted as business as usual and serious transgressions are swept under the rug in order to protect what has been built and accomplished.

The off-court issues facing Syracuse will certainly have repercussions going forward, but for now, this looks like a team without much cohesion at exactly the wrong time.

Wisconsin 73 Montana 49 - The Big Ten Badgers easily dispatched with Montana, taking a 10-point lead into the half and cruising to one of the easier wins of the day.

Vanderbilt 79 Harvard 70 - John Jenkins scored 26 points with six rebounds as the Commodores held off the gritty Crimson. Vanderbilt shot 54% for the game and maintained a double-digit lead throughout most of the contest. Next up for #5 Vanderbilt is #4 seed, Wisconsin.