2011 NCAA Tournament: Butler Defeats VCU, UConn Edges Kentucky In Final Four On Saturday Evening

Even with two games on the schedule, the 2011 NCAA Tournament did not disappoint.

Butler topped VCU, 70-62, and Connecticut edged Kentucky, 56-55, in the 2011 Final Four at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas on Saturday night. Butler and UConn will meet in the 2011 NCAA national title game on Monday.

In the day's first game, Shelvin Mack scored 24 points and Matt Howard added 17 points as the Bulldogs toppled the Rams. Jamie Skeen led all scorers with 27 points for VCU.

The final game of the night featured a match-up of two traditional college basketball powers: Kentucky and UConn. While the game went down to the wire, it was clear that the Huskies wanted it more than the Wildcats.

Kemba Walker led all scorers with 18 points and Jeremy Lamb had 12 points and eight rebounds for UConn. The Wildcats were led by Brandon Knight's 17-point, eight rebound performance.

It was a given that there would be a Cinderella team in the 2011 NCAA national championship game entering Saturday's Final Four match-up between Butler and VCU, but the rest was up to the Bulldogs and Rams.

Shelvin Mack made sure that it would be Butler representing the Cinderellas in the title game, scoring 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting and grabbing six rebounds en route to Butler's 70-62 win over VCU on Saturday night.

Butler will to the national championship game for the second straight season following its win over the Rams. The Bulldogs lost to top-seeded Duke, 61-59, in the 2010 NCAA championship game in Indianapolis last season.

Matt Howard finished with 17 points and eight rebounds for Butler, which shot just 36.2 percent from the field. Shawn Vanzant scored 11 points and Zach Hahn scored 8 points off the bench for the Bulldogs.

Jamie Skeen led all scorers with 27 points for VCU, which shot 39 percent for the game. Bradford Burgess added 15 points and eight rebounds and both Toby Veal and Juvonte Reddic scored four points for VCU.

The eighth seeded Bulldogs led 34-28 at halftime and outscored No. 11 seed VCU, 36-34, in the second half to advance to the championship bout. Butler will face the winner of Kentucky and UConn in the title game on Monday.

Four teams enter Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas on Saturday afternoon, but only two will advance to the national championship game. 

VCU and Butler will kick off the 2011 Final Four with tip-off set for 6:09 p.m. EDT. Kentucky will take on Connecticut in the second and final game of the day at 8:49 p.m. Both games will be broadcast live on CBS.

These two games highlight exactly what makes the NCAA Tournament one of the best in all of sports. For the first time in tournament history, there are no top or seconds seeds in the Final Four. Instead, a No. 11 seed (VCU) will play a No. 8 seed (Butler) and a No. 3 seed (UConn) will face a No. 4 seed (Kentucky).

No Ohio State. No Duke. No Jared Sullinger and no Nolan Smith. Once again, unpredictability has ruled the hour.

While there aren't any top seeds left, that doesn't mean there won't be excellent match-ups on Saturday and Monday. VCU and Butler will ensure that one Cinderella team will make it to the NCAA national championship game, while Kentucky and UConn will send a proven program to the title bout.

What's better than a storied program and a Cinderella meeting to decide the national champion?

In Saturday's first game, the Bulldogs open as a 2.5-point favorite and are three-point favorites according to Bodog.com. That's to be expected, as Butler has been here before while VCU has not.In the end, that may be the difference, according to The Sports Network.

It's about to strike midnight for one of these two Cinderella teams, and while VCU has a ton of momentum and the will of a nation on its side, the experience gained by Butler last year should be enough to help the Bulldogs reach their second straight national title game.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Butler 76, Virginia Commonwealth 71

UConn and Kentucky offer a different story line. Two of the nation's best programs, with two very controversial head coaches, will duke it out in the evening. Kemba Walker will almost certainly lead the Huskies in scoring, and Jeremy Lamb won't be far behind. For Kentucky, look for Brandon Knight and Terrance Jones to take control.

Both the Huskies and Wildcats bring star power to the table, but one star will have to shine brighter than the other in order for their team to win. The Sports Network predicts it will be Walker.

While both teams have shown chinks in the armor over the course of the season, they are clicking on all cylinders right now. This one may come down to the very end and their may not be two more clutch players in this event than Knight and Walker. Give the slight edge here to Walker, who has been here before.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Connecticut 75, Kentucky 72

Final Four, Houston

No. 11 VCU vs. No. 8 Butler, 6:09 p.m., CBS (Nantz/Kellogg/Kerr/Wolfson)

No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 3 UConn, 8:49 p.m., CBS (Nantz/Kellogg/Kerr/Wolfson)

April 4

National Championship, 9 p.m., CBS (Nantz/Kellogg/Kerr/Wolfson)

More 2011 March Madness resources: Visit our NCAA Tournament hub for up-to-date news and information ... updated printable NCAA Tournament bracket.

The Final Four is set, and for the first time ever, it will not include a No. 1 or a No. 2 seed. In fact, it's just the third time ever that a No. 1 seed has not been involved in college basketball's championship weekend (1980 and 2006 the other instances). The 2011 Final Four in Houston will feature No. 3 Connecticut against No. 4 Kentucky on one side of the bracket, and on the opposing half, No. 8 Butler battling surprise Cinderella No. 11 VCU, which shocked No. 1 Kansas -- and the college basketball world -- on Sunday in the Elite Eight. 

The Final Four begins Saturday at 6 p.m., live from Reliant Stadium in Houston, the home of the Houston Texans. With a capacity of 76,000, it is the largest venue in Final Four history.

Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg will be joined by Steve Kerr, creating a three-man booth for the first time ever.

Here is the complete schedule:

Final Four, Houston

No. 11 VCU vs. No. 8 Butler, 6:09 p.m., CBS (Nantz/Kellogg/Kerr/Wolfson)

No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 3 UConn, 8:49 p.m., CBS (Nantz/Kellogg/Kerr/Wolfson)

April 4

National Championship, 9 p.m., CBS (Nantz/Kellogg/Kerr/Wolfson)

More 2011 March Madness resources: Visit our NCAA Tournament hub for up-to-date news and information ... updated printable NCAA Tournament bracket.

Brandon Knight scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds as No. 4 seed Kentucky defeated No. 2 seed North Carolina, 76-69, in the East Regional finals in Newark, New Jersey on Sunday evening.

Kentucky, which shot 48.2 percent from the floor, led 38-30 entering the intermission. North Carolina outscored the Wildcats, 39-38, in the second half but was unable to bridge the gap.

Josh Harrellson (eight rebounds) and DeAndre Liggins both scored 12 points for the Wildcats, who only used seven players in the game. Liggins and Doron Lamb (eight points) were the only players to come off the bench for Kentucky.

Tyler Zeller paced the Tar Heels with 21 points and nine rebounds off the bench. Harrison Barnes scored 18 points, Dexter Strickland added 11 points and John Henson finished with four points and nine rebounds for North Carolina.

Kentucky advances to the Final Four for the 14th time in school history. The Wildcats will face No. 3 seed Connecticut in the national semifinals.

From the First Four to the Final Four, VCU's journey to the top is almost complete.

Jamie Skeen scored 26 points and collected nine rebounds as No. 11 seed Virginia Commonwealth shocked No. 1 seed Kansas, winning 71-61 in the Southwest Regional finals in San Antonio, Texas on Sunday afternoon.

Marcus Morris' layup with 14:17 left in the first half put Kansas up 10-9, but the Rams went on a 20-11 run to take a 39-21 lead with 3:52 left in the opening half. The Jayhawks cut their deficit to 14 at halftime, trailing 41-27.

Kansas opened up the second half with a 12-2 run to cut VCU's lead to four points, but the Rams asserted their dominance and rebuilt the lead to 57-47 with 8:53 remaining. VCU held Kansas in check for the remainder of the game, scoring 14 points while allowing 14 points in the final nine minutes to seal the win.

Brandon Rozzell finished with 12 points off the bench for VCU, which made 21-of-53 field goals (39.6 percent). Joey Rodriguez and Bradford Burgess both scored nine points for the Rams.

Morris finished with 20 points off the bench for Kansas, which struggled on the offensive end, shooting 35.5 percent on 22-of-62 shooting. Markieef Morris had 13 points and nine rebounds, but turned the ball over eight times. Tyshawn Taylor added 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the loss for the Jayhawks.

The first half of the 2011 Final Four bracket is set in stone after Butler upset Florida and UConn edged Arizona in the Elite Eight on Saturday. The final half of the Final Four bracket will be determined on Sunday when Kansas faces VCU and Kentucky battles North Carolina.

In the first game of the day, No. 1 seed Kansas faces No. 11 seed Virginia Commonwealth at  2 p.m. EDT (CBS). It appears that the Jayhawks have the easiest path to the Final Four, yet in this tournament, nothing is guaranteed.

Kansas touts a terrific trio in brothers Marcus and Markieff Morris and Brady Morningstar. The group alone is capable of completely taking over any game. While VCU has proven to be a tough out in the 2011 NCAA Tournament, this may be the last stop for the Rams on their magical tourney run, according to The Sports Network.

Those doubting VCU's legitimacy have been made a fool round after round, but the Rams are in for their toughest test of the Tournament thus far. Similarly, it is likely the Jayhawks, who have largely coasted, will receive their stiffest challenge to date. In the end, though, the sheer precision and execution of the Kansas offense should prove to much for spunky VCU.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Kansas 78, VCU 73

In the second and final tilt on Sunday, No. 4 seed Kentucky faces No. 2 seed North Carolina. The Tar Heels are powered by standouts Tyler Zeller, John Henson and freshman sensation Harrison Barnes. As for the Wildcats, they feature a solid duo of Brandon Knight and Terrance Jones, who are also capable of dominating games. But in the end, The Sports Network predicts that the Tar Heel's front court is too powerful for Kentucky to overcome.

Ohio State seemed to be not only the class of the East Region but the best team in the entire tournament. With the Buckeyes out of the way, the Heels and 'Cats are ready to do battle in what promises to be an epic showdown. In the end, expect the front line of UNC to be the difference.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: North Carolina 78, Kentucky 74

Sunday, March 27

Southwest Region final, San Antonio:

No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks vs. No. 11 Virginia Commonwealth Rams, 2 p.m. ET

East Region final, Newark:
No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats vs. No. 2 North Carolina Tar Heels, 4:55 p.m. ET

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Visit our our NCAA hoops hub for the rest of your March Madness needs, including a 2011 NCAA Tournament Printable Bracket that's updated after each round.

Other March Madness resources:

-- 2011 NIT bracket

-- 2011 Women's NCAA Tournament bracket

For the second straight year, the Butler Bulldogs advanced to the Final Four after their 74-70 overtime win over No. 2 seed Florida on Saturday afternoon. In the day's second game, No. 3 seed UConn survived a scare against No. 5 Arizona, winning 65-63 on Saturday evening.

Florida took a 33-32 lead into the locker room, but was outscored by Butler, 28-27, in the second half. The Bulldogs outscored the Gators 14-11 in overtime to advance to the Final Four.

Shelvin Mack scored 27 to lead Butler, which shot 40 percent from the field (24-for-60). Matt Howard finished with 14 points and Khyle Marshall added 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench for the Bulldogs.

Vernon Macklin paced the Gators with 25 points and five rebounds. Kenny Boynton scored 17 points and Alex Tyus finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds for Florida, which shot 43.9 percent from the field.

In the final game of the day, No. 3 seed UConn defeated No. 5 seed Arizona, 65-53, to advance to the Final Four. Kemba Walker scored 20 points and Jeremy Lamb had 19 points for the Huskies, who outscored the Wildcats 38-33 in the second half. Derrick Williams had 20 points in the losing effort for Arizona.

The field of 68 is now down to just eight teams, and four of those team will be in action on Saturday afternoon and evening to kick off the Elite Eight of the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

In the day's first game, No. 2 seed Florida squares off against No. 8 seed Butler at 4:30 p.m. EDT (CBS). Last season, the Bulldogs became America's Cinderella team, charging through the 2010 NCAA Tournament to meet Duke in the national championship game before ultimately losing to the Blue Devils. This year, the Bulldogs' talent is no longer a secret, and the Gators know they will be facing a tough task in Butler.

Florida touts a strong quintet of talent, led by junior sensation Erving Walker, who averaged 14.8 points in the regular season. Kenny Boynton (14.1 PPG), Chandler Parsons (11.5 PPG), Vernon Macklin (11.2 PPG) and Alex Tyus (8.9 PPG) make up the rest of the Gators' star group.

On the other side, Butler no longer has the services of Gordon Hayward, but it still has a strong duo in Matt Howard (16.8 PPG) and Shelvin Mack (15.6 PPG) that has propelled the Bulldogs to the Southeast regional finals.

For the most part, Florida has flown under the radar in the 2011 NCAA Tournament, but according to The Sports Network, the Gators are a force to be reckoned with and will return to the Final Four on Saturday night.

It's hard to pick against a Butler team as hot as any in the tournament, especially with its penchant for dramatic hard-nosed play. That being said, Florida garnered a two-seed for a reason and is among the tournament's most balanced and deep teams. The Gators' noted ability to crank out a new star performer on any night gives opposing teams fits on defense and may very well carry it to the Final Four and beyond in 2011.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Florida 71, Butler 68

In the second and final game of the evening, No. 3 Connecticut will do battle with No. 5 Arizona at 6:55 p.m. (CBS). This game will feature two of the nation's premier talents in UConn's Kemba Walker and Arizona's Derrick Williams.

Alas, something has to give, and according to The Sports Network, it will be Walker and the Huskies who come out on the short end of Saturday night's contest.

With spotlights on both Williams for Arizona and Walker for the Huskies, it will be the players on the periphery who will likely decide the outcome in this meeting. As long as the Wildcats can again get a complete effort like they did in the second half against Duke and don't become too enamored with their own success, they should be able to finally count at least one game against the Huskies in their favor.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Arizona 71, Connecticut 67

For an in-depth preview of tonight's UConn-Arizona game, check out our UConn StoryStream.

Saturday, March 26th

Southeast Region final, New Orleans:
No. 2 Florida vs. No. 8 Butler at 4:20 p.m. ET

West Region final, Anaheim:
No. 3 UConn vs. No. 5 Arizona, 6:55 p.m. ET

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Visit our our NCAA hoops hub for the rest of your March Madness needs, including a 2011 NCAA Tournament Printable Bracket that's updated after each round.

Other March Madness resources:

-- 2011 NIT bracket

-- 2011 Women's NCAA Tournament bracket

As if the 2011 NCAA Tournament wasn't wild enough already, another No. 1 seed went down on what can only be described as a wild night on Friday.

That unfortunate No. 1 seed was Ohio State, which was the tournament's overall top-seed. The Buckeyes were sent packing on Brandon Knight's game-winning jumper with five seconds left as the No. 4 seeded Kentucky Wildcats upset Ohio State, 62-60, in Newark, New Jersey.

Knight had nine points, three rebounds and four assists and Josh Harrellson finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds for Kentucky. Jared Sullinger amassed 21 points and 16 rebounds and Jon Diebler scored 16 points for Ohio State.

Immediately after the game, Sullinger announced that he will return to Ohio State next season, according to ESPN.

In the second upset of the night, Bradford Burgess (26 points) made the game-winning layup with 7.1 seconds left as No. 11 seed Virginia Commonwealth edged No. 10 seed Florida State, 72-71, in overtime. On the other end, Rob Brandenburg (four points) had a crucial block to help the Rams seal the victory.

Jamie Skeen finished with 11 points and eight rebounds for VCU, which shot 45.3 percent from the field and 50 percent (12-for-20) from the charity stripe. Derwin Kitchen scored 23 points and grabbed 12 boards and Chris Singleton finished with 16 points and nine rebounds for the Seminoles.

The evening's other two games went according to plan, as No. 2 seed North Carolina blew out No. 11 seed Marquette and No. 1 seed Kansas flattened No. 12 seed Richmond. 

The Tar Heels trampled the Golden Eagles in the first half, outscoring them 40-15. Marquette outscored UNC, 48-41, in the second half, but it was far too late for a miracle comeback. Tyler Zeller had 27 points and 12 rebounds and Harrison Barnes scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds for North Carolina.

Davante Gardner scored 17 points off the bench for Marquette, which was held to 36.5 percent shooting from the field. Jimmy Butler had 14 points and six rebounds, Jae Crowder scored 11 points and Junior Cadougan added 10 points for the Golden Eagles.

In San Antonio, Texas, Brady Morningstar finished with 18 points and the top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks powered past the Richmond Spiders, 77-57. The Jayhawks, who shot 47.6 percent from the floor, held a 41-22 lead at halftime and never looked back. 

Marcus Morris scored 13 points and collected seven rebounds and Thomas Robinson had 12 points and 14 rebounds off the bench for Kansas. Justin Harper scored a game-high 22 points for Richmond, which struggle from the floor, shooting 33.8 percent. Kevin Anderson added 13 points in the losing effort for the Spiders.

The second half of the Sweet 16 takes place Friday night, with a pair of No. 1 seeds in action: Kansas and Ohio State highlight the action, taking on No. 12 Richmond and No. 4 Kentucky, respectively.

In other 2011 NCAA Tournament action, No. 2 seed North Carolina faces No. 11 Marquette at 7:15 p.m. EDT (CBS) and No. 10 seed Florida State battle No. 11 seed Virginia Commonwealth at 9:47 p.m. EDT.

Of these four match-ups, only two winners are fairly predictable: North Carolina and Kansas.

In the night's first contest, Roy Williams' Tar Heels should be able to take care of business and advance to the Elite Eight, although the Golden Eagles have proven to be bracket busters. Tyler Zeller and John Henson are proven forces in the paint and both Harrison Barnes and Kendall Marshall can take over any game at any time.

Put two and two together, and you have what The Sports Network predicts will be a Marquette loss.

Marquette was undeniably impressive in the second and third rounds, but a victory over UNC is highly unlikely. The frontcourt of the Heels will be far too much for the Golden Eagles to overcome.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: North Carolina 79, Marquette 66

As for Kansas, it should have its way with Richmond, ending the Spiders' magical tournament run. The Jayhawks have found a good mix in Brady Morningstar and brothers Marcus and Markieef Morris.

The Spiders have also found a solid mix of Justin Harper and Kevin Anderson, but according to The Sports Network, the two aren't good enough to top Kansas.

Richmond has been a pleasant surprise in this year's tourney, but expect the Spiders' luck to run out, as they encounter one of the country's best. The Jayhawks' offense is balanced and efficient enough to overcome the Spiders' strong defensive play.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Kansas 74, Richmond 65

This is where things get interesting, as Ohio State and Kentucky are both feisty teams. The Buckeyes boast the tandem of Jared Sullinger and William Buford, while the Wildcats have Brandon Knight and Terrance Jones.

Despite the star power in this game, The Sports Network believes that Ohio State is simply too much to handle.

Ohio State actually trailed George Mason by a score of 11-2 early on in the third round before catching fire. It is hard to imagine the Buckeyes losing in this tournament, especially to a team that starts three freshmen.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Ohio State 86, Kentucky 72

Last but certainly not least, the 'madness' in March Madness will certainly be on display when Florida State takes on VCU. Rarely do you see a No. 10 seed and a No. 11 seed meet in the Sweet 16, but we'll have a chance to see just that on Friday night. The Seminoles boast a solid defender in Chris Singleton and a good shooter in Derwin Kitchen, while the Rams have a solid duo in Jamie Skeen and Bradford Burgess. Despite the Seminoles' defensive advantage, they will not be able to overcome the run-and-gun Rams, according to The Sports Network.

In this matchup of two surprising teams, it is difficult to tell which is more legitimate. The Rams possess a fast, athletic, well-rounded attack, while the Seminoles possess a stifling defense, guided by significant length and athleticism. They say that defense wins championships, but in this case, give the edge to VCU, as its well-rounded style and disruptive defense should prove too much for Florida State.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: VCU 70, Florida State 65

As we've seen in the first few rounds of this tournament, anything can happen, and quite frankly, these previews may mean absolutely nothing. Yet that's the beauty of sports and the magic of the Big Dance.

Friday, March 25

7:15 p.m., No. 2 North Carolina Tar Heels vs. No. 11 Marquette Golden Eagles, CBS (Nantz/Kellogg//Wolfson)

7:27 p.m., No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks vs. No. 12 Richmond Spiders, TBS (Albert/Kerr//Sager)

9:45 p.m., No. 1 Ohio St. Buckeyes vs. No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats, CBS (Nantz/Kellogg//Wolfson)

9:57 p.m., No. 10 Florida St. Seminoles vs. No. 11 Va. Commonwealth Rams, TBS (Albert/Kerr//Sager)

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Visit our our NCAA hoops hub for the rest of your March Madness needs, including a 2011 NCAA Tournament Printable Bracket that's updated after each round.

Other March Madness resources:

-- 2011 NIT bracket

-- 2011 Women's NCAA Tournament bracket

The Sweet 16 got started Thursday night, with half of the 2011 NCAA Tournament bracket in action to decide who would advance to the Elite Eight, with a chance to play for a spot in the Final Four. 

In the evening's opening game, No. 3 Connecticut got 36 points from Kemba Walker -- including 22 in the second half -- and 24 points from freshman Jeremy Lamb to knock off No. 2 San Diego St., 74-67. The win by UConn -- its eighth in 17 days -- earned the Huskies a spot in the Elite Eight, where they will face Arizona. 

The Wildcats, the No. 5 seed in the West Region, were trailing No. 1 Duke at halftime Thursday night, 44-38. And then? Well, then the second half happened. Led by Derrick Williams, Arizona outscored Duke 55-33 in a second-half clobbering. If you want a visual representation of exactly what happened after halftime, just watch this video. 

My goodness. 

In the Southeast Region, the night began with No. 2 Florida outlasting No. 3 BYU in overtime, 83-74, despite Jimmer Fredette's 32 points and ridiculously long-range shooting. The Gators advanced to the Elite Eight, where they will me No. 8 Butler, who held off a late charge to down No. 4 Wisconsin, 61-54. Who would've thought that of last year's two national-title teams, it's Butler that's still playing and Duke that is headed home. 

Elite Eight - Saturday, March 25

4:30 p.m., No. 2  Florida Gators vs. No. 8 Butler Bulldogs, CBS (Johnson/Elmore/Miller/Snider)

7:05 p.m., No. 3 Connecticut Huskies vs. No. 5 Arizona Wildcats, CBS (Lundquist/Raftery/Visser)

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Visit our our NCAA hoops hub for the rest of your March Madness needs, including a 2011 NCAA Tournament Printable Bracket that's updated after each round.

Other March Madness resources:

-- 2011 NIT bracket

-- 2011 Women's NCAA Tournament bracket

The 2011 NCAA Tournament continues Thursday night, with the first  four games of the Sweet 16, beginning with two of the country's best players on display for the nation to see (some for the first time, likely, in Jimmer Fredette's case. The night begins with No. 2 San Diego St. playing No. 3 UConn and Kemba Walker, the MVP of the 2011 Big East Tournament. It's a game that will essentially be a home game for the Aztecs, playing just 100 miles from their campus. 

Less than 15 minutes later, No. 2 Florida and No. 3 BYU tip-off on TBS, allowing much of country their first look at JIMMER, the nation's leading scorer with 28.8 ppg. 

Later in the night, No. 1 seed Duke takes the floor with No. 5 Arizona and No. 4 Wisconsin battles No. 8 Butler, a game that may not be for the casual fan -- the Badgers are the country's 180th ranked scoring offense, and the 4th best scoring defense. Expect some slow, methodical basketball! 

Obviously at this point of the tournament, the matchups are even, with both teams on the relatively same skill level, and Vegas agrees: the biggest spread among Thursday night's four games is the Duke-Arizona contest, where the Blue Devils are 9-point favorites. 

The complete Sweet 16 schedule for Thursday night: 

Thursday, March 24

7:15 p.m., No. 2 San Diego St. Aztecs vs. No. 3 Connecticut Huskies, CBS (Lundquist/Raftery/Visser)

7:27 p.m., No. 2 Florida Gators vs. No. 3 BYU Cougars, TBS (Johnson/Elmore/Miller/Snider)

9:45 p.m., No. 1 Duke Blue Devils vs. No. 5 Arizona Wildcats, CBS (Lundquist/Raftery/Visser)

9:57 p.m., No. 4 Wisconsin Badgers vs. No. 8 Butler Bulldogs, TBS (Johnson/Elmore/Miller)

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Visit our our NCAA hoops hub for the rest of your March Madness needs, including a 2011 NCAA Tournament Printable Bracket that's updated after each round.

Other March Madness resources:

-- 2011 NIT bracket

-- 2011 Women's NCAA Tournament bracket

The 2011 NCAA Tournament started with 68 teams on Tuesday and now, less than a week later, it's down to the Sweet 16. Florida State's shocking dismantling of No. 2 seed Notre Dame Sunday night completed the third round and put in place the matchups and schedule for the Sweet 16. 

Play begins Thursday night with four games, led by San Diego State meeting Connecticut at 7:15 p.m. EDT. Florida and BYU tip-off shortly thereafter, with the pair of nightcaps -- Duke-Arizona and Wisconsin-Butler -- starting around 10 p.m. 

Kansas, which plays Richmond Friday at 7:27 p.m., arguably has the easiest path to the Final Four now: the Jayhawks face the No. 12 seed Spiders and then would play the winner of the No. 10 Florida State-No. 11 VCU matchup.  

Thursday, March 24

7:15 p.m., San Diego State Aztecs vs. Connecticut Huskies, CBS (Lundquist/Raftery/Visser)

7:27 p.m., Florida vs. BYU Cougars, TBS (Johnson/Elmore/Miller/Snider)

9:45 p.m., Duke Blue Devils vs. Arizona Wildcats, CBS (Lundquist/Raftery/Visser)

9:57 p.m., Wisconsin Badgers vs. Butler Bulldogs, TBS (Johnson/Elmore/Miller)

Friday, March 25

7:15 p.m., North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Marquette Golden Eagles, CBS (Nantz/Kellogg//Wolfson)

7:27 p.m., Kansas Jayhawks vs. Richmond Spiders, TBS (Albert/Kerr//Sager)

9:45 p.m., Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Kentucky Wildcats, CBS (Nantz/Kellogg//Wolfson)

9:57 p.m., Florida State Seminoles vs. VCU Rams, TBS (Albert/Kerr//Sager)

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Visit our our NCAA hoops hub for the rest of your March Madness needs, including a 2011 NCAA Tournament Printable Bracket that's updated after each round.

Other March Madness resources:

-- 2011 NIT bracket

-- 2011 Women's NCAA Tournament bracket

There's a reason why it's called March Madness, and that reason was apparent on Sunday. Florida State, Marquette, VCU and Arizona all pulled off upsets in the Round of 32 in the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

Leading off the upsets, No. 10 seed Florida State topped No. 2 Notre Dame, 71-57. Bernard James led the charge with 14 points and 10 rebounds and Bernard James added 13 points for the Seminoles. Ben Hansbrough totaled 18 points and Tim Abromaitis had 21 points and seven boards for the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame trailed 34-23 entering the intermission and was outscored by Florida State 37-34 in the final twenty minutes.

Marquette pulled off the day's second biggest upset, defeating No. 3 seed Syracuse, 66-62. The 11th seeded Golden Eagles led the Orange, 34-31, at halftime and they outscored them again in the second half, 32-31. Darius Johnson-Odom finished with 17 points and four assists for Marquette. Dion Waiter scored 18 points and Kris Joseph added 12 points and eight rebounds for Syracuse.

In another upset, No. 11 VCU smoked No. 3 seed Purdue, 94-76. Bradford Burgess had 23 points and eight rebounds and Jamie Skeen added 13 points for Virginia Commonwealth. JaJuan Johnson led Purdue with 25 points and 14 rebounds and Ryne Smith added 20 points.

The closest game of the day came in Tulsa, Oklahoma where No. 5 seed Arizona edged No. 4 seed Texas, 70-69. Derrick Williams had a three-point play with 9.6 seconds left to lift the Wildcats to victory. Williams finished with 17 points and nine rebounds and both Solomon Hill and Jordin Mayes scored 16 for Arizona. J'Covan Brown scored 23 and Jordan Hamilton added 18 points for the Longhorns.

While there were quite a few upsets, No. 1 Kansas took care of business against No. 9 Illinois, winning 73-59. Marcus and Markieef Morris combined for 41 points and 25 rebounds in the win for the Jayhawks. Markieff scored 24 and had 12 rebounds while Marcus finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds for Kansas. Mike Davis had 17 points and D.J. Richardson finished with 15 points for the Fighting Illini.

For recaps of the day's earlier games that saw North Carolina, Duke and Ohio State all advance, click here.

UNC, Duke and Ohio State all emerged victorious in their games in the Round of 32 in the 2011 NCAA Tournament on Sunday afternoon.

The second-seeded Tar Heels evaded No. 7 Washington, 86-83. Tyler Zeller had 23 points and Harrison Barnes added 22 points for North Carolina (28-7), which shot 47% from the field. Kendall Marshall (14 assists) and Dexter Strickland both scored 13 points and John Henson added 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Heels. 

Terrance Ross had 19 points and Matthew Bryan-Amaning scored 14 points for Washington (24-11), which made 33-of-72 field goals (45.8%).

In Charlotte, No. 1 seed Duke cruised past No. 8 seed Michigan, 73-71, in a rematch of the 1992 NCAA national championship game. The win marked Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski's 900th career win. Nolan Smith scored 24 points and Kyle Singler added 13 points and eight rebounds for Duke (32-4). Darius Morris scored 16 points to lead the Wolverines (21-14).

In the last early game of the day, No. 1 seed Ohio State toppled No. 8 seed George Mason, 98-66, in Cleveland. David Light scored 25 and both William Buford and Jared Sullinger (eight rebounds) had 18 points for the Buckeyes (34-2), who shot a sizzling 61% from the field. Cam Long scored 16 to leads George Mason (27-7).

Butler, San Diego State and Richmond are three of the eight teams that advanced to the Sweet 16 during the third round of play in the 2011 NCAA Tournament on Saturday. Kentucky, Florida, BYU, Connecticut and Wisconsin round out the group of winners on Saturday.

The most notable of the group is No. 8 seed Butler, which upset No. 1 seed Pittsburgh, 71-70, on a late foul. Matt Howard made a pair of free throws to put Butler up by one with eight  tenths of a second remaining to seal the upset victory. Howard finished with 16 points and six rebounds and Shelvin Mack scored a game-high 30 points for Butler (25-9). Gilbert Brown scored 24 points to lead Pittsburgh (28-6), which despite the loss shot 56.5% from the floor.

In other tournament action, No. 2 seed San Diego State survived a scare against No. 7 seed Temple, winning 71-64 in double overtime to keep its title hopes alive. The Aztecs had four players score in double-digits, with Kawhi Leonard and Billy White (13 rebounds) leading the way with 16 points a piece. Malcolm Thomas had 13 points and nine rebounds and Chase Tapley added 12 points for San Diego State (34-2). Ramone Moore scored 17 points to lead the way for the Owls (26-8).

No. 12 seed Richmond took care of business against No. 13 seed Morehead State, winning 65-48. Justin Harper scored 19 points to lead the Spiders (29-7), who led 30-21 at halftime and outscored the Eagles, 35-27, in the second half. Kenneth Faried amassed 11 points and 13 rebounds in the losing effort for Morehead State (25-10).

In Tampa, FL, No. 4 seed Kentucky overpowered No. 5 seed West Virginia, 71-63. Brandon Knight scored 30 points to lead the Wildcats (27-8) one step close to a national title. Joe Mazzula finished with 20 points and four assists for the Mountaineers (21-12).

No. 2 seed Florida was carried by Erving Walker's 21-point performance en route to a 73-65 win over No. 7 seed UCLA. Kenny Boynton scored 12 and Alex Tyus had eight points and 13 rebounds for the Gators (28-7). The Bruins (23-11) had four players scored in double-digits and were led by Reeves Nelson (16 points, 11 rebounds) and Joshua Smith (16 points, six rebounds).

Jimmer Fredette scored 34 points to help No. 3 seed BYU post an 89-67 win over No. 11 seed Gonzaga. Fredette also fished out six assists for the Cougars (32-4). Elias Harris and Steven Gray both scored 18 for the Bulldogs (25-10).

No. 4 seed Wisconsin outmatched No. 5 seed Kansas State, 70-65, behind a 19-point, seven-rebound performance from Jon Leuer. Jacob Pullen had an outstanding game in his final game with the Wildcats (23-11), scoring 38 points on 13-of-22 shooting. Jordan Taylor added 12 points and six assists for Wisconsin (25-8).

In the final game of the evening, No. 3 seed Connecticut coasted to a 69-58 win over No. 6 seed Cincinnati. Kemba Walker scored 33 points to lead all scorers for UConn (34-9). Rashad Bishop scored 22 for the Bearcats (26-9).

Day two of March Madness is in the books, and without surprise, there were quite a few thrilling games and upsets.

Perhaps the biggest game of the day came in the afternoon when No. 8 George Mason edged No. 9 Villanova. SB Nation Boston broke down Friday's first six games (including George Mason and Villanova) earlier in the day, and in case you missed it, you can read it by clicking here.

In the nightcap of tournament action, No. 1 seed Kansas coasted past No. 16 seed Boston University, 73-52, to advance to the Round of 32. John Holland scored 19 points to lead BU (21-14), which had its 11-game winning streak snapped. Marcus Morris scored 16 points and nine rebounds while Markieef Morris added 15 points and eight boards for Kansas (33-2).

While the Jayhawks' win was an expected outcome, No. 11 VCU's 74-56 win over No. 6 seed Georgetown was anything but. The win was the second of the 2011 NCAA Tournament for the Rams, who defeated USC in the First Four round to advance to the second round. Brandon Rozzell had a monster game for VCU (25-11), scoring 26 points. Hollis Thompson scored 26 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the loss for Georgetown (21-11).

In other upset news, No. 11 Marquette finished off No. 6 Xavier, 60-55. Darius Johnson-Odom scored 19 points to pace the Golden Eagles (21-14). Andrew Taylor scored 16 points in the losing effort for the Musketeers (24-8).

In Cleveland, No. 3 seed Syracuse coasted past No. 14 seed Indiana State, 77-60. Rick Jackson led the way for the Orange (27-7), scoring 23 points. Jake Kelly had 12 points to pace the Sycamores (20-14).

No. 7 seed Washington edged No. 10 seed Georgia, 68-65, in a close contest. The Bulldogs nearly erased a ten-point deficit in the final two minutes, but were ultimately held in check. Isiah Thomas (no, not this Isiah Thomas) led the way for Washington (24-10) with 19 points. Trey Tompkins amassed 26 points and 11 rebounds in the loss for Georgia (21-12).

No. 9 seed Illinois took care of business against No. 8 seed UNLV, winning 73-62. Mike Davis finished with 22 points and nine boards for the Fighting Illini (20-13). Oscar Bellfield scored 14 points for UNLV (24-9).

No. 3 seed Purdue cruised past No. 14 seed St. Peter's, 65-43. E'Twaun Moore scored 19 and JaJuan Johnson added 16 points and 16 rebounds for Purdue (26-7). Ryan Bacon and Wesley Jenkins both had eight points for the Peacocks (20-14).

Continuing with the theme of blowouts, No. 1 seed Ohio State thumped No. 16 seed UT-San Antonio, 75-46. William Buford had 18 points and Jared Sullinger added 11 points and nine rebounds for Ohio State (33-2). Devin Gibson scored 24 points to pace the Roadrunners (20-14).

Moving to the Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 10 seed Florida State beat No. 7 seed Texas A&M, 57-50. Derwin Kitchen totaled 15 points and seven rebounds for the Seminoles (22-10), who were bolstered by the return of defensive stalwart Chris Singleton (five points, two rebounds). Khris Middleton scored 16 to lead the Aggies (24-9).

Last but not least, No. 2 seed North Carolina powered past No. 15 seed Long Island, 102-87. Tyler Zeller scored 32 points, John Henson totaled 28 points and 11 rebounds and freshman sensation Harrison Barnes had 24 points and 16 rebounds for the Tar Heels (27-7). Julian Boyd finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Blackbirds (27-6).

Be sure to grab a printable bracket as you settle in for Thursday's March Madness experience. Swing by SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for predictions, region previews and more.

The second full day of March Madness is underway, and as expected, we have already had some fantastic games.

First and foremost, No. 8 seed George Mason survived a scare against No. 9 seed Villanova, thanks to a late-three from Luke Hancock with 21 seconds left, giving the Patriots (27-6) a 61-57 comeback win. 

Hancock finished with 18 points and Mike Morrison totaled 10 points and 11 rebounds for George Mason, which trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half. The Patriots held Villanova (21-12) scoreless for the final 3:28 of the game.

In other NCAA Tournament action, No. 8 seed Michigan obliterated No. 9 seed Tennessee, 75-45, to advance to the Round of 32. The Wolverines (21-13) outscored the Volunteers (19-15), 42-16, in the second half. Zack Novak led the way for Michigan, finishing with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Tobias Harris scored 19 points for Tennessee.

No. 4 seed Texas outplayed No. 13 seed Oakland, winning 85-81. J'Covan Brown paced the Longhorns (28-7), scoring 21 points. Reggie Hamilton scored 25 points and had five assists for Oakland (25-10), which outscored Texas 43-39 in the final half but could not pull off the upset victory.

In Tulsa, No. 5 seed Arizona edged No. 12 seed Memphis, 77-75, due in part to Derrick Williams' block in the final seconds which helped preserve the win. Williams totaled 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Wildcats (28-7). Antonio Barton finished with 17 points for Memphis (25-10), which shot 49.1% in the losing effort.

No. 2 seed Notre Dame bested No. 15 seed Akron, 69-56. Ben Hansbrough amassed 15 points and six assists to lead the Fighting Irish (27-6). Quincy Diggs had 11 points for Akron (23-13), which trailed by four at halftime, 34-30, but was outscored 35-26 in the final twenty minutes,

In Charlotte, No. 1 seed Duke steamrolled No. 16 seed Hampton, 87-45, in the return of freshman sensation Kyrie Irving, who scored 14 points. Andre Dawkins scored 13 and Miles Plumlee added eight points and 13 rebounds for the Blue Devils (31-4). Charles Funches and Darrion Pellum both scored nine points for Hampton (24-9).

Be sure to grab a printable bracket as you settle in for Thursday's March Madness experience. Swing by SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for predictions, region previews and more.

Five games of the 2011 NCAA Tournament's second round are in the books, and already it's one of the wilder afternoon March Madness has seen, with three games decided in the final second, including No. 13 Morehead State's shocking upset of No. 4 Louisville. 

Demonte Harper hit a go-ahead three with just 4.2 seconds left, giving the Eagles a 62-61 lead that would hold when Kenneth Faried blocked Louisville's game-winning attempt. 

Earlier in the day, Butler gave us the first buzzer-beater when Matt Howard gathered a loose ball and layed it in just before the horn sounded, giving last year's national runner-up a last-second win over Old Dominion, one of three CAA teams to make the tournament. 

In Thursday's other wild ending, Temple was able to get by Penn State with a step-though jumper with just 0.4 seconds left to advance to the third round, where the Owls will meet the winner of Northern Colorado and San Diego State. 

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And to think, this was all in the first four games of the day. 

Be sure to grab a printable bracket as you settle in for Thursday's March Madness experience. Swing by SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for predictions, region previews and more.

The NCAA men's basketball tournament officially got started Tuesday night, with the opening pair of First Four games, the new first round format added as part of the 2011 bracket. 

On Tuesday, UNC Asheville needed overtime to get past Arkansas-Little Rock, 81-77. The Bulldogs are moving on, earning a spot in what's now being called the second round. They'll face No. 1 seed Pittsburgh Thursday at 3:!0 p.m. EDT, on truTV. 

In the nightcap, a pair of bubble teams met when Clemson and UAB squared off in Dayton, and the Tigers proved that they belong in the NCAA Tournament. Clemson led from start to finish and routed the Blazers, 70-52. The No. 12 Tigers are moving on to Thursday's second round, where they will meet No. 5 West Virginia at 12:15 p.m. 

Wednesday night, the First Four continued with another pair of opening round games. Texas-San Antonio held off a lat-charge from Alabama State, 70-61, to advance to the second round, where it will lose to Ohio State, the overall No. 1 seed. In the night's second game, VCU pulled away from USC late to down the Trojans, 59-46. The Rams will face Georgetown Friday afternoon. 

Need a printable NCAA bracket to fill out for the tournament? Download SB Nation's March Madness Bracket.

Pat Chambers and the Boston University Terriers did what Steve Donahue and Boston College could not this season, and that's make the NCAA Tournament. Yet that hasn't stopped Chambers from seeking advice from Donahue about BU's upcoming match-up with No. 1 seed Kansas in the second round of the Big Dance.

"I called my man,'' said Chambers, referring to Boston College first-year coach Steve Donahue.

Chambers and Donahue, the head coaches at Boston University and Boston College, respectively, are both from the Philadelphia area and have been friends for a long time. During his time at Cornell, Donahue took the Big Red into Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas on Jan. 6, 2010 and barely lost to the Jayhawks, 71-66.

While the game won't be in Kansas, Chambers was anxious to know what Donahue did to keep the Jayhawks

"They went in there and they played great,'' Chambers said. "They had it down to a one-possession game with less than a minute to go. It was terrific.''

Entering Friday's second round match-up between No. 16 seed Boston University (21-13) and Kansas (32-2), the Terriers are naturally huge underdogs (pun intended). Since the NCAA Tournament expanded in 1985, a No. 16 seed has never upset a No. 1 seed in the opening round, at least on the men's side (Harvard knocked off No. 1 Stanford in 1998). 

Yet if Chambers and his Terriers want to continue their season past Friday, they'll need to do just that. For that reason alone, Chambers is seeking all the help he can get, especially from Donahue.

"I said, ‘I know it was a year ago, but what was your mind-set going into the game? What were you telling your kids? How did you go about it?' and he was great, he was great,'' Chambers said.

"He just said you've got to go in there really confident, just take it four minutes at a time, and just do the best you can moving them side to side, and don't get caught up in all the 1 and 16 stuff. He was terrific.''

The Terriers and Jayhawks will tip-off on Friday evening at 6:50 p.m. EDT (TBS). Marv Albert and Steve Kerr will serve as the play-by-play and color commentators, respectively.

Need a printable NCAA bracket to fill out for the tournament? Download SB Nation's March Madness Bracket.

Everyone in your office pool is busy filling out their brackets, and the national college basketball experts are no different. From SB Nation's Chris Dobbertean to ESPN's Dick Vitale and Jay Bilas, everyone is picking their Final Four for the 2011 NCAA Tournament. But with so many experts, it can be tough to keep track of who likes who. Fortunately, Real Clear Sports has compiled "all the Final Four and champion picks from the experts in one place" (they have a whole big chart over there, so go take a look). 

A quick look tells us that the professionals really like Ohio St. to cut down the nets in Houston this year. Indeed, a whopping 17 the 23 experts (74 percent) who picked a champion tabbed the Buckeyes to win it all. Four (17%) picked Kansas and two picked Duke (9%). No love for Pittsburgh though.

The Southeast saw the largest number of different teams picked to advance with Pitt being the most popular selection, with 18 picks. There were seven picks for Florida, three for Kansas State, two for Wisconsin, and one for each Michigan State and BYU.

May want to bookmark this page and check back after the tournament. 

SB Nation Bracketology guru Chris Dobbertean has predicted that the No. 3 seed Connecticut Huskies will advance to the Sweet Sixteen before losing to No. 2 seed San Diego State in the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

Dobbertean has UConn topping No. 14 seed Bucknell in the first round and No. 11 Missouri in the second round.

First Round

No. 3 Connecticut over No. 14 Bucknell, even if the Huskies may be tired from their Big East Tournament run.    

Second Round

No. 3 Connecticut over No. 11 Missouri, hopefully in an overtime thriller, like the Tigers early season loss to Georgetown.  

Sweet Sixteen

No. 2 San Diego State over No. 3 Connecticut, too many games and too much travel has to catch up to the Huskies eventually.

In other local tournament action, Dobbertean has predicted that Boston University will lose to No. 1 seed Kansas in the first round. Considering the Terriers' opponent is one of the nation's best teams, that's a pretty safe bet.

No. 1 Kansas over No. 16 Boston University, as the Terriers would only have a chance if the Jayhawks' had a fledgling hockey program.    

Dobbertean has three No. 1 seeds, Ohio State, Duke and Kansas, along with No. 2 seed Florida, in the Final Four. He picked the Buckeyes to the the Blue Devils and the Jayhawks to beat the Gators to advance to the national championship game, with Ohio State beating Duke to win their second title in school history.

National Semifinals

No. 1 Ohio State over No. 1 Duke, as the Buckeyes' combination of inside-outside play will be too much for the Blue Devils. 
No. 1 Kansas over No. 2 Florida, since the Gators struggle against teams with talented big men.

National Final
No. 1 Ohio State over No. 1 Kansas, thanks to the Buckeyes' slightly superior guard play.

Need a printable NCAA bracket to fill out for the tournament? Download SB Nation's March Madness Bracket.

(Written by Gethin Coolbaugh/SB Nation Boston Contributor)

ESPN's Dick Vitale has filled out his bracket, and in it he has the No. 3 seed Connecticut Huskies advancing to the Elite Eight but ultimately losing to top seed Duke. Vitale has top seeds Ohio State and Pittsburgh meeting in the national championship game, with the Buckeyes winning their second NCAA Tournament title and first since 1960.

Here's a look at Vitale's bracket (via SB Nation), truncated to start with the Elite Eight match-ups, as well as the rest of the ESPN college basketball crew (a.k.a. Jay Bilas, Digger Phelps and Hubert Davis). 

Jay Bilas had UConn upsetting top-seed Duke in the first round and advancing all the way to the national title game against No. 1 seed Kansas, but ultimately picked the Jayhawks to win it all. Following the predicted upset of Duke, Bilas picked UConn over fellow No. 3 seed Syracuse to advance to the championship game.

Digger Phelps, on the other hand, seeds Connecticut advancing to face the Blue Devils in the Elite Eight, but has Duke advancing to the Final Four. Phelps picked Ohio State to top Kansas in the NCAA championship game.

Last but not least, Hubert Davis does not have the Huskies in the mix in the Elite Eight, but does have two Big East teams, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame, heading to the regional finals. Davis has Ohio State and Kansas in the championship game, with the Jayhawks prevailing.

Need a printable NCAA bracket to fill out for the tournament? Download SB Nation's March Madness Bracket.

With Selection Sunday having come and gone, the reaction to the 2011 NCAA selection committee's bracket is far from positive.

It's not hard to understand why, eiher. With mid-major teams like UAB and VCU beating out teams like Virginia Tech and Boston College, many are struggling to understand the thought process that went into these decisions. Especially in the case of Virginia Tech, it's hard to see what in either team's resume could outweigh the Hokies' win over a top-ranked Duke team just two weeks before the selections. 

Perhaps, then, it's no surprise that Hokies coach Seth Greenberg was one of the most outspoken critics of the selection. Suggesting that Virginia Tech may have been the victim of internal politics, Greenberg's comments border on the paranoid:

You almost wonder if someone in that room has their own agenda and that agenda doesn't include Virginia Tech. Just plain and simple. I totally wonder it, if someone in that room has an agenda.

While ultimately future selections will come down to results--as this one likely did, in however convoluted a manner--if Virginia Tech should find themselves riding the bubble again, it's hard to see Greenberg having helped their chances. If there weren't any agendas in the room before, his comments may well have made some.

Perhaps it's because he's in his first year as the Eagles' coach, or simply because he thinks his team's resume is weaker than the Hokies', but for whatever reason, Boston College's Steve Donahue was more muted on the subject. 

We're not angry. I told the guys before practice today that we've accomplished a great deal and we have a huge opportunity to continue to make great strides this year and, in the short run, to get away from the feeling we have in our stomachs about how poorly we played our last game.

That last game, a 70-47 thrashing at the hands of Clemson, already had many convinced that BC's chances to make the Big Dance were slim at best.

Still, with neither the coaches, nor the teams, nor the fans entirely happy with the selections, coach Greenberg's call for transparency may be worth thinking about:

Probably another reason they need to open up that room, or at least give each and every school, ‘This is our criteria. This is what it's going to be every year, and this is how we're going to make choices

Need a printable NCAA bracket to fill out for the tournament? Download SB Nation's March Madness Bracket.

The 2011 NCAA Tournament officially begins Tuesday night, when UNC Asheville and Arkansas-Little Rock tip off as one of the First Four Games, a new wrinkle to this year's bracket. 

Connecticut, the No. 3 seed in the West Region, battles Bucknell on Thursday, at 7:20 p.m. EDT at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. The game will be shown on TNT and broadcast by Tim Brando and Mike Gmisnki. Boston University plays No. 1 Kansas on Friday, at 6:50 p.m. EDT. The game will air on TBS, with Marv Albert and Steve Kerr on the call. 

Complete schedule for the first, second and third round of the 2011 NCAA Tournament: 

FIRST ROUND GAMES

TUESDAY, MARCH 15  

6:40, truTV, Dayton -- UNC Asheville vs. UALR (Jim Nantz/Clark Kellogg/Steve Kerr)

9:10, truTV, Dayton -- UAB vs. Clemson (Jim Nantz/Clark Kellogg/Steve Kerr)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16  

6:40, truTV, Dayton -- UTSA vs. Alabama St. (Gus Johnson/Len Elmore)

9:10, truTV, Dayton -- Southern California vs. VCU  (Gus Johnson/Len Elmore)

SECOND ROUND GAMES

THURSDAY AFTERNOON, MARCH 17 (12:00 Noon-5:00 , ET)  

12:15, CBS, Tampa -- West Virginia vs. UAB/Clemson (Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel)

12:40, truTV, Wash. D.C. -- Butler vs. Old Dominion (Tim Brando/Mike Gminski)

1:40, TBS, Denver-- Louisville vs. Morehead St. (Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery)

2:10, TNT, Tucson -- Temple vs. Penn St. (Kevin Harlan/Reggie Miller/Dan Bonner)

2:45, CBS, Tampa -- Kentucky vs. Princeton (Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel)

3:10, truTV, Wash. D.C. -- Pittsburgh vs. Asheville/Ark-LR (Tim Brando/Mike Gminski)

4:10, TBS, Denver -- Vanderbilt vs. Richmond (Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery)

4:40, TNT, Tucson -- San Diego St. vs. Northern Colorado (Kevin Harlan/Reggie Miller/Dan Bonner)

THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 17 (6:30 -12:00 AM, ET)

6:50, TBS, Tampa -- Florida vs. UC Santa Barbara (Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel)

7:15, CBS, Denver -- BYU vs. Wofford (Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery) 

7:20, TNT, Wash D.C. -- Connecticut vs. Bucknell (Tim Brando/Mike Gminski)

7:27, truTV, Tucson -- Wisconsin vs. Belmont (Kevin Harlan/Reggie Miller/Dan Bonner)

9:20, TBS, Tampa -- UCLA vs. Michigan St. (Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel)

9:45, CBS, Denver -- St. John's vs. Gonzaga (Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery) 

9:45, TNT, Wash. D.C. -- Cincinnati vs. Missouri (Tim Brando/Mike Gminski)

9:57, truTV, Tucson -- Kansas St. vs. Utah St. (Kevin Harlan/Reggie Miller/Dan Bonner)

FRIDAY AFTERNOON, MARCH 18 (12:00 Noon-5:00 , ET)   

12:15, CBS, Tulsa -- Texas vs. Oakland (Marv Albert/Steve Kerr)

12:40, truTV, Charlotte -- Michigan vs. Tennessee (Nantz/Kellogg)

1:40, TBS, Chicago -- Notre Dame vs. Akron (Spero Dedes/Bob Wenzel)

2:10, TNT, Cleveland -- George Mason vs. Villanova (Gus Johnson/Len Elmore)

2:45, CBS, Tulsa -- Arizona vs. Memphis (Albert/Kerr)

3:10, truTV, Charlotte -- Duke vs. Hampton (Nantz/Kellogg)

4:10, TBS, Chicago -- Texas A&M vs. Florida St. (Dedes/Wenzel)

4:40, TNT, Cleveland -- Ohio St. vs. UTSA/Alabama St. (Johnson/Elmore)

FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 17 (6:30 -12:00 AM, ET) 

6:50, TBS, Tulsa -- Kansas vs. Boston U. (Marv Albert/Steve Kerr)

7:15, CBS, Charlotte -- North Carolina vs. Long Island (Jim Nantz/Clark Kellogg)

7:20, TNT, Chicago -- Purdue vs. St. Peter's (Spero Dedes/Bob Wenzel)

7:27, truTV, Cleveland --   Xavier vs. Marquette (Gus Johnson/Len Elmore)

9:20, TBS, Tulsa -- UNLV vs. Illinois (Marv Albert/Steve Kerr)

9:45, CBS, Charlotte -- Washington vs. Georgia (Jim Nantz/Clark Kellogg)

9:50, TNT, Chicago -- Georgetown vs. Southern California/VCU (Spero Dedes/Bob Wenzel)

9:57, truTV, Cleveland -- Syracuse vs. Indiana St. (Gus Johnson/Len Elmore)

Need a printable NCAA bracket to fill out for the tournament? Download SB Nation's March Madness Bracket.

Steve Donahue and the Boston College men's basketball team put together an impressive run in the 2010-11 season, going 20-12 (9-8 ACC) in Donahue's first season at the helm.

Yet in the end, it wasn't enough to send Boston College to the NCAA Tournament, as the Eagles were snubbed by the selection committee on Selection Sunday.

Boston College was ousted from the 2011 ACC Tournament in the quarterfinals following a 70-47 loss to No. 4 seed Clemson. Entering the conference tournament, many experts said that a BC win over Wake Forest in the first round of the ACC Tournament would be enough to send the Eagles to the NCAA Tournament.

BC did just that, trouncing the Demon Deacons, 81-67, in its first round match-up. However, a blowout loss to the Tigers erased any progress Boston College had made towards an NCAA tourney bid.

The Eagles weren't the only team from Boston that was snubbed from the Big Dance. Harvard (23-6, 12-2 Ivy) was also overlooked for an NCAA Tournament bid.

The Crimson have had a rough 24-hour period, losing to Princeton, 63-62, on Saturday night that gave the Tigers the Ivy League's auto bid and being snubbed from an at-large bid on Sunday evening.

The 2011 National Invitation Tournament field will be revealed on Sunday night at 9 p.m., and both Boston College and Harvard are expected to be two of the 32 teams competing in the 73-year-old tournament.

Need a printable NCAA bracket to fill out for the tournament? Download SB Nation's March Madness Bracket.

Led by Kemba Walker, the Connecticut Huskies won an unprecedented five games in five days to win the Big East Championship Saturday night. Less than 24 hours later, when the 2011 NCAA Tournament bracket was released, they were rewarded with a No. 3 seed. 

The Huskies are the No. 3 seed in the West Region, where they'll take on the No. 14 Bucknell Bison on Thursday, Mar. 17, at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. The Bison have lost only twice since Dec. 1, going 22-2 over that span.

If UConn can advance past the Bison -- don't forget, it Bucknell, seed as a No. 14, that knocked off No. 3 Kansas in 2005 -- the Huskies would get the winner of No. 6 Cincinnati and No. 11 Missouri in what is now the third round. 

West Region

1 Duke vs. 16 Hampton
8 Michigan vs. 9 Tennessee
5 Arizona vs. 12 Memphis
4 Texas vs. 13 Oakland
6 Cincinnati vs. 11 Missouri
3 Connecticut vs. 14 Bucknell
7 Temple vs. 10 Penn State
2 San Diego State vs. 15 Northern Colorado

Need a printable NCAA bracket to fill out for the tournament? Download SB Nation's March Madness Bracket.