Printable NCAA Bracket 2012: Kentucky Is The Last Team Standing

The favorite to win the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament did so Monday, as the Kentucky Wildcats downed the Kansas Jayhawks 67-59 in the National Championship Game in New Orleans, LA. And though most fans were out of the running after March Madness' first weekend of action, at least, many college hoops enthusiasts were correct on their championship game selections.

Now, if you're one of the few people that earned the crown in their office's bracket contests and you'd like a nice, clean updated printable bracket, click on the link and SB Nation will priovided you with one.

Meanwhile, here's SBNation.com's reaction to UK winning it all:

Kentucky Wildcats are National Champions (via sbnation)

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Championship Game 2012, Kentucky Vs. Kansas Final Score: Wildcats Beat Jayhawks, 67-59

Anthony Davis, recipient of the Wooden Award, AP Player of the Year and the Naismith Award, was held scoreless through halftime, but the No. 1 seeded Kentucky Wildcats still took a huge lead into the break and ultimately prevailed over the No. 2 seeded Kansas Jayhawks, 67-59, in the 2012 National Championship Game on Monday in New Orleans.

Davis would finish with six points on 1-of-10 shooting, 16 rebounds and six blocks for Kentucky, which made 23-of-56 field goals (41.1 percent). Doron Lamb led all scorers with 22 points, Marquis Teague had 14 points and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist scored 11 points.

Tyshawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson led the Jayhawks, scoring 19 and 18 respectively. Elijah Johnson was the only other Jayhawk to reach double digits in points with 13. Kansas shot 35.5 percent from the field (22-for-62) in the loss.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

2012 NCAA Championship, Kansas Vs. Kentucky Halftime Score: Wildcats Up Big At Intermission, 41-27

The Kentucky Wildcats are all over the Kansas Jayhawks, 41-27, at halftime of the 2012 NCAA Championship Game. Anthony Davis has more than lived up to his player of the year billing so far, even though he has yet to score a single point. He already has nine rebounds, four assists and three bocked shots through 20 minutes.

While Kentucky was the near consensus favorite heading into the game, many thought that Kansas might matcchup well inside. So far that hasn't been the case, with the Wildcats leading the rebounding battle 24 to 14. Thomas Robinson leads the Jayhawks with eight points and six rebounds so far.

Doron Lamb leads all scorer with 12 points. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist chipped in another 11 points and five rebounds for the Wildcats. Tyshawn Taylor also has eight points for the Jayhawks.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

Printable NCAA Bracket 2012: Kentucky, Kansas To Meet In National Championship Game

The 2012 NCAA Tournament's National Championship Game match-up was finalized Saturday, as the Kentucky Wildcats and Kansas Jayhawks both earned victories in their respective semifinal contests in New Orleans, LA. The top-seeded Wildcats outlasted the Louisville Cardinals, 69-61, while the No. 2 Jayhawks used a come-from-behind effort to edge the Ohio. St. Buckeyes, 64-62, in the night cap.

The results officially trimmed the March Madness field from 68 teams to two, and only one will be standing after Monday's National Title Game (9:23 p.m. ET on CBS). If you'd like to see how everything has played out, SB Nation has an updated printable bracket at its NCAA Tournament homepage.

Currently, Kentucky is a 6-point favorite to win the crown, while Kansas will be looking for its first national title since 2008.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Final Four 2012, Ohio State Vs. Kansas Final Score: Jayhawks Advance With 64-62 Victory

Junior forward Thomas Robinson scored a game-high 19 points Saturday to help the Kansas Jayhawks come-from-behind to defeat the Ohio St. Buckeyes, 64-62, in a thrilling NCAA Tournament Semifinal contest in New Orleans, LA. The Jayhawks (32-6) overcame a nine-point, halftime deficit to advance to the National Championship Game, where they will face the Kentucky Wildcats on Monday (9:23 p.m. ET on CBS).

Trailing 59-56 with 2:22 remaining in regulation, Kansas used a small 6-0 run to take a 62-59 lead with 1:08 to go. From there, Kansas relied on its defense and two free throws from Tyshawn Tyalor (10 points) to cement a trip to the title game for the first time since 2008, when they defeated the John Calipari-led Memphis Tigers.

Ohio State was paced by senior guard guard William Buford's 19 points, while sophomore center Jared Sullinger tallied scored 13 points and collected 11 rebounds in probably his final game in a Buckeye uniform.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Final Four 2012, Kentucky Vs. Louisville Final Score: Wildcats Outlast Cardinals, 69-61

Led by Anthony Davis' 18-point, 14-rebound, five-block performance Saturday, the top-seeded Kentucky Wildcats outlasted the Louisville Cardinals, 69-61, in a NCAA Tournament Semifinal contest in New Orleans, La. The victory helps the Wildcats move onto the National Championship Game, where they will take on either the Ohio St. Buckeyes or Kansas Jayhawks on Monday.

Louisville gave it their best shot, however, the high-powered offense of blue-grass rival Kentucky was too much to overcome. The Wildcats made 55-percent of its shots to overcome a 37-31 rebound margin that favored the Cardinals. Sophomore guard Doron Lamb scored 10 points and senior guard Darius Miller added 13 off the bench for the Wildcats, who move onto the title game for the first time since 1998.

Junior guard Peyton Siva paced the Cardinals with 11 points, while freshman forward Chane Behanan added 10.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

2012 NCAA Tournament: Kentucky Vs. Louisville Halftime Score, Wildcats Lead Cardinals, 35-28

The Kentucky Wildcats lead the Louisville Cardinals, 35-28, after the first 20 minutes of the two teams' Final Four match-up.

Anthony Davis has led the way for the Wildcats with eight points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots. Marquis Teague and Doron Lamb also have eight points for the Wildcats.

The Cardinals have had a balanced scoring attack, with six of their seven players scoring at least four points. Chane Behanan leads them with six.

Offensive rebounds have allowed the Cardinals to stay in the game, despite shooting 38 percent from the floor and allowed Kentucky to shoot 60 percent.

The remainder of the game can be seen on CBS. The winner will go on to face the winner of Saturday night's match-up between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Kansas Jayhawks, which will immediately follow the Kentucky game.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Bracket 2012 Printable: Final Four Saturday

The 2012 NCAA Tournament is down to four teams.

The fourth seeded Louisville Cardinals won the West Region by defeating the Florida Gators. The tournament's first overall seed, the Kentucky Wildcats, reached the Final Four by defeating the Baylor Bears in the South Region. Now both teams are set to battle in what is sure to be an epic in-state rivalry game, with a spot in the NCAA Championship game on the line.

Following the Kentucky-Louisville game will be a match-up between Ohio State and Kansas – both two seeds who won their region.

Check out an updated printable 2012 NCAA bracket or the Final Four schedule follows.

Saturday, March 31

Louisville vs. Kentucky, 6:09 p.m. ET, CBS

Ohio St. vs. Kansas, 8:49 p.m. ET, CBS

Championship Game

Monday, April 2

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

2012 Final Four Game Time, TV Schedule, Odds: Ohio State Vs. Kansas

Two of the nation's finest front court players meet in the 2012 Final Four Saturday night when the Ohio State Buckeyes face the Kansas Jayhawks.

Ohio State's Jared Sullinger (17.1 points, 9.3 rebounds) and Kansas' Thomas Robinson (17.9 points, 11.8 rebounds) were both named 2012 First Team Consensus All-Americans and will battle for paint supremacy, not to mention a berth in the national championship game, Saturday night. During the teams' regular-season meeting, a 78-67 Kansas win on Dec. 10, Robinson had 21 points and seven rebounds but Sullinger did not play due to a bothersome back.

Game Time: 8:49 p.m. ET, Saturday, March 31

Location: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA

TV Schedule: CBS

Betting Odds: Ohio State favored by 2.5 points

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

2012 Final Four Game Time, TV Schedule, Odds: Kentucky Vs. Louisville

The highly-favored Kentucky Wildcats and the Louisville Cardinals bring their rivalry to the 2012 Final Four on Saturday night.

The in-state rivals have met 29 times before, with Kentucky holding an 18-11 advantage, including a 69-62 victory at Rupp Arena on Dec. 31. The teams have split four NCAA Tournament meetings.

No love is lost in the rivalry, and nothing has changed in that regard since Rick Pitino and John Calipari became head coaches at the two Kentucky schools.

Game Time: 6:09 p.m. ET, Saturday, March 31

Location: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA

TV Schedule: CBS

Betting Odds: Kentucky favored by 8.5 points

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

Final Four 2012 Schedule: Teams And Times Set For New Orleans

It started with a hopeful field of 68 teams. It now has been whittled to four squads with their dreams about to meet with reality down in the Big Easy.

The 2012 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament has been anything but easy so far. It's been an amazing ride for the Louisville Cardinals, Kentucky Wildcats, Ohio State Buckeyes and Kansas Jayhawks with the rest falling to the wayside. Now, these four clash at the Superdome.

For an updated NCAA bracket, click here.

All these teams have gotten here in distinct ways. The fourth seeded Cardinals weren't expected to go far, but after defeating Michigan State in the Sweet Sixteen and coming back from 11 down late against Florida, Rick Pitino and his kids are battle tested.

Kentucky has rolled, crushing everyone in its wake on the way to a very expected Final Four berth. The Wildcats are the odds on favorites to win it all and have been for quite some time, but an interstate duel with Louisville will be their biggest test yet.

Ohio State has played brilliantly under Thad Motta. After beating a very tough Gonzaga team, Jared Sullinger and the Buckeyes overcame Cincinnati and then top-seeded Syracuse to punch their ticket. No team has a better blend of experience and talent heading into the weekend.

Kansas is a team many feel has overachieved all season with its talent, but that hasn't stopped them. Thomas Robinson leads the Jayhawks into New Orleans after Tyshawn Taylor propelled them past North Carolina. With Bill Self on the bench, Ohio State will be severely tested.

The schedule for the Final Four is as follows:

(4) Louisville vs. (1) Kentucky 6:09 p.m. ET on CBS

(2) Kansas vs. (2) Ohio State 8:49 p.m. ET on CBS

For more on the 2012 NCAA Mens Tourney, be sure to check out our NCAA Tournament Hub, our Final Four Stream, and SB Nation Boston for all of your hoops needs.

Final Four 2012: Game Times Set For New Orleans

The Final Four at the 2012 NCAA Tournament is set, after the Kentucky Wildcats and the Kansas Jayhawks won in convincing fashion Sunday to round out the field for New Orleans. The Wildcats never trailed after the 13-minute mark of the first half, at one point building a 23-point lead before defeating the 3-seed Baylor Bears 82-70. The Kansas Jayhawks had a little tougher time with the North Carolina Tar Heels, but a 12-0 run to end the game eventually gave them a 80-67 victory.

The Wildcats and Jayhawks will take on the winners of Saturday's Elite Eight matchups. The Ohio State Buckeyes took out the Syracuse Orange to set up a date with the Jayhawks in the NCAA Tournament's semifinals. The Louisville Cardinals smothered the Michigan State Spartans, creating a rematch with hated rival Kentucky.

Here's Saturday's Final Four game times and TV Schedule:

Saturday March 31

Louisville vs. Kentucky, 6:09 p.m. ET, CBS

Ohio State vs. Kansas, 8:49 p.m. ET, CBS

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Bracket 2012 Printable: Two Down, Two To Go; Final Four Set Sunday

The NCAA Tournament is halfway to finalizing its Final Four, as the Ohio St. Buckeyes and Louisville Cardinals both advanced to New Orleans, La. on Saturday. Up next, are four more programs -- Kentucky Wildcats, Baylor Bears, North Carolina Tar Heels and Kansas Jayhawks -- play its Elite 8 games and will be trying to be the ones cutting down the nets in their respective regional finals.

For those men's college hoops fans still alive in their bracket contests, well, congrats. However, if you an updated bracket, print one out here. Meanwhile, here's Sunday's Elite Eight game times and TV schedule.

Sunday, March 25

Baylor vs. Kentucky, 2:20 p.m. ET, CBS
Kansas vs. North Carolina, 5:05 p.m. ET, CBS
The winners advance to the NCAA Tournament's Final Four.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Tournament 2012: Ohio State Buckeyes Advance To Final Four

BOSTON - To all the doubters of the Ohio State Buckeyes, Jared Sullinger says thank you. After all, it was your constant criticism of him and the team that drove them to where they are today: heading to the Final Four and two wins away from a national championship.

"I appreciated everyone that doubted this basketball team, said we was the underdogs, we wasn't good enough, mentally strong enough, mentally immature, we heard it all," Sullinger said after a 77-70 win over No. 1 seed Syracuse in the Elite Eight on Saturday night at TD Garden. "When we was going through that slump in February, everybody was saying this basketball team was kind of on a downhill. We heard negative comments. I want to thank y'all because through all the adversity, we constantly pushed through that. I'm so proud of these guys. It's just‑‑ I mean, we came from nothing, according to y'all, to something now."

Sullinger played a major role in the Buckeyes' win, despite playing limited minutes in the first half due to foul trouble. A strong showing in the second half gave Sullinger a game-high 19 points and seven rebounds, which helped lead Ohio State to a 48-point second half after the two teams were tied at 29 entering the intermission.

After scoring four of the Buckeyes' first nine points, Sullinger picked up his second foul at 13:42 of the opening half and was subbed out for former Boston College Eagles reserve Evan Ravenel. Sullinger would not play for the rest of the half, and while the Buckeyes gave up their early lead, no long term damage was done.

"Yeah, great luxury," Ohio State coach Thad Matta said about sitting Sullinger. "I think -- we were talking, what does it get to before we put him back in, and those guys fought and did a tremendous job of holding the status quo as we went into halftime. Basically said, no blood, zero, zero, we've got 20 more minutes to do it in, and I felt good that he was getting rest. I knew he was going to play well in the second half. There was no doubt about that."

As predicted, Sullinger played well in the second half, scoring 15 points while grabbing four boards in 20 minutes. The Buckeyes built a 10-point lead, 46-36, by the 13:47 mark of the period, with six points from Sullinger sparking the run. While the Orange would crawl within one point (55-54 at 6:52) after a Brandon Triche trey, Sullinger would score eight of his team's final 20 points to bring Syracuse's season to a grinding halt.

"He played hard," said Orange forward Kris Joseph (10 points) about Sullinger. "He was attacking the basket. He was getting positioned down low, and when you were guarding a big body like Sullinger's it was tough for anyone to do something. Either he's going to get fouled or he'll have a chance to score two points. Our bigs did as good a job as they could have against him. He made some tough shots, and he's a great player."

Sullinger's impact was by far the most important, but the performances of reserves like Ravenel and Amir Williams, among others, in Sully's absence really solidified the win for Ohio State. Lenzelle Smith Jr., who finished with 18 points, also played a major role on both sides of the ball and contributed to the win.

"I mean, Lenzelle had big games before, when we played Indiana and then when we played Michigan," Sullinger said. "Lenzelle, the bigger the game I think the better he plays. With Amir, Amir always had talent. It's just unfortunately he's playing behind me and Evan (Ravenel) at the time, so watch out for him next year. But those guys, they played big when it came to a big‑time game, and I thought that was tremendous for this basketball team."

Syracuse had its moments, too. The Orange led by two in the first half and nearly bridged the gap in the second period, which is an impressive feat considering the absence of star center Fab Melo, who was academically ineligible for the entire NCAA Tournament. Considering the circumstances, Syracuse's success in the tournament was impressive.

"You know, I thought we fought as hard as we have all year, just like we do every game," said Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim. "I thought our defense was good. I thought that‑‑ I just thought we lost a little offensive patience in the first half. I thought we forced some shots in some situations when we should have been a little bit more patient. I think our offense just hurt us tonight. Our offense has been really good the last two games. I just thought tonight we just weren't as patient as we've been on the offensive end of the court."

Ohio State will continue to celebrate its well-deserved Elite Eight victory for a few more days before turning its attention to its Final Four matchup, which takes place on March 31 against either North Carolina or Kansas in New Orleans. When exactly will Matta and company stop celebrating? Soon, but not before they have enjoyed themselves first.

"Well, I think New Orleans is a celebration type town, so we're just going to keep rolling right in there," Matta said. "This team, as a coach, I've been a head coach now for 12 years, and the one thing I've always tried to do was enjoy the special moments. We're going to enjoy‑‑ we don't even know who we're playing yet. I think taking the time to celebrate is something that they deserve. I would say when we get back in on Monday, it'll be time to go to work, and we've got a week to prepare for either North Carolina or Kansas and get ready to go."

Once the celebration is over, Sullinger knows that the Buckeyes have to buckle down.

Said Sullinger, "We know hopefully it's not our last game, so we're just trying to play hard and play smart, and not going down to New Orleans for a vacation, it's a business trip. "

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Bracket 2012: Ohio State, Louisville Win Regions, Advance To Final Four

This much we know about the Final Four: it will feature Ohio State and Louisville, as each program advanced on Saturday night by winning their respective regions.

Ohio State took down Syracuse in a thriller at the TD Garden, with a crowd filled with Ohio State red and Syracuse orange, and each faithful cheering on its team in earnest. Jared Sullinger led the Buckeyes with 17 points, and they downed the Orange 77-70 to move on from the East Region.

Louisville, who earned one of the more impressive victories on Thursday night against Michigan State, endured a first half struggle before overcoming the Florida Gators 72-68 to win the West.

The two teams will learn which opponents await them in next weekend's Final Four on Sunday, as Kentucky and Baylor and North Carolina and Kansas go toe-to-toe in the remaining Elite 8 match ups.

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket, stay with SB Nation's Selection Sunday StoryStream, and stick around SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on who was snubbed, who got the best bracket, and who will make it all the way to New Orleans and the Final Four.

NCAA Tournament 2012, Ohio St. Vs. Syracuse Final Score: Buckeyes Beat Orange, 77-70, In Elite Eight

BOSTON - Jared Sullinger picked up two early fouls and was sent to the bench for most of the first half, but resilient No. 2 seed Ohio State held down the fort in his absence and thrived when their leader returned in the second half as they topped No. 1 seed Syracuse, 77-70, in the Elite Eight round of the East Regionals on Saturday evening at TD Garden.

"We beat a tremendous team tonight," said Ohio State head coach Thad Matta. "It's funny, I thought our guys, we got off to a good start. Jared got in a little bit of foul trouble. Everybody kind of pulled together, and it's something we've been preaching with this basketball team, and came down the second half making big plays."

The Buckeyes will face the winner of No. 1 seeded North Carolina Tar Heels and the No. 2 seeded Kansas Jayhawks in one half of the Final Four on March 31 inside the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. The winner will advance to the national championship game.

"It feels great," said Buckeyes senior guard William Buford. "Nobody on this team has ever made it this far. In past years I got [stuck] on the Sweet 16. To make it this far is kind of a relief to know that hard work pays off. We've all been working hard throughout the summer and throughout the season, and to make it to the Final Four is just great for us."

Sullinger led all scorers with 19 points and also had seven rebounds while Lenzelle Smith Jr. scored 18. Deshaun Thomas added 14 points and nine boards and Buford rebounded from a poor game against Cincinnati to score 13 and grab nine rebonds. The Buckeyes shot 41 percent and out-rebounded the Orange 41-29 in the victory.

Ohio State opened the first half on a 9-2 run, but a pair of threes from Scoop Jardine put the Orange right back in the mix. Sullinger, who scored four of Ohio State's first nine points, picked up his second foul at 13:42 of the first period and was replaced by Boston College Eagles transfer Evan Ravenel, who provided quality minutes.

Given an opportunity to make a run with Sullinger on the bench (he would sit for the rest of the half), Syracuse was unable to go ahead by more than two points down the stretch, but did do enough to tie the score after 20 minutes. Neither team was effective from the field, with Ohio State shooting 34.5 percent and Syracuse shooting 35.7 percent.

"I didn't know if coach Matta was going to sit me," Sullinger said regarding his two early fouls. "But these guys have played without me before so they know what they have to do. We just kept competing on the defensive end. I think that's what won the basketball game. And also in the first half that's what got the game so knotted up. It's not the first time they've played without me, so I'm just proud of these guys."

"Yeah, great luxury," Matta said about sitting Sullinger for most of the half. "I think -- we were talking, what does it get to before we put him back in, and those guys fought and did a tremendous job of holding the status quo as we went into halftime. Basically said, no blood, zero, zero, we've got 20 more minutes to do it in, and I felt good that he was getting rest. I knew he was going to play well in the second half. There was no doubt about that."

The Buckeyes opened up the second half with a 12-4 run, in which Buford scored five. With Sullinger back in the lineup and producing, Ohio State was able to open up a 10-point lead (46-36 at 13:47) -- its largest of the game. Brandon Triche's first points were big, as a three with 12:41 to play cut the Syracuse deficit to four, 46-42, and he would make two free throws minutes later to make it a three point game, 47-44, with 12:09 to go. A 6-5 run by the Orange brought them within one point, 52-51, with under eight minutes left, but a big three from Smith gave the Buckeyes some much-needed breathing room at 55-51.

"I mean, he did a lot for us, whether it was offensively or defensively," Aaron Craft said of Smith. "He stepped up and made a couple big shots for us, and on the other end, as well, he did a good job of keeping their great guards in front of him and trying to do his best."

Sullinger scored five in a row (a jumper and two free throws) and Smith hit a jumper, giving Ohio State a seven-point edge at 3:15. Triche's jumper and free throw again made it a four-point Orange deficit, 62-58, with 2:17 left. But Thomas and Sullinger put the icing on the cake, scoring the next four to make it an eight-point lead, and that essentially did it.

Triche led the Orange with 15 points on 3-of-7 shooting from deep and Jardine added 14 points and six assists. Kris Joseph was the only other Syracuse player to reach double-digit scoring with 10 points while Dion Waiters scored nine and C.J. Fair added eight points.

"You know, I thought we fought as hard as we have all year, just like we do every game," said Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim. "I thought our defense was good. I thought that -- I just thought we lost a little offensive patience in the first half. I thought we forced some shots in some situations when we should have been a little more patient. I think our offense really just hurt us tonight. Our offense has been really good the last two games. I just thought tonight we just weren't as patient as we've been on the offensive end of the court."

AUDIO: Ohio State Postgame Press Conference - Elite Eight (3-23-12)

AUDIO: Syracuse Postgame Press Conference - Elite Eight (3-23-12)

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Bracket 2012, Syracuse Vs. Ohio State Final Score: Buckeyes Advance Past Orange

In a thrilling back and forth contest between two evenly matched teams, the Ohio State Buckeyes tipped the top-seeded Syracuse Orange 77-70 in the finals of the Eastern Regional to advance to next weekend's Final Four.

Jared Sullinger, the Buckeyes sophomore forward who returned to school this year for a shot at a national championship, paced Ohio State with 19 points, while a trio of other Buckeye starters added double digits as well.

The Orange, who were dealt a massive blow in the days leading up to the tournament when starting center Fab Melo was ruled ineligible. After struggling through a second round matchup with UNC-Asheville, the Orange seemed to be back on track with consecutive wins over Kansas State and Wisconsin. Scoop Jardine, one of Syracuse's respected senior leaders, finished his career with an 11 point, six assist outing for the Orange.

Ohio State joins Louisville in the Final Four, with the remaining two entrants to be determined on Sunday.

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket, stay with SB Nation's Selection Sunday StoryStream, and stick around SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on who was snubbed, who got the best bracket, and who will make it all the way to New Orleans and the Final Four.

Syracuse Vs. Ohio State Halftime Score: Orange And Buckeyes Tied, 29-29

In a match-up between a one seed and a two seed in the East Region of the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket, the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Syracuse Orange are locked at 29 after one half of play.

Both teams defenses have forced their oppoents into low percentage shots, as both teams are shooting below 36 percent from the floor.

Ohio State big man, Jared Sullinger, was limited to five minutes of play because of early foul trouble. He had four points, three rebounds and two turnovers before picking up his second foul.

The game is being played in the TD Garden, home of the Boston Celtics. The winner will go on to the Final Four to face the winner between North Carolina and Kanas. The second half can be seen on CBS.

For more NCAA Tournament coverage, be sure to check out our tournament stream and SB Nation's tournament hub. Also make sure to check out our NCAA Tournament Printable Bracket stream. Enjoy the road to New Orleans!

NCAA Tournament 2012, Ohio State Vs. Syracuse: Orange, Buckeyes Battle In Elite Eight

Jim Boeheim leads his No. 1 seeded Syracuse Orange into uncharted waters (at least, uncharted in nearly a decade) as they face the No. 2 seeded Ohio St. Buckeyes in the Elite Eight round in the East Region of the 2012 NCAA Tournament at 7:05 p.m. EDT on Saturday night at TD Garden in Boston, MA (TV: CBS).

Syracuse last played in the Elite Eight in 2003. The end result? A national championship under the guidance of Boeheim and star forward Carmelo Anthony. The Orange have reached the Elite Eight four times under Boeheim, who is 3-1 in the round. Boeheim guided Cuse to the Elite Eight in 1987, 1989 (his only loss), 1996 and 2003.

The Orange and Buckeyes have met six times, and Ohio State leads the all-time series, 4-2. The last time these two teams met was in the semifinals of the 2007 NIT Tipoff, with the Buckeyes winning 79-65. Syracuse last defeated Ohio State over a decade ago in the semifinal round of the 2000 Great Alaska Shootout, winning 77-66.

C.J. Fair scored 15 points and was one of four Syracuse players to reach double-digits in scoring as the Orange held on for a 64-63 win over the Wisconsin Badgers in the Sweet 16 on Thursday. Scoop Jardine scored 14 and Dion Waiters added 13 points as Syracuse was able to emerge with a win despite giving up 14 threes (including seven in a row down the stretch in the second half) to Wisconsin. The Orange shot 55.1 percent.

Ohio State fell behind by three points midway though the second half of its game against the Cincinnati Bearcats in Thursday's Sweet 16 game at the Garden, but a 17-1 run helped the Buckeyes recover and slam the door shut on a Cats comeback, ultimately winning 81-66. Jared Sullinger had 23 points and 11 rebounds and Deshaun Thomas scored 26 to lead all scorers for Ohio State, which shot 48.2 percent (27-for-56) in the victory.

Saturday's winner will advance to the Final Four and face the winner of the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Kansas Jayhawks at the Louisiana Superdome on March 31.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

March Madness 2012, Syracuse Vs. Ohio State: TV Schedule, Game Time And More

The Syracuse Orange and Ohio State Buckeyes square off in the Elite Eight as NCAA Tournament action resumes Saturday night at the TD Garden. (Game Time: 7:05 p.m. ET, TV Schedule: CBS)

Syracuse advanced past the Sweet 16 by outlasting Wisconsin 64-63 on Thursday. C.J. Fair paced the Orange with 15 points, Scoop Jardine added 14, Dion Waiters pitched in 13 and Syracuse fended off 14 Wisconsin 3-pointers to reach the Elite Eight for the first time since 2003.

Ohio State ousted Cincinnati 81-66 in the Sweet 16 behind 23 points and 11 rebounds from Jared Sullinger. The Buckeyes briefly surrendered the lead in the second half, but responded with dominant play the remainder of the game.

For more NCAA Tournament coverage, be sure to check out our tournament stream and SB Nation's tournament hub. Also make sure to check out our NCAA Tournament Printable Bracket stream. Enjoy the road to New Orleans!

Printable NCAA Bracket 2012: Elite Eight Tips Off Saturday

The 2012 NCAA Tournament resumes Saturday as the Florida Gators, Louisville Cardinals, Ohio State Buckeyes and Syracuse Orange begin the Elite Eight.

Florida and Louisville open the weekend schedule at 4:30 p.m. with the winner receiving a berth in the Final Four. The same prize goes to the winner of the later game, between Ohio State and Syracuse, which is scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m.

The Elite Eight continues on Sunday, when Friday's four winners -- the Kansas Jayhawks, Baylor Bears, Kentucky Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels -- return to action.

Check out an updated printable 2012 NCAA bracket or the Elite Eight schedule follows.

Saturday, March 24

Florida vs. Louisville, 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS

Ohio St. vs. Syracuse, 7:05 p.m. ET, CBS

Sunday, March 25

Baylor vs. Kentucky, 2:20 p.m. ET, CBS

Kansas vs. North Carolina, 5:05 p.m. ET, CBS

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Tournament 2012: Syracuse, Ohio State Meet In Elite Eight

So close, and yet so far away. Syracuse and Ohio State have taken care of business in their first three games of the 2012 NCAA Tournament, and the two teams will do battle in the Elite Eight round in the East bracket at 7:05 p.m. EDT on Saturday at TD Garden. The winner will travel 1,528 miles to the Louisiana Superdome to play in the Final Four.

The Orange and Buckeyes both emerged victorious in the Sweet 16 round, which was held at TD Garden on Thursday night. C.J. Fair scored 15 and the Orange survived a scare against a hot-handed Wisconsin Badgers team, winning 64-63. The Badgers made 14 three-pointers in the game, including seven straight down the stretch in the second half, but the Orange had an answer for all the runs that the Badgers had in them and shut the door.

Ohio State survived its second-half hiccup (when the cools guys came out, as Jared Sullinger said after the game) and eventually cruised past the Cincinnati Bearcats, 81-66, to set up its date with Syracuse. Sullinger had 23 points and 11 boards while Deshaun Thomas scored a game-high 26 to pace the Buckeyes, who trailed by three points (59-56) at one point in the final half before using a 17-1 run to stomp the life out of Cincinnati.

Saturday's winner will face the winner of the North Carolina Tar Heels and Kansas Jayhawks game in one half of the Final Four on March 31 at the Louisiana Superdome.

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Printable NCAA Bracket 2012: Michigan State Eliminated

Only 12 teams remain in the 2012 NCAA Tournament and by the end of the day Friday, we'll be down to the elite eight. Three of the four one seeds remain, as the tournament lost its first one Thursday night, when the Michigan State Spartans were routed by the Louisville Cardinals. The three other teams to advance to the elite eight on Thursday were Florida, Ohio State and Syracuse.

Both tournament favorites, North Carolina and Kentucky, will be in action Friday, when the Tar Heels take on the 13 seed Ohio Bobcats – likely without Kendall Marshall – and the Wildcats take on Indiana.

Check out our updated printable 2012 NCAA Bracket (PDF) on SB Nation for all the recent changes.

For more NCAA Tournament coverage, be sure to check out our tournament stream and SB Nation's tournament hub. Also make sure to check out our NCAA Tournament Printable Bracket stream. Enjoy the road to New Orleans!

NCAA Tournament 2012: Syracuse, Ohio State Move Onto Elite Eight

BOSTON - College basketball at its finest was on display Thursday night at TD Garden, the site of the Sweet 16 matchups between the Syracuse Orange and Wisconsin Badgers as well as the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cincinnati Bearcats.

Syracuse and Wisconsin opened the night with an absolute thriller, as the Bearcats refused to go away until the very end, but the Orange did just enough to escape with a 64-63 win to advance to the Elite Eight.

"This is one of the best games I've been involved with in a long time," said Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim. "I think the best game anybody has ever played against us and didn't beat us. They made 14 threes, and usually that's enough. But really proud of our players. Every time they came back and went ahead, we had an answer for it."

Wisconsin led 20-18 with 8:04 left in the first half, but Syracuse went on a 15-3 run spurred on by six points from C.J. Fair, who led all Orange scorers with 15 points, to take a 33-23 advantage with 2:30 to play before halftime. A pair of Josh Gasser free throws and a jumper from Jordan Taylor (17 points, six assists) made it 33-27 heading into halftime.

The second half featured a barrage of three-pointers from the Badgers, who finished the game with 14 treys (nine in the second half) to account for 42 of their 63 points. Syracuse led by as many as seven (48-41 at 12:42) in the closing half, but Wisconsin worked its way back into the game thanks in part to a string of seven consecutive threes, and the Badgers grabbed a three-point edge (59-56 at 7:05).

"I don't think anybody has ever made 14 threes against s and we beat them," said Boeheim. "The only game I can think of was when (Chris) Hill made ten threes against us in Michigan State in '03 when we beat them at their place by a point. He made ten, but I don't think anybody else on their team made one. But 14 threes, that's a lot of threes to overcome."

Alas, they did. Syracuse kept its cool during the Wisconsin barrage and had an answer for everything the Badgers threw at them down the stretch.

"Just stick to our principles defensively," said Kris Joseph when asked how his team maintained its composure during the run. "Our teams were going to make shots like coach said. Some of them were real tough shots that you can't really do much about, but you can't hang your head because there was still a lot of basketball to play. We had to go down and make plays on the offensive end and come down and try to stop them on defense."

"We were scoring too," said Scoop Jardine, who had 14 points. "Every time they scored, I think we scored right back. That's what you've got to do when a team is scoring on you. You've still got to go down and play offense and never get rattled, and I think we done a great job of getting in our sets and making shots. They was playing from behind, too, so we knew we had the lead and we had to stay within ourselves and continue to execute, and I think we done a great job because it's really hard not to -- it's easy to get rattled in a situation like that, but we had great senior leadership where we stayed within ourselves and we made baskets that we needed to make, not just me, everybody."

In the second game of the evening, Ohio State rode Jared Sullinger (23 points, 11 rebounds) and Deshaun Thomas (26 points) to a 81-66 victory over Cincinnati, setting up a date with Syracuse in the Elite Eight round on Saturday.

The Buckeyes controlled the flow of the first half and took a 37-25 lead into the break, only to fall asleep at the start of the second half and allowing the Bearcats to pull ahead by four points twice in the half. But the Buckeyes wouldn't go away that easily, and a 17-1 run helped Ohio State rebuild a double-digit lead and put Cincinnati away once and for all.

"We've got two types of basketball teams," Sullinger said. "We've got the cool guys and then the blue collar guys. I thought to start the second half we got into cool guy mode and we kind of let our guard down. Coach Matta basically told us before we started the second half that they was going to come at us with everything they had because Cincinnati is just the type of team that does not give up. I mean, we just came out and decided to be cool guys, and they came out and they stung us, and then we got ourselves back into another basketball game."

Ohio State and Syracuse tip off at 7:05 p.m. EDT on Saturday in the Elite Eight of the East Region at TD Garden, which will provide a difficult task for both teams.

"I know we're going to face a 2-3 zone," said Sullinger. "There's no hiding that. They're very long. They're very athletic. I mean, the can get up and down with the best of them. So it's going to be a game that we're going to have to try to control the tempo in, and also we're going to have to score and execute our offense even though they're playing 2-3 zone. We can't just sit back and let them punch us. We've got to throw the first punches. Not literally, but..."

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NCAA Tournament 2012, Cincinnati Vs. Ohio State: Buckeyes Take Care Of Bearcats, 81-66

BOSTON - Jared Sullinger's double-double (23 points, 11 rebounds) and a 26-point night from Deshaun Thomas were more than enough for the Ohio State Buckeyes, who recovered from a second-half lapse to defeat the Cincinnati Bearcats, 81-66, in the Sweet 16 of the 2012 NCAA Tournament on Thursday night.

"Well, obviously a great college basketball game," said Ohio State head coach Thad Matta. "We were able to put together a run there in the first half. Give Cincinnati credit, they came out and stung us to start the second half, and we had to take some timeouts there to kind of refocus what we were doing on the defensive end. And one we got that going, I thought it generated some offense for us."

Sullinger and the Buckeyes pulled ahead, 17-13, by the midway point of the first half and closed out the period strong, using a 20-12 run to capture a 37-25 edge heading into intermission. Sullinger had 10 points and nine boards while Thomas scored 20 of his 26 points in the half. Ohio State shot 45.2 percent while holding Cincinnati to 38.5 percent.

The Bearcats made a run at the start of the second half, even pulling ahead by four points on two occasions midway through the period, only to fall victim to a 17-1 run by the Buckeyes that ultimately did them in. Lenzelle Smith Jr. scored 10 of his 15 points in the half and the Buckeyes were 13-of-25 from the floor (52.0 percent) in the final period.

"We've got two types of basketball teams," Sullinger said. "We've got the cool guys and then the blue collar guys. I thought to start the second half we got into cool guy mode and we kind of let our guard down. Coach Matta basically told us before we started the second half that they was going to come at us with everything they had because Cincinnati is just the type of team that does not give up. I mean, we just came out and decided to be cool guys, and they came out and they stung us, and then we got ourselves back into another basketball game."

Cashmere Wright scored 18 to lead Cincinnati, which shot 46.4 percent for the game. Sean Kilpatrick had 15 points and JaQuon Parker chipped in with 10 points and six rebounds. The Bearcats coughed the ball up 18 times and had only eight assists compared to 11 turnovers and 14 assists for the Buckeyes.

"We just weren't making the right plays," Wright said. "We weren't making the right pass. We was over-dribbling the ball, doing things uncharacteristic of our team."

"At the end of the day, we didn't take care of the basketball," Cincinnati head coach Mike Cronin said. "We're a low turnover team. We out-shot out percentage tonight. We've been shooting 46 percent, 46 and a half; we shot 39 percent from three. But too many turnovers. We gave ourselves no chance to win. They're hard enough to guard, but with 18 turnovers we just gave ourselves no chance."

Ohio State will meet Syracuse, which defeated Wisconsin 64-63 in the first game at TD Garden on Thursday, in the Elite Eight at 7:05 p.m. EDT on Saturday inside the Garden.

AUDIO: Ohio State Postgame Press Conference (3-22-12)

AUDIO: Cincinnati Postgame Press Conference (3-22-12)

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NCAA Bracket 2012, Cincinnati Vs. Ohio State Score: Buckeyes Win 81-66, Advance to Elite Eight

The Ohio St. Buckeyes gave up a 12-point halftime lead to Cincinnati Bearcats in the second half of Thursday, at one point falling behind 49-45 after the Bearcats went on a 19-6 run. The Buckeyes bounced back in full form, however, responding with a 17-1 run over a 6:34 stretch to seize control of the game. With an 81-66 win, the Buckeyes advanced to the Elite Eight of the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

DeShaun Thomas scored 20 points in the first half for OSU, but went quiet in the second half, scoring six points to finish with 26 total. Jared Sullinger picked up the slack, however, leading all players with 11 rebounds in addition to 23 points.

The Buckeyes' defense dominated, recording 13 steals (six by Aaron Craft) on their way to forcing 18 Bearcat turnovers. Cincinnati shot well, going 46.4 percent from the field. Cashmere Wright led the Bearcats on a scorching performance from beyond the arc, going 4-for-6 from long range to help the team shoot 9-for-23 from 3-point range for the game. Wright led Cincinnati with 18 points, but the team ultimately fell well short of pulling out the win.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

Cincinnati Vs. Ohio State: Buckeyes Up 12 Points At Halftime

The Ohio St. Buckeyes are so far having their way with the Cincinnati Bengals, taking a 37-25 lead into halftime of Thursday night's 2012 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game. DeShaun Thomas has led the way, scoring 20 points on 8-for-12 shooting to lead all scorers.

Jared Sullinger fell one rebound shy of a double-double in the first half, hauling in nine boards to go along with 10 points. As a team, the Buckeyes are shooting 45.2 percent from the floor.

They are also playing well defensively, forcing the Bearcats into nine turnovers already. Cincinnati is shooting just 38.5 percent for the half, with Justin Jackson coming off the bench to lead the team in scoring with eight points. Cashmere Wright is second on the team with seven points, but shot just 2-for-6 from the floor to get there.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Bracket 2012, Louisville Vs. Michigan State Score: Cardinals Smother Spartans, Advance To Elite Eight

The Louisville Cardinals advanced to the Elite Eight of the 2012 NCAA Tournament with a 57-44 win over the Michigan State Spartans on Thursday night. The Cardinals were stifling defensively, holding the Spartans to just 28.6 percent shooting from the field.

Gorgui Dieng was the game's MVP defensively. He was a general menace in the lane, blocking seven shots and hauling in nine rebounds to go with five points.

Chane Behanan led the Cardinals in scoring with 15 points on 6-for-10 shooting from the field. He also had eight rebounds in a solid all around effort. Brandon Wood had a big second half for the Spartans to finish as the team's leading scorer with 14 points. Draymond Green was a monster on the boards, hauling in 16 rebounds. He went just 5-for-16 shooting for 13 points, however.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Tournament 2012, Wisconsin Vs. Syracuse Final Score: Orange Hang On For 64-63 Win

BOSTON - C.J. Fair scored 15 and the No. 1 seeded Syracuse Orange survived a scare against a hot-handed Wisconsin Badgers team that made 14 three pointers, winning 64-63 in the Sweet 16 of the 2012 NCAA Tournament on Thursday night at TD Garden.

"This is one of the best games I've been involved with in a long time," said Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim. "I think the best game anybody has ever played against us and didn't beat us. They made 14 threes, and usually that's enough. But really proud of our players. Every time they came back and went ahead, we had an answer for it."

The Badgers, led by 17 points and six assists from Jordan Taylor, shot a scorching 51.9 percent from long distance and were 21-for-49 (42.9 percent) from the floor in the game. Syracuse shot 55.1 percent from the field and made 5-of-9 long balls. Both teams had 23 rebounds and six turnovers, and the Badgers held a 15-5 advantage in assists.

Syracuse and Wisconsin played evenly through the first five minutes, but the Badgers used timely three-point shooting (they opened the game 4-for-7 behind the arc) to pull ahead, 17-11, by the 10:38 mark. Jared Berggren (17 points) hit a couple of treys in the early going and had 10 points before sitting down with two fouls near the 12 minute mark.

Dion Waiters (13 points) and Fair helped the Orange back into the game, as their run-and-gun style of play was too much for the Badgers to handle. Waiters, who finished the half with nine points, led Cuse on a 15-6 run to close out the quarter and Fair chipped in with six points in that stretch. Brandon Triche (11 points) also scored nine in the period.

The Orange were outscored 36-31 in the second half, in which the Badgers converted on seven consecutive three pointers before missing their last five shots from long range.

"I'm just really proud of my guys," said Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan. "We can play with anybody in the country, and they proved that again. And I'm just so proud of them, especially all the movement that we made in our progress in different areas defensively and offensively during the season ... These guys did a great job. We played well enough to have this one on our side, it just didn't work out that way."

Syracuse will face the winner of Ohio State and Cincinnati, which tips off at 9:45 p.m. on Thursday night at TD Garden, in the Elite Eight on Saturday for the right to represent the East Region in the Final Four in New Orleans, Louisiana.

AUDIO: Syracuse Postgame Press Conference (3-22-12)

AUDIO: Wisconsin Postgame Press Conference (3-22-12)

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NCAA Tournament 2012, Syracuse Vs. Wisconsin: Orange Survive Nailbiter, 64-63, Advance To Elite Eight

The Syracuse Orange advanced to the Elite Eight of the 2012 NCAA Tournament with a 64-63 win over the Wisconsin Badgers on Thursday night. The Badgers were down six points at half, but took a lead 59-56 lead with 7:05 to play after making 3-pointers on six straight possessions.

Neither team took more than a 3-point lead after that point. Syracuse took a 64-61 lead on a pair of Scoop Jardine free throws but Josh Gasser pulled the Badgers back within one with 30 seconds to play on a pair of free throws of his own. Forced to the line, Kris Joseph missed the front end of a one-and-one giving the Badgers a chance to win on the game's last possession. Jordan Taylor's 3-point attempt was well off, however, and Gasser couldn't hit the quick turnaround.

Taylor and Jared Berggren led the Badgers with 17 points apiece. The team shot 42.9 percent from the field, and 51.9 percent on 27 3-point attempts. Wisconsin couldn't keep up with the athleticism of the Orange, however. C.J. Fair had 15 points and seven rebounds to lead Syracuse.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

Louisville Vs. Michigan State: Cardinals Winning Slug Fest, 23-18, At Halftime

Thursday night's matchup between the 1-seed Michigan State Spartans and the 4-seed Louisville Cardinals has been the definition of a defensive slugfest. The Spartans have thrived in tight, low-scoring games throughout the season but through 20 minutes the Cardinals lead the Sweet 16 matchup, 23-18.

Neither team has yet to find any kind of offensive rhythm. For the half the Cardinals and Spartans are shooting just 26.7 and 27.3 percent from the field, respectively. The Cardinals have been stellar from beyond the 3-point arc, however, going 7-for-15 for the half.

Three players are tied with six points to lead the Cardinals. Chris Smith, Jared Swopshire and Russ Smith all hit two 3-pointers in the first half. Draymond Green leads the Spartans with seven points on 3-for-9 shooting from the floor. No other Spartan has more than three points so far.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Tournament 2012: Syracuse Leads Wisconsin At The Half, 33-27

Wisconsin spent the middle part of the first half up significantly on Syracuse, but a 15-3 run in the half's closing minutes helped the Orange take a 33-27 lead into the intermission.

The half featured seven lead changes between the two teams, but a C.J. Fair jumpshot to take a 24-13 lead with five and a half minutes to go started a 11-0 point run for Syracuse to close the half. The Orange also made seven straight field goals during that run.

Wisconsin came out to a 17-13 lead halfway through the first thanks to Jared Berggren's 11 point run. They played well against Syracuse's defense through the middle part of the half, but started to fall apart as the minutes ticked down. The Badgers were forced to make several three point shots. Josh Gasser and Jordan Taylor got the Badgers back on track with four points to close the half.

Wisconsin is led in scoring by Berggren with ten points, while Dion Walters and Brandon Triche lead Syracuse each with nine. Here is video of the start of Syracuse's end of half run:

NCAA Tournament 2012, Syracuse Vs. Wisconsin: Tempo Key In Sweet 16 Matchup

The Sweet 16 matchup between the Syracuse Orange and Wisconsin Badgers Thursday night at the TD Garden could come down to which team controls the pace.

Syracuse thrives in transition, using its superior depth, athleticism and unselfishness to score 74.6 points per game, 39th in the country -- and that's while playing zone defense, which tends to slow the tempo of another team's offense.

Wisconsin scores just 63.9 points per game, 263rd in the country, and prefers a plodding pace in which half-court execution reins supreme.

SB Nation's Wisconsin blog (Bucky's Fifth Quarter) and Syracuse blog (Nunes Magician) posted a question-and-answer about Thursday's 2012 NCAA Tournament game that touched on many topics.

One of them: How can Syracuse lose?

Generally, the story has been opposing team's getting a lot of offensive rebounds, and slowing the game down. Teams that have slowed the game down and limited the Orange's opportunities in transition have been successful. But this Syracuse team has won a lot of games in that mold as well. They're very resiliant, versatile, and can win any type of game.

Wisconsin must shoot well from the outside. Syracuse is very athletic, and very talented. If they can hit threes and control the boards, they can win. Syracuse gave up 25 offensive rebounds against Kansas State. That could be a key for the Badgers.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

March Madness Schedule 2012: Sweet 16 Play Opens Up In Boston At The TD Garden

The city of Boston is buzzing with anticipation, and the TD Garden has replaced the Celtics parquet and Bruins ice with NCAA Tournament hardwood, as the East Regional has come to town.

The Sweet 16 will begin on Thursday with one of three games to be played on Boston, featuring top-seeded Syracuse taking on Wisconsin. That game will be followed by Ohio State and Cincinnati, with the winner of each contest to meet on Saturday for a shot at the Final Four in New Orleans.

Here's a look at the entirety of Thursday's schedule, with tip time and TV information included.

East Region (both games to be played in Boston, MA)

1. Syracuse Vs. 4. Wisconsin, 7:15 p.m. EST, CBS

2. Ohio State Vs. 6 Cincinnati, 9:45 p.m. EST, CBS

West Region (both games to be played in Phoenix, AZ)

1. Michigan State Vs. 4. Louisville, 7:47 p.m. EST, TBS

3. Marquette Vs. 7. Florida, 10:17 p.m. EST, TBS

For a full NCAA tournament bracket, click here.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed byclicking here.

Printable NCAA Bracket 2012: 4 Games On Thursday's Schedule

Want to know what the odds are of predicting a perfect NCAA Tournament bracket? One in one hundred million trillion. So what are the chances your bracket is still perfectly intact? Well ... not great.

But even if you had Missouri or Duke advancing past the first round (or, like me, to the Elite 8), that doesn't mean you need not still follow all the action closely.

On Thursday night Sweet 16 play kicks off with a slate of four games that promise to be interesting, and do yourself a favor and print out a fresh, updated bracket before the action gets started. We've got one right here.

And if you whiff on all four of your picks tonight, check right back with us, because we'll keep the bracket updated and ready for you to re-print.

Enjoy the Madness.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Tournament 2012, Cincinnati Vs. Ohio State: TV Schedule, Game Time And More

It's a battle of Ohio in the East Regions semifinal, as Ohio State and Cincinnati square off Thursday night in Boston in Sweet 16 action.

The Buckeyes were expected by many to be here, led by sophomore forward Jared Sullinger, nifty point guard Aaron Craft and senior guard William Buford.

Not long ago, Cincinnati was in the news for the wrong reason, as an ugly early season brawl with cross-town rival Xavier painted the Bearcats as a misguided bunch.

Now the two teams will play for just the second time in 50 years, with a spot in the Elite Eight up for grabs. Both squads get it done on the defensive end, with each surrendering around just 60 points per game. The test will be for Cincinnati's offense in keeping up with Ohio State, which averages 75.1 points per contest.

Game Time: 9:45 p.m. EST

TV Coverage: CBS

Location: TD Garden, Boston

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

March Madness 2012, Syracuse Vs. Wisconsin: TV Schedule, Game Time And More

The East Region's top seed Syracuse faces a stiff task on Thursday as it takes on the Wisconsin Badgers, a tough, defensives-minded team with ample tournament experience.

The Orange arrive in Boston for the Sweet 16 after escaping an historic upset at the hands of UNC-Asheville and then upending Kansas State in the round of 32. Wisconsin, meanwhile, narrowly edged Vanderbilt in the third round of tournament play after romping Montana to start the tournament.

Senior guard Jordan Taylor leads the way for the Badgers with 14.7 points and 4.0 assists per game. The Badgers strength rests in their defensive-minded approach, and they'll need to clamp down on a Syracuse team that can hurt you in a number of ways.

The Orange remain without center Fab Melo, who was ruled ineligible in the days leading up to the tournament. His absence has been felt most on the glass, where he led Syracuse with 5.8 rebounds per game.

Game Time: 7:15 p.m. EST

TV Coverage: CBS

Location: TD Garden, Boston

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Overregulation Dampening Aura Of March Madness At TD Garden

What do you get when you take the stripes away from a zebra, or the hood off of a cobra? They just aren't the same. By the same logic, what do you get when you strip TD Garden of its 23 championship banners? Just another questionable NCAA regulation.

NCAA Tournament 2012: Syracuse, Ohio State Prepare For Sweet 16

Syracuse and Ohio State highlight Thursday's action in the Sweet 16 round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament at TD Garden in Boston, as the Orange will face the Wisconsin Badgers and the Buckeyes will play the Cincinnati Bearcats for the right to advance to the Elite Eight round, which will be played on Saturday at the Garden.

Syracuse and Wisconsin will tip off first at 7:15 p.m. EDT. The Orange, the No. 1 seed in the East, narrowly escaped with a win over No. 16 seed UNC-Asheville in the second round before coasting past Kansas State in the Round of 32. After that, Ohio State and Cincinnati will meet (tip off is scheduled for 9:45 p.m., but the game will start 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Syracuse-Wisconsin game. Ohio State, the East's No. 2 seed, beat Loyola-MD and Gonzaga in its first two tournament games. The winners of each game will play each other in the Elite Eight round Saturday.

SB Nation Boston will have your Sweet 16 and Elite Eight coverage live from TD Garden all weekend long, so don't touch that dial (or mouse, I guess). We've got you covered.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Tournament 2012: Syracuse, Ohio State Practice At TD Garden

Syracuse and Ohio State, the No. 1 and 2 seeds in the East Region of the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket respectively, are among the teams practicing on Wednesday afternoon at TD Garden in Boston, MA, which is the location of this year's Sweet 16 round in the East later this week.

The Orange and Buckeyes will share the practice court with the Wisconsin Badgers and Cincinnati Bearcats, who are their opponents in the Sweet 16. Wisconsin practices first from 12:00 p.m. EDT to 12:50 p.m. and will be followed by Cincinnati, which practices from 1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Syracuse practices from 2:10 p.m. to 3 p.m. and Ohio State practices from 3:10 p.m. through 4 p.m. All practices can be viewed by the public and are free of admission.

The Orange will face the Badgers on Thursday night (7:15 p.m. EDT) while the Buckeyes take on the Bearcats at 9:45 p.m. EDT the same night. Syracuse, the region's top seed, escaped with a close victory against UNC-Asheville, a No. 16 seed, in the second round of the tournament before cruising past Kansas State in the Round of 32. Ohio State, the No. 2 seed in the East, has posted two relatively easy wins over Loyola-MD and Gonzaga to advance to the Sweet 16.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

Celtics, Bruins Banners At TD Garden Removed For 2012 NCAA Tournament

March Madness Schedule 2012: Sunday's Game Times, TV Schedule

Sadly, the opening week of the NCAA Tournament will conclude Sunday, as the conclusion of eight games will decided which college basketball program will move on to the Sweet 16. The six day of March Madness will begin with the No. 11-seed N.C. State Wolfpack playing the No. 3 Georgetown Hoyas at 12:15 p.m. on CBS, while it will conclude with No. 6 Cincinnati Bearcats and No. 3 Florida St. Seminoles at around 10 p.m. on TBS.

Also playing Sunday, will be Round of 64 Cinderella's, No. 15 Norfolk St. Spartans and Lehigh Mountain Hawks, while either No. 13 Ohio Bobcats and No. 12 South Florida Bulls will move onto the tournament's second week when they face each other at 7:10 p.m. on TBS.

Overall, here's Sunday's NCAA Tournament TV schedule:

N.C. State vs. Georgetown, 12:15 p.m. on CBS
Announcers: Tim Brando and Mike Gminski

Saint Louis vs. Michigan St., 2:45 p.m. (tentative) on CBS
Announcers: Tim Brando and Mike Gminski

Creighton vs. North Carolina, 5:15 p.m. on CBS
Announcers: Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg

Norfolk St. vs. Florida, 6:10 p.m. on TNT
Announcers: Marv Albert, Steve Kerr and Craig Sager

Ohio vs. South Florida, 7:10 p.m. on TBS
Announcers: Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel

Lehigh vs. Xavier, 7:45 p.m. (tentative) on truTV
Announcers: Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg

Purdue vs. Kansas, 8:40 p.m. (tentative) on TNT
Announcers: Marv Albert, Steve Kerr and Craig Sager

Cincinnati vs. Florida St., 9:40 p.m. (tentative) on TBS
Announcers: Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket stick with SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on every March Madness game.

March Madness Schedule 2012, Saturday, March 17

March Madness began in earnest on Friday as upsets seized the day.

Day two of the 2012 NCAA Tournament became upset city as Norfolk St. and Lehigh knocked of Missouri and Duke, respectively.

On Saturday, top seeds Syracuse and Kentucky look to avoid the upset bug.

Find your full and updated printable NCAA bracket 2012 at SB Nation, or Saturday's schedule can be found below:

Syracuse Orange vs. Kansas St. Wildcats, 12:15 p.m. on CBS

Ohio St. Buckeyes vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs, 2:45 p.m. (tentative) on CBS

Marquette Golden Eagles vs. Murray St. Racers, 5:15 p.m. on CBS

Wisconsin Badgers vs. Vanderbilt Commodores, 6:10 p.m. on TNT

Indiana Hoosiers vs. VCU Rams, 7:10 p.m. on TBS

Kentucky Wildcats vs. Iowa St. Cyclones, 7:45 p.m. (tentative) on CBS

Baylor Bears vs. Colorado Buffaloes, 8:40 p.m. (tentative) on TNT

Louisville Cardinals vs. New Mexico Lobos, 9:40 p.m. (tentative) on TBS

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket stick with SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on every March Madness game.

NCAA Tournament 2012, North Carolina Vs. Vermont Final Score: Catamounts Fall, 77-58

The Vermont Catamounts fell, 77-58, to the North Carolina Tar Heels at the Greensboro Coliseum in the Second Round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament on Friday.

North Carolina was missing John Henson, who was ruled out with injury, but the No. 1 seed wouldn't need him to knock the 16th seeded Catamounts out of the NCAA Tournament. Vermont hung with the Tar Heels for the first 14 minutes of the game before falling behind by double-digits at the half after a big run. In the second half, the Catamounts were able to cut the lead down to 10 points twice but got no closer as North Carolina blew the game open.

Vermont was not able to hit their three point shots, finishing just 3-17 from behind the arc. When the Catamounts went inside, North Carolina's bigs regularly swatted or altered Vermont's shots. Despite only making two fewer field goals than North Carolina, Vermont really saw a discrepancy at the free throw line. North Carolina had a 24-8 free throw attempt advantage.

Vermont was led by 11 points from Sandro Carissimo. Matt Glass chipped in 10 points. North Carolina's Tyler Zeller had a good game with 17 points, 15 rebounds and 4 blocks. James Michael McAdoo chipped in 17 points for the Tar Heels.

Vermont's season ends at 24-12 (13-3, America East). The Catamounts beat Stony Brook in the America East championship game to win the league's autobid to the NCAA Tournament. Vermont defeated fellow 16-seed Lamar in one of the First Four games before losing to the Tar Heels.

North Carolina will move on to play the No. 8 seed Creighton in the Third Round.

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket stick with SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on every March Madness game.

NCAA Tournament 2012, North Carolina Vs. Vermont Halftime Score: Catamounts Trail, 37-25

The Vermont Catamounts trail the North Carolina Tar Heels, 37-25, at halftime from the Greensboro Coliseum.

Vermont was able to keep pace with North Carolina for the first 14 minutes of the game before the Tar Heels began to pull away with a 20-10 run over the last 6:27 of the half. Vermont had a chance at the buzzer to cut the deficit to nine but the three-point attempt went in and out. Vermont struggled from behind the arc, only hitting one of eight attempts. Despite the rebounding battle being fairly close, North Carolina had a 15-2 free throw attempt advantage. The Tar Heels outscored the Catamounts 11-2 from the charity stripe in the first half.

One of the highlights of the first half was this thunderous putback slam by UNC's James Michael McAdoo.

Vermont was led by Sandro Carissimo's six points. Tyler Zeller led the Tar Heels with 15 points and 9 rebounds in the opening half.

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket stick with SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on every March Madness game.

NCAA Tournament 2012, Vermont Vs. North Carolina: John Henson Out With Injury

The Vermont Catamounts still won't be favored, but an injury to North Carolina star John Henson could help the Catamounts in their quest to become the first No. 16 seed to pull an upset in the NCAA Tournament.

North Carolina's official Twitter feed shared that Henson will not play Friday against Vermont and James Michael McAdoo will start in his place. The two teams meet at 4:10 p.m. in the opening round of the Midwest Regional.

Vermont outlasted Lamar in a play-in game for the right to meet North Carolina. Led by Four McGlynn's 18 points, the Catamounts ended Lamar's season with a 71-59 victory Wednesday night. Vermont controlled the game throughout, taking a 30-21 lead into halftime and holding on in the second half.

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket stick with SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on every March Madness game.

March Madness 2012, North Carolina Vs. Vermont: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

Day two of March Madness will kick off on Friday, as the second half of teams in the Round of 64 will make their 2012 Tournament debut. Among the teams playing their first games are: North Carolina, Duke, Michigan State, Kansas and Missouri.

The Tar Heels will play the Vermont Catamounts, who finished the regular season with a 24-11 record and won the America East Conference Tournament.

Teams: No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels vs. No. 16 Vermont Catamounts

Game date/time: Friday, March 16, 4:10 p.m ET

Location: Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC

Region: Midwest

Round: Round of 64

TV: TBS

Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Clark Kellogg (analyst), Tracy Wolfson (sideline)

Betting line: North Carolina is 15.5-point favorites. The Over/Under is 143 points

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket stick with SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on every March Madness game.

March Madness Schedule 2012: North Carolina Takes On Vermont On Day 2

Day one of the NCAA Tournament is officially in the books, but there are 16 more games on the slate for Day two. Top seeds North Carolina, Kansas, Duke, Michigan State will be in action.

Here's a look at all 16 games that will be played today, with game time, TV information, game location, and a look at the announcers for each included:

Cincinnati vs. Texas, 12:15 p.m., CBS (Nashville)
Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst), Lewis Johnson (sideline)

San Diego St. vs. NC State, 12:40 p.m. PT, truTV (Columbus)
Announcers: Tim Brando (play-by-play), Mike Gminski (analyst), Otis Livingston (sideline)

Creighton vs. Alabama, 1:40 p.m., TBS (Greensboro)
Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Clark Kellogg (analyst), Tracy Wolfson (sideline)

Florida vs. Virginia, 2:10 p.m., TNT (Omaha)
Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst), Craig Sager (sideline)

Florida State vs. St. Bonaventure, 2:45 p.m. (tentative), CBS (Nashville)
Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst), Lewis Johnson (sideline)

Georgetown vs. Belmont, 3:10 p.m. (tentative), truTV (Columbus)
Announcers: Tim Brando (play-by-play), Mike Gminski (analyst), Otis Livingston (sideline)

North Carolina vs. Lamar/Vermont, 4:10 p.m. (tentative), TBS (Greensboro)
Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Clark Kellogg (analyst), Tracy Wolfson (sideline)

Missouri vs. Norfolk St., 4:40 p.m. (tentative), TNT (Omaha)
Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst), Craig Sager (sideline)

Memphis vs. Saint Louis, 6:50 p.m., TBS (Columbus)
Announcers: Tim Brando (play-by-play), Mike Gminski (analyst), Otis Livingston (sideline)

Duke vs. Lehigh, 7:15 p.m., CBS (Greensboro)
Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Clark Kellogg (analyst), Tracy Wolfson (sideline)

Michigan vs. Ohio, 7:20 p.m., TNT (Nashville)
Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst), Lewis Johnson (sideline)

St. Mary's (CA) vs. Purdue, 7:27 p.m., truTV (Omaha)
Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst), Craig Sager (sideline)

Michigan State vs. LIU Brooklyn, 9:20 p.m. (tentative), TBS (Columbus)
Announcers: Tim Brando (play-by-play), Mike Gminski (analyst), Otis Livingston (sideline)

Notre Dame vs. Xavier, 9:45 p.m. (tentative), CBS (Greensboro)
Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Clark Kellogg (analyst), Tracy Wolfson (sideline)

Temple vs. California/South Florida, 9:50 p.m. (tentative), TNT (Nashville)
Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst), Lewis Johnson (sideline)

Kansas vs. Detroit, 9:57 p.m. (tentative), truTV (Omaha)
Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst), Craig Sager (sideline)

For a full NCAA Tournament bracket, click here.

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket stick with SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on every March Madness game.

NCAA Tournament 2012, (8) Iowa State Vs. (9) UConn Final Score: Iowa State Crushes UConn 77-64

UConn's (20-14) season came to a close as the Huskies turned in another middling performance, but this time with their season on the the line. After winning two games in the Big East Tournament to ensure their bid to the NCAA Tournament, the Huskies struggled mightily against Iowa State (23-10) in a 77-64 game, that seemed much worse.

Sophomore guards Jeremy Lamb (22 points) and Shabazz Napier (19 points) led the Huskies who struggled to compete with the Cyclones in the paint. Outside of freshmen guard Ryan Boatright (nine points), no UConn player managed to connect on more than two field goals.

Starting big men Andre Drummond and Alex Oriahki finished with a combined four points and six rebounds, as the pair struggled all evening long. Overall the Huskies lost the battle on the boards 37-20 and allowed the Cyclones to shoot 47 percent (26-of-55) with the majority of the points coming in the paint.

Senior guard Chris Allen poured in a game-high 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting for Iowa State. While senior Scott Christopherson and sophomore Royce White added 15 points apiece. White finished with a double-double with 11 rebounds and also added two assists.

The Cyclones jumped out to a 36-14 lead after 13 minutes, behind a 34-11 run, after UConn grabbed their only lead of the game at 5-4. While the Huskies were able to cut into the deficit and make it a 10 points game at halftime (42-32), they still struggled to show any consistency.

Second half action was much of the same, as the Huskies would put together mini spurts, only to have Iowa State respond with a bigger run of their own. Boatright cut the Iowa State to 58-52 with 8:26 to play on a 3-pointer, but the Cyclones responded with a 7-0 run. In fact over the Huskies would fail to score for the next 5:40 seconds and made their next field goal a full six minutes later.

Iowa State closed the game with 12 straight made free throws to put the Huskies away and end the careers of seniors Ethan Waite, Kyle Bailey and P.J. Cochran. While none of the three players saw a lot of action this year, Jim Calhoun may lose some of his stars like Lamb and Drummond to the NBA Draft this summer.

The Cyclones will take on (1) Kentucky Saturday, after the Wildcats skated by (16) Western Kentucky 81-66.

UConn Vs. Iowa State Halftime Score: Huskies Struggle Early, Down 42-32 At Intermission

The UConn Huskies got off to a very slow start during Thursday night's second round 2012 NCAA Tournament game against the Iowa St. Cyclones. They were down as many as 22 points, but a 5:11 stretch without a point by the Cyclones allowed the Huskies to crawl their way back to respectability. At halftime, the Cyclones lead 42-32.

The Huskies are shooting just 37.9 percent from the floor for the half. A normally strong frontcourt has struggled to produce much of anything. Roscoe Smith, Andre Drummond and Alex Oriakhi went a combined 3-for-10 from the floor. Perhaps even more surprising has been their lack of production on the boards. The Cyclones are currently winning the rebound battle, 23-12.

Shabazz Napier leads UConn with 12 points and six assists. Scott Christopherson leads Iowa State with 11 points. Royce White is on pace for a monster game with eight points and eight rebounds at intermission.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Tournament 2012, Harvard Vs. Vanderbilt Final Score: Harvard Gives Vandy Late Scare But Falls 79-70

After trailing by as many as 18 points late in the second half, (12) Harvard (26-5) put a scare in (5) Vanderbilt (25-6) before eventually falling 79-70.

In the team's first tournament appearance since 1946, the Crimson came out slow but managed to grab a 20-17 lead with 5:32 to play in the first half. It was all downhill over the next 20 minutes, as the Commodores used a 16-3 run to end the half to grab a 33-23 lead and they kept extending it in the second stanza.

Harvard trailed 62-54 with 7:52 to play but used a 22-9 run over the next six minutes to cut the deficit to five, before eventually bowing out in the third ever NCAA Tournament game (0-3). The Crimson held Vanderbilt without a field goal over the final 5:32 and were able to thrill the fans in Albuquerque behind the exploits of sophomore guard Laurent Rivard.

Rivard knocked down six-of-seven 3-point shots and finished with a team-high 20 points for the Crimson. Junior forward Kyle Casey added 13 points and five rebounds before fouling out and junior guard Brandyn Curry chipped in with 12 points.

The trio form a solid core of players that will be returning for Tommy Amaker next season, as the roster featured just three seniors. Captains Keith Wright and Oliver McNally were the team's leaders and helped turn the program around but both saw themselves surpassed slightly this season by younger players like Casey, Curry and Rivard. Alexander Van Nest was the third senior but he has been injured all season long and has not played.

Junior guard John Jenkins made sure the Commodores would not suffer their third straight first round exit with 27 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Point guard Brad Tinsley added 15 points and four assists and senior forward Jeffrey Taylor poured in 15 points for Vanderbilt.

The Commodores were able to build their big lead behind strong 3-point shooting, as Vanderbilt knocked down eight 3-pointers on just 18 attempts (44.4 percent). Vanderbilt's size and length advantage enabled them to dominate on both sides of the ball, as the Harvard bigs struggled against the size of Festus Ezeli in the paint and the longer wing players for Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt will take on (4) Wisconsin Saturday afternoon in the Round of 32, after the Badgers knocked off (13) Montana 73-49.

NCAA Tournament 2012, Vanderbilt Vs. Harvard Halftime Score: Crimson Trail, 33-23

The Harvard Crimson trail the Vanderbilt Commodores, 33-23, at halftime from The Pit in Albuquerque, NM.

Harvard and Vanderbilt played a scrappy first half with 21 made field goals and 13 turnovers. The Commodores had an advantage behind the three-point line and at the free throw line. Vandy made 5-9 from behind the arc compared to 3-10 for the Crimson. The Commodores were 6-9 at the charity stripe while Harvard was just 0-1. Harvard went cold from the field with 5:30 to play and an 16-3 run by Vandy allowed the Commodores to take a 33-23 lead into the halftime break.

Keith Wright led Harvard with four points as the Crimson's scoring was extremely balanced in the first frame. John Jenkins led Vanderbilt in scoring with 11 points in the first half. Brad Tinsley chipped in eight points for the Commodores.

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket stick with SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on every March Madness game.

NCAA Tournament 2012: New England Schools Look To Impact March Madness

UConn, Harvard and Vermont are looking to make a splash in the 2012 NCAA Tournament as the only three representatives of New England college basketball in this year's big dance. Which school will last the longest?

March Madness 2012, Vanderbilt Vs. Harvard: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Harvard Crimson play their first NCAA tournament game since 1946 on Thursday afternoon against the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Harvard, the No. 12 seed, will be looking to upset the No. 5 seed Vanderbilt at University Arena in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Crimson were ranked in the top 25 for several weeks this season, so it wouldn't be the biggest upset if they oust Vandy.

Vanderbilt enters the 2012 NCAA Tournament on a hot streak, defeating No. 1 Kentucky in the SEC championship game to capture the conference tournament title. The Commodores won three straight games en route to winning the title, ousting Georgia, Ole Miss and Kentucky.

Location: University Arena, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Game Time: 4:40 p.m., Thursday, March 15, 2012

TV: TNT

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket stick with SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on every March Madness game.

NCAA Tournament 2012: Printable NCAA Bracket

If you love the NCAA Tournament, you're likely going to fill out an NCAA bracket of your own. Problem is, the chances you accurately selecting the winner in each of the 63 games are roughly one in 100 million trillion. Seriously.

So rather than relying on white out or the good ole strikethrough strategy to adjust your bracket, you're better off checking out SB Nation's printable NCAA Tournament bracket and running with that. That way you can fill it out on the go and look like one really smart fan. Or something like that.

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket, stay with SB Nation's Selection Sunday StoryStream, and stick around SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on who was snubbed, who got the best bracket, and who will make it all the way to New Orleans and the Final Four.

NCAA Tournament 2012: Watch All The Action Online!

Got a day job? Love NCAA basketball? Don't want to miss a game?

Never fear.

If you've got a computer (with internet access), tablet or smart phone, you've got all that you need to watch the NCAA tournament.

How, you ask?

If you head to the March Madness 2012 official website, you can sign up to have every single game stream live on your computer, smartphone, or tablet for just $3.99. Beyond that, if you subscribe to one of the eligible cable providers, be sure to have your account number on hand and enter it to waive the $3.99 fee.

And as if that wasn't enough, CBS Sports will also be streaming live, free games on their official website whenever a game is airing on CBS.

The NCAA Tournament happens once a year. It would be a shame to miss it. Thanks to the gift of technology, you don't have to. Enjoy!

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket, stay with SB Nation's Selection Sunday StoryStream, and stick around SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on who was snubbed, who got the best bracket, and who will make it all the way to New Orleans and the Final Four.

NCAA Tournament 2012: SB Nation Boston March Madness Live Chat

March Madness begins in full on Thursday afternoon, and SB Nation Boston has you covered with our live chat for all of the action from day one of the 2012 NCAA Tournament. UConn, Harvard and Vermont are representing New England in the big dance, with both the Huskies and Crimson tipping off Thursday. Vermont won its first game against Lamar in the First Four round on Wednesday, setting up a date with North Carolina in the second round.

What's it going to take for the three New England teams to win it all? Seth Orensky, our college basketball writer, will be chatting live starting at noon Eastern to answer all of your questions. Plus, we have all of your March Madness coverage all throughout the tournament with our StoryStream. We hope you enjoy!

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

March Madness Schedule 2012: Second Round Action Kicks Off Thursday

While the NCAA tournament has technically started, Thursday marks the day that hoops fans across the country wait for in earnest throughout the year, as the field of 64 play begins.

Here's a look at all 16 games that will be played today, with game time, TV information, game location, and a look at the announcers for each included.

Murray State vs. Colorado State, 12:15 p.m. ET, CBS (Louisville)
Announcers: Verne Lundquist (play-by-play), Bill Raftery (analyst), Lesley Visser (sideline)

Kansas State vs. Southern Miss, 12:40 p.m. ET, truTV (Pittsburgh)
Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Len Elmore and Reggie Miller (analysts), Marty Snider (sideline)

Louisville vs. Davidson, 1:40 p.m. ET, TBS (Portland)
Announcers: Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Dan Bonner (analyst), Jenn Hildreth (sideline)

Wisconsin vs. Montana, 2:10 p.m. ET, TNT (Albuquerque)
Announcers: Spero Dedes (play-by-play), Bob Wenzel (analyst), Jamie Maggio (sideline)

Marquette vs. BYU, 2:45 p.m. ET (tentative), CBS (Louisville)
Announcers: Verne Lundquist (play-by-play), Bill Raftery (analyst), Lesley Visser (sideline)

Syracuse vs. UNC Asheville, 3:20 p.m. ET (tentative), truTV (Pittsburgh)
Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Len Elmore and Reggie Miller (analysts), Marty Snider (sideline)

New Mexico vs. Long Beach St., 4:20 p.m. ET (tentative), TBS (Portland)
Announcers: Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Dan Bonner (analyst), Jenn Hildreth (sideline)

Vanderbilt vs. Harvard, 4:40 p.m. ET (tentative), TNT (Albuquerque)
Announcers: Spero Dedes (play-by-play), Bob Wenzel (analyst), Jamie Maggio (sideline)

Kentucky vs. Western Kentucky, 6:50 p.m. ET, TBS (Louisville)
Announcers: Verne Lundquist (play-by-play), Bill Raftery (analyst), Lesley Visser (sideline)

Wichita State vs. VCU, 7:15 p.m. ET, CBS (Portland)
Announcers: Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Dan Bonner (analyst), Jenn Hildreth (sideline)

Gonzaga vs. West Virginia, 7:20 p.m. ET, TNT (Pittsburgh)
Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Len Elmore and Reggie Miller (analysts), Marty Snider (sideline)

Baylor vs. South Dakota State, 7:27 p.m. ET, truTV (Albuquerque)
Announcers: Spero Dedes (play-by-play), Bob Wenzel (analyst), Jamie Maggio (sideline)

Iowa State vs. Connecticut, 6:20 p.m. ET, TBS (Louisville)
Announcers: Verne Lundquist (play-by-play), Bill Raftery (analyst), Lesley Visser (sideline)

Indiana vs. New Mexico State, 9:20 p.m. ET (tentative), CBS (Portland)
Announcers: Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Dan Bonner (analyst), Jenn Hildreth (sideline)

Ohio State vs. Loyola Maryland, 9:50 p.m. ET (tentative), TNT (Pittsburgh)
Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Len Elmore and Reggie Miller (analysts), Marty Snider (sideline)

UNLV vs. Colorado, 9:57 p.m. ET (tentative), truTV (Albuquerque)
Announcers: Spero Dedes (play-by-play), Bob Wenzel (analyst), Jamie Maggio (sideline)

For a full NCAA Tournament bracket, click here.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Tournament 2012, Iowa State Vs. UConn: Huskies Look To Earn Date With Kentucky

In one of the most intriguing matchups of the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, Jim Calhoun and No. 9 seed UConn (20-13) will look to down No. 8 seed Iowa State (22-10) Thursday night at 9:20 p.m. EDT at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville. TBS will air the game with Leslie Visser and Bill Raftery, joining Verne Lundquist on the broadcast.

While UConn is coming off a national championship run last year that culminated with a victory over Butler, Iowa State is making their first appearance since 2005. The Cyclones have made 14 trips to the Big Dance including one appearance in the Final Four (1944) and an Elite Eight berth in 2000. In 2005, the Cyclones took down (8) Minnesota, before falling to top seed UNC in their second game.

Last year the Huskies won their final 11 games en route to a Big East Tournament Title and an NCAA Tournament Title. The third seeded Huskies knocked off (14) Bucknell and (3) Cincinnati in Washington D.C., before getting by (2) San Diego State and (5) Arizona in Anaheim. After only winning by two (65-63) in the Elite Eight, UConn had to overcome a 10-point halftime deficit to fend off (4) Kentucky 56-55. The Championship Game was nowhere near as stressful, as Jim Calhoun celebrated his third career title after a 53-41 victory over (8) Butler.

The 2011-12 edition of the Huskies is a far cry from the UConn squad that won the national championship a year ago. While the program did lose Walker and three seniors who played smaller roles, the bigger problem this year has been inconsistencies from the remaining pieces of the championship squad.

Sophomore guards Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier have led the team offensively all year and have been the team's best options in trying to replace Walker's production. Lamb is a big-time NBA prospect as he leads the team with 17.7 points and has added 4.9 rebounds and 1.75 assists per game. Napier leads the team with 5.8 assists and over four free throw attempts a game, to go along with his 12.7 points per game. While the pair both have the ability to take over games, they've struggled to consistently be aggressive and work together in the confines of Calhoun's offense.

Freshmen Andre Drummond and Ryan Boatright have both lived up to their billings as well. Drummon arrived on campus as one of the top players in his class and showed why with 10.2 points and team-high 7.7 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game. His much smaller classmate has averaged 10.5 points and 4.1 assists when he's been in the lineup. Boatright has missed nine games this year and has struggled to get into the rhythm of things, after two seperate suspensions due to NCAA investigations.

Captain Alex Oriakhi has been one of several players who have struggled mightily after facing high expectations. The junior forward has managed to average 6.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in 33 games after averaging 9.6 points and 8.7 rebounds as a sophomore. Role players Roscoe Smith and DeAndre Daniels have also struggled, as the Huskies primary three bench players (Tyler Olander) have provided little support for the starting five.

Former top prospect Royce White has blossomed in his first season at Iowa State. The dynamic Minnesota transfer has led the Cyclones with 13.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists and .9 blocks per game and has helped completely turn the program around under second-year head coach Fred Hoiberg.

Fellow transfers Scott Christopherson and Chris Allen have joined White in helping Iowa State make the quick turnaround. Christopherson started his career at Marquette, but the junior has found a home in Ames, Iowa; he's second on the team with 12.5 ppg and leads the team in 3-point field goal percentage (45 percent) and free throw shooting (89.5 percent). Allen is also a redshirt senior but is in his first year as a Cyclone after beginning at Michigan State. The 6'3" guard has averaged 11.8 points and connected on a team-high 72 made 3-pointers.

Redshirt junior Chris Babb (a Penn State transfer) and sophomore forward Melvin Ejim round out the starting lineup for Hoiberg's squad. Junior college transfer Tyrus McGee adds another veteran presence off the bench as Hoiberg has led the team a 15-17 team when he took over in 2010, to a fourth place finish in the Big 12 this year.

The key to Thursday night's matchup will likely be the paint. While UConn has slightly more size with Drummond, Oriakhi and Olander, the Huskies frontcourt have allowed more physical and hungry teams abuse them throughout the season. If Oriakhi and Drummond can hold their own and keep the rebounding totals close, UConn should be able to move on due to their superior backcourt.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Tournament 2012, Harvard Vs. Vanderbilt: Crimson Look For First Ever Tournament Victory

Harvard (26-4) will play its first NCAA Tournament game since 1946 Thursday afternoon when they take on No. 5 seed Vanderbilt (24-6) Thursday afternoon at 4:40 in Albuquerque, New Mexico in the team's second round game.

The game will be available on TNT with Spero Dedes, Bob Wenzel, and Jamie Maggio on the call. WHRB-FM in Boston will also broadcast the game with Charlie Hobbs, Scott Reed and James Yoon providing all the coverage.

While many people have jested about the school's superior academic prowess, both schools are out to prove that their basketball programs can compete on the national stage as well. After just barely missing the Big Dance last season, the Crimson is making its first tournament appearance since 1946 by finally breaking Princeton and Pennsylvania's hold on the Ivy League. Vanderbilt achieved some history of their own this season when they won their first SEC Tournament Title since 1951 with a 71-64 victory over Kentucky Sunday.

The Crimson are 0-1 against the Commodores and 0-4 against SEC opponents all time. Vanderbilt won the only meeting against the Crimson in 1993, when the Commodores cruised to a 74-58 victory in the Music City Invitational.

While Harvard is making just its second appearance all time (0-2), Vanderbilt is back for its third consecutive trip and fifth in six years. In 12 prior appearances, the Commodores are 9-13, with one trip to the Elite Eight when the tournament only included 23 teams. Vanderbilt has been upset in each of the past two years, with a buzzer-beater loss to (13) Murray State in 2010 and a 69-66 loss in the 5-12 game to Richmond last season in Denver. The two losses, coupled with their difficulties in the past, have given the Commodores the stigma of an underachieving program in the tournament.

While everyone on the Harvard roster will be making their first tournament appearance, Tommy Amaker brings a veteran group into Thursday's matchup. Senior captains Keith Wright and Oliver McNally have both played well over 100 games and have been the heart and soul of the team's resurrection under Amaker. Wright was the Ivy League Player of the Year last season and while his numbers have dipped this year, he's still averaging 10.7 ppg and a team-high 8.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. McNally has changed his role a bit as well, as he's become the glue guy for a team that has seen an influx of young talent.

Junior forward Kyle Casey leads the team with 11.3 points and adds 5.5 rebounds per game. His classmate Brandyn Curry has done a terrific job manning the point for the Crimson with 7.8 points and a team-high five assists per game. Sophomore guard Laurent Rivard is the team's fifth starter and is by far the most volatile of the five. The sharpshooter averages two made 3-pointers per game and has scored 16 or more points eight times this season.

Four freshmen come off the bench to play regular minutes for the Crimson who played a difficult non-conference schedule that included games against Florida State, UConn and road games at Vermont and Loyola Marymount. Defense is Harvard's strength, as the Crimson have only allowed opponents to average 54.8 points per game on 40 percent shooting. The defense has been so good, that the Crimson have held opponents to less than 50 points twelve times in 30 games.

Vanderbilt fields an even older starting lineup than the Crimson with four seniors and a junior who have all made their mark on the program. Junior guard John Jenkins led the SEC for the second consecutive season with 19.9 points and is five threes short of tying the Commodores single season mark of 134 made 3-pointers. New Mexico native Jeffery Taylor is third all-time in scoring in program history and provides a nice one-two punch with Jenkins, as he pours in 16.4 points per game. Point guard Brad Tinsley isn't a huge scorer but he's second all time in program history in assists and is an 84.6 percent free throw shooter.

The Commodores front court isn't too shabby either, as Festus Ezeli owns the program record in blocks (199) and Lance Goulbourne has led the team in rebounding in each of the past two seasons. The pair have combined for 18.9 points, 12.4 rebounds and over two blocks per game. Add in a pair of 6'9" forwards in Steve Tchiengang and Rod Odom and the Commodores have four players at 6'9" or taller who average 14 minutes or more.

While the Commodores have tremendous size inside, the team relies heavily upon their 3-point shooting. Vanderbilt takes over 22 3-pointers per game and knocks down 8.64 per game, shooting at just under 39 percent from behind the arc. Harvard's best chance at pulling off the upset might come in defending the perimeter, as they will give up a ton of size inside and don't have much depth behind Casey and Wright.

The winner of Thursday's contest will take on the winner of the early game between (4) Wiconsin vs. (13) Montana game Saturday in Albuquerque.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow our StoryStream. Also visit SB Nation for more March Madness coverage. Printable bracket can be viewed by clicking here.

NCAA Tournament 2012, Vermont Vs. Lamar Final Score: Catamounts Thrash Lamar 71-59

Vermont's first NCAA Tournament win may have been more dramatic and on a bigger stage but the Catamounts second victory in the Big Dance was just as sweet. The Catamounts (24-11) showed the nation that they were much than their individual pieces, as they ended Pat Knight's first season as head coach at Lamar (23-12) with an all-around effort.

Freshmen guard Four McGlynn punished the Cardinals with a game-high 18 points off the bench and Vermont won running away 71-59 in the 16 seed play-in game in the Midwest Bracket. With the win, the Catamounts will play top seeded North Carolina Friday at 4:10 in Greensboro, North Carolina.

McGlynn was a difference maker with all 10 of his first half point coming in a 15-4 Vermont run. He knocked down 5-of-9 shots on the night and connected on three 3-pointers. Senior forward Pat Bergmann added eight points off the bench, as the Catamounts bench outscored Lamar's bench 35-5.

UMass transfer Matt Glass added 11 points and two rebounds for the Catamounts, while former high school teammates Sandro Carissimo and Brian Voelkel also had big games. Carissimo poured in 10 points and Voekel finished with a typical stat line for him of three points and a team-high 12 rebounds and six assists.

Senior guards Mike James and Devon Lamb led the Cardinals with 16 points apiece but the duo combined to shoot 10-of-25. James tried to will the team back into the game but he hit just 6-of-17 shots before fouling out with four minutes to play in the game. Fellow senior guard Anthony Miles chipped in with 14 points and Stan Brown added six points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

Vermont shot 50 percent (25-of-50) from the field and turned the ball over just five times in helping John Becker earn his first postseason victory in his first year at the helm in Burlington. Lamar was held to 33 percent (20-of-60) and 4-of-13 (30.8 percent) shooting from behind the arc.

After falling behind 8-4, the Catamounts used a 15-4 run to open up a 22-12 lead and never looked back. The Cardinals managed to cut the deficit to five in the first half and to seven once in the second half but trailed for the majority of the game by double-digits.

NCAA Tournament 2012, Vermont Vs. Lamar Halftime Update: Vermont Leads 30-21

Lamar coach Pat Knight and Vermont bench boss John Becker described Thursday's matchup as a contrast of styles with the likely winner being the team who was able to establish their tempo. Through 20 minutes the clear winner has been Vermont.

The swarming Catamounts defense held Lamar to 29 percent shooting and just 21 points, en route to a 30-21 halftime lead. While Vermont's starters struggled to score in the opening minutes, freshmen guard Four McGlynn made the most of his opportunity with 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting off the bench.

McGlynn and senior forward Pat Bergmann (six points) helped lead the Vermont bench that nearly outscored Lamar in the first half (21-20). Sophomore forward Brian Voelkel pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds and tied sophomore guard Sandro Carissimo with a team-high two assists.

The Cardinals were led by senior guards Mike James and Anthony Miles who both chipped in with six points apiece. Junior forward Stan Brown grabbed six rebounds to lead Lamar who trailed for most of the stanza.

Lamar jumped out to an 8-4 lead before the first media timeout but couldn't keep the momentum going when McGlynn checked in. The Catamounts leading scorer scored all ten of his points over the next seven minutes to help Vermont grab a 22-12 lead.

NCAA Tournament 2012, Vermont Vs. Lamar: Catamounts Look To Avoid Early Exit

Vermont (23-11) will look to earn their second NCAA Tournament win in program history when they take on fellow 16 seed Lamar (23-11) Tuesday night at 6:40 p.m. in Dayton.(TV: TruTV/Radio: 101.3 FM in Burlington-not available online)

Wednesday's winner will take on top-seeded North Carolina Friday at 4:10 p.m. EDT in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The Catamounts won the America East Tournament Championship Saturday to earn the conference's automatic bid, but became the first ever America East team to be sent to Dayton and the play-in game after a down year in the conference. After jumping out to a 17 point lead with 10 minutes to play, host Stony Brook cut the lead to four with with a minute to play but Vermont moved on with a 51-43 victory.

After hitting a rut late in the regular season, Pat Knight's Lamar team has won six in a row including a 70-49 victory over McNeese State Saturday in the Southland Conference Tournament Championship Game. It is the first NCAA Tournament appearance for the Cardinals since 2000, as Knight managed to salvage his first season as head coach with this speech.

First year head coach John Becker has led the Catamounts to 23 wins and fourteen victories in their past 15 games to send the Catamounts back to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time this decade. While Vermont has made eight overall postseason appearances in the past 10 years, the Catamounts have just two wins to show for it. In 2009 the program defeated Green Bay in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational and in 2005, the (13) Catamounts defeated (4) Syracuse in a first round NCAA Tournament game.

This edition of the Catamounts doesn't have the star power of players like T.J. Sorrentine or Marqus Blakely but has come together by blending all of their pieces into a strong rotation where everyone fills a role. Freshmen guard Four McGlynn leads the team with 12 points per game off the bench and is almost an automatic shooter when left open (39 percent 3-point shooting, 89 percent free throw shooting).

Senior guard Matt Glass (11.9 ppg) and sophomore forward Luke Apfeld (10.2 ppg) join McGlynn in double-figures for the Catamounts, while two other sophomores play key roles for Vermont. America East Tournament Most Outstanding Player Brian Voelkel serves as a point forward for the Catamounts-as he averages a team-high 8.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. Point guard Sandro Carissimo can be a difference maker for the Catamounts with his ability to score off the dribble and his strong court vision.

Lamar is led by a core group of upper classmen (five seniors and one junior) who have scored over 85 percent of the team's points. Senior guard Mike James averages a team-high 17.2 points on 45.7 percent shooting, while senior point guard has chipped in with 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and a team-best 4.08 assists per game. Senior guard Devon Lamb (6'2") has pulled down a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game for the Cardinals, while fellow senior Brandon Davis is the team's best outside shooter with 59 3-pointers.

While the two programs have never played, both coaches were able to point out opponents they faced this season that played similar styles. Becker noted that Iona played a similar fast-paced tempo and are led by a very talented group of athletic guards, in the regular season matchup, Iona defeated Vermont 73-72 in Burlington. On the other side, Knight compared Vermont to conference foes Stephen F. Austin and Nicholls State. The two patient squads who shoot the ball well, both split a pair of conference games with the Cardinals and held Lamar well below their season average of 75 points per game.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow along with our StoryStream.

March Madness 2012, Lamar Vs. Vermont: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The No. 16 seed Vermont Catamounts take on the No. 16 seed Lamar Cardinals on Wednesday night in a play-in game for the 2012 NCAA tournament.

Vermont survived a hostile road environment to dispatch Stony Brook in the finals of the America East Tournament, 51-43. The Catamounts have won 14 of their past 15 during John Becker's first season as head coach.

Lamar lost to Stephen F. Austin on Feb. 22, prompting a rant from coach Pat Knight directed at the team's seniors that made national news. It's unclear exactly what affect the speech had, but Anthony Miles went to the coach the next day and apologized on behalf of the senior class, and the Cardinals have not lost since. Their most recent triumph was a 70-49 shellacking of McNeese State in the Southland Conference Tournament championship.

Game Time: 6:40 p.m. ET, Wednesday, March 14

Location: University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, OH

TV: TRU

For more NCAA Tournament coverage, be sure to check out our tourney stream, our SB Nation Tournament Hub, printable bracket and SB Nation Boston for all your March Madness needs.

Obama Bracket 2012: The President Finds A Champion

March Madness Schedule 2012

With day one of March Madness in the books, we turn our attention to Dayton once more this evening for Day Two of the first round.

Last night was incredible, with the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky coming from 15 points down in the second half to defeat Mississippi Valley State. Even more stunning, BYU rallied from a 25 point deficit to claim victory over a beleaguered Iona squad.

Tonight, the 16-seeded Lamar Cardinals and Vermont Catamounts will get things kicked off before the California Golden Bears and South Florida Bulls tangle in a battle of 12-seeded teams.

For the full NCAA Tournament Bracket, please click here.

The winner of Lamar/Vermont will get the unenviable task of taking on the North Carolina Tar Heels. The victor in the South Florida/Cal game will have a date with Temple on Friday.

Both games can be seen on tru TV, with Vermont/Lamar scheduled to tip-off at 6:40 p.m ET with the USF/Cal game set for 9:10 p.m. ET.

Be sure to check out SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub. Also please check out our tourney stream and follow this link for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket.

NCAA Tournament 2012: Vermont Takes On Lamar In First Round

Four McGlynn and the No. 16 seeded Vermont Catamounts battle the No. 16 seeded Lamar Cardinals in the first round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament, otherwise known as the First Four, at 6:30 p.m. EDT (truTV) on Wednesday in Dayton, Ohio.

Vermont and Lamar have never played each other before. Both have records of 23-11 punched their tickets to the big dance by winning their conference tournaments, with the Catamounts topping Stony Brook to win the America East Tournament and the Cardinals beating McNeese State to win the Southland Conference Tournament.

The Cardinals have an edge in scoring, averaging 73.9 points compared to the Catamounts' 67.2 points. Defensively, the Catamounts allow 60.5 points while Lamar gives up 65.4 points per contest. Vermont has a collective field goal percentage of 44.3 percent while Lamar shoots 43.5 percent as a team.

This is the fifth appearance in the NCAA Tournament for the Catamounts, who most recently made an appearance in 2010 as a No. 16 seed when they lost to No. 1 seed Syracuse, 79-56, in Buffalo, New York. Vermont only has one win all-time in the big dance, defeating then No. 4 seed Syracuse 60-57 in overtime as a No. 13 seed in 2005. The Catamounts were defeated by No. 5 seed Michigan State, 72-61, in the second round.

The winner of Vermont and Lamar will face No. 1 seed North Carolina in the second round.

For more 2012 NCAA Tournament coverage, follow along with our StoryStream.

Barack Obama NCAA Tournament Bracket 2012: Final Four Picks Are In

President Barack Obama's 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket is set. On Tuesday he revealed his Final Four choices, taking the Kentucky Wildcats, Ohio State Buckeyes, Missouri Tigers and North Carolina Tar Heels to reach the semifinals. His full bracket will be revealed Wednesday on ESPN.

Obama has made his bracket public in each of the last four seasons, in what has become a rite of March Madness. He has correctly picked the winner just once, taking the Tar Heels in 2009. In 2010 and 2011 he had the Kansas Jayhawks winning the Big Dance. Obama apparently learned his lesson this year.

This year, Obama is challenging fans to try and beat him by submitting their brackets to his campaign website. Anyone who can beat the president will have their names published on the site.

For more on this game, stay tuned to SB Nation Boston's NCAA Tournament StoryStream. For more March Madness news and analysis head on over to SB Nation's NCAA Basketball page.

2012 NCAA Tournament Schedule: Harvard Vs. Vanderbilt Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Harvard Crimson and the Vanderbilt Commodores will tip off their second round 2012 NCAA Tournament game on Thursday following the conclusion of Wisconsin-Montana. The 5-seed Commodores should be heavily favored when they take on the 12th-seeded Crimson.

Harvard earned their second-ever tournament bid after defeating Cornell in the IVY League Conference Tournament. The last time the Crimson made the Big Dance was 1946, back when only eight teams were given invites.

Vandy scored one of the biggest wins of the year, taking out the No. 1 overall seed Kentucky Wildcats in the SEC Tournament championship game. They asserted their will at the rim over a physical Wildcats squad, and could give the Crimson plenty of headaches in that regard.

Game date/time: Thursday, March 15, 4:40 p.m. ET

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico

TV: TNT

Announcers: Spero Dedes and Bob Wenzel. Jamie Maggio reporting.

For more on this game, stay tuned to SB Nation Boston's NCAA Tournament StoryStream. For more March Madness news and analysis head on over to SB Nation's NCAA Basketball page.

NCAA Bracket 2012 Predictions: Harvard An Upset Candidate In East Region

Rarely is the Ivy League conference champion a popular pick to upset the SEC tournament champions, but the Harvard Crimson are not your average Ivy League champ.

Harvard spent a lot of time this season in the top 25, and the Crimson's first-round opponent, the Vanderbilt Commodores are a streaky team capable of great feats (upsetting Kentucky in the SEC tournament championship) or lowly disappointments (a 61-55 loss to Indiana State, which finished under .500 in the Missouri Valley Conference).

With that in mind, SB Nation's Bill Connelly picks the No. 12 seed Crimson to win a first-round upset in his NCAA Bracket Predictions 2012. Connelly predicts the Crimson to fall to No. 4 seed Wisconsin in round two of the East region, with No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Florida State and No. 8 Kansas State joining Wisconsin in Connelly's sweet sixteen.

Yes, that means Connelly chose Syracuse to be knocked off in round two.

For more on this region and the impending March Madness season, check out SB Nation's college hoops news hub. Stay tuned to our StoryStream for more Harvard recaps, previews and news updates.

NCAA Bracket Predictions 2012: Connecticut Huskies Predicted To Fall Before Second Weekend

The Connecticut Huskies enter the NCAA Tournament as an enigma, a squad talented enough to take down any challenger yet inconsistent enough to fall on any given night.

With Andre Drummond now in the fold, the argument can be made that the Huskies are more talented than last year's championship team, yet the Huskies received just a No. 9 seed. They also were unfortunate enough to be placed in the South Region, where a meeting with Kentucky looms if UConn can advance to round two.

In SB Nation's Bill Connelly NCAA Bracket Predictions 2012, he picks the Huskies to beat No. 8 seed Iowa State in round one but fall to Kentucky in the following round. Connelly chooses Kentucky, No. 2 Duke, No. 3 Baylor and No. 5 Wichita State to advance to the Sweet Sixteen from the South Region, with Kentucky being his selection to advance to the Final Four.

For more coverage of the NCAA Tournament, be sure to check out our tourney stream, our NCAA Tournament Hub, The UConn Blog, and SB Nation Boston for all your needs.

March Madness 2012: Harvard Basketball Path to March Madness

Harvard earned a No. 12 seed in the East region by winning the Ivy League regular season title.

March Madness 2012: UConn Basketball And Its Path To The Tournament

UConn had a rough ride to the NCAA Tournament this year. Now that they've arrived however, the Huskies are certainly not to be overlooked.

Printable March Madness Bracket 2012

With the field of 68 set in stone and the games set to get underway in Dayton, OH on Tuesday evening, it's that time of year again.

Whether you play in office pools, with college buddies or just like to challenge yourself, it's time once again to fill out an NCAA Tournament bracket. It's really become an American institution and one of the most enjoyable ones for sure. Without March Madness, March in the Northeast would be a whole lot tougher to deal with.

Can't find a new shiny bracket to write on? Well, look no further my friend. Click here for our printable 2012 bracket.

It's always nice to have a little help when trying to sort through the tougher picks, and as you'll see below, SB Nation has you covered with all kinds of expert opinions.

For regional breakdowns, just follow any of these four links:

West Region

East Region

Midwest Region

South Region

Also, here's a comprehensive list of our great blogs

For even more fun, take a few minutes and fill out a bracket to join our 2012 NCAA Bracket pool to play against some of the network's brightest.

For more NCAA Tournament coverage, be sure to check out our tournament stream, SB Nation's tournament hub and SB Nation Boston. Also make sure to check out our NCAA Tournament Printable Bracket stream. Enjoy the road to New Orleans!

2012 NCAA Tournament Schedule: UConn Vs. Iowa State Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The 9-seed UConn Huskies will tip off against the 8-seed Iowa State Cyclones in the second round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament on Thursday. Both teams made the tourney as at-large bids.

The Huskies will look to defend last year's national title despite having plenty of ups-and-downs this season. At one points, they were in danger of not making the tournament after losing four games in a row. They came on strong at the end of the season, losing by three points to 1-seed Syracuse in the Big East Tournament.

The Cyclones went out in their first game of the Big 12 Tournament to the Texas Longhorns. They scored wins over Baylor and Kansas during the regular season to strengthen their resume, however.

Game date/time: Thursday, March 15, 9:20 p.m. ET

Location: Louisville, Kentucky

TV: TBS

Announcers: Brian Anderson and Dan Bonner. Jenn Hildreth reporting.

For more on this game, stay tuned to SB Nation Boston's NCAA Tournament StoryStream. Also be sure to check out The UConn Blog for everything Huskies, and Wide Right & Natty Light for all you need to know on the Cyclones. For more March Madness news and analysis head on over to SB Nation's NCAA Basketball page.

2012 NCAA Tournament Schedule: Vermont Vs. Lamar Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Vermont Catamounts and the Lamar Cardinals will play each other Wednesday for the right to face the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

The Catamounts are coming off a victory over Stony Brook in the America East Tournament championship game to earn an automatic bid into this year's Big Dance. They will be making the sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament in the history of their program.

The Lamar Cardinals are also making their sixth appearance in the tourney after 23-11 this year and winning the Southland Conference Tournament. They rank 10th in the country averaging 39.6 rebounds per game.

Game date/time: Wednesday, March 14, 6:40 p.m. ET

Location: Dayton, Ohio

TV: truTV

Announcers: Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel. Lewis Johnson reporting.

For more on this game, stay tuned to SB Nation Boston's NCAA Tournament StoryStream. For more March Madness news and analysis head on over to SB Nation's NCAA Basketball page.

NIT Bracket 2012: UMass Lands No. 5 Seed

The full 32-team 2012 NIT Bracket is set, now that the field for the NCAA Tournament has been picked. The UMass Minutemen landed a 5-seed after going 22-11 this season. They missed out on an automatic tournament bid, losing to St. Bonaventure in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament semifinals.

The Minutemen will face the 4-seeded Mississippi State Bulldogs in the first round of the NIT. A win would potentially set up second-round matchup with the 1-seed Seton Hall Pirates.

The tournament's other 1-seeds include the Washington Huskies, Arizona Wildcats and Tennessee Volunteers. The Drexel Dragons, considered one of the biggest snubs from this year's pool of bubble teams, landed the No. 3 seed in the same side of the bracket as the Minutemen. Ole Miss landed the No. 2 seed.

You can check out the full 2012 NIT Tournament field here.

For more on the impending March Madness season, check out SB Nation's college hoops news hub. Stay tuned to our StoryStream for more updates from the region.

2012 NCAA Bracket: Havard Lands In East Region, Could Face 4-Seed Wisconsin

After a successful regular season, the Harvard Crimson have landed the 12-seed in the East region for this year's NCAA Tournament, as the selection committee announced on Sunday. They were the only team from the Ivy League to make the tournament, earning an automatic invitation after beating Cornell in the conference championship game.

The East region should pose numerous challenges for a talented Harvard team. In the first round of the tournament, the Crimson will be facing the 5-seeded Vanderbilt Commodores, with the winner moving on to face either the No. 4 seeded Wisconsin Badgers or 13-seeded Montana Grizzlies in the second round.

If the Crimson have some success early in the tournament, they could eventually face the likes of 1-seed Syracuse or 2-seed Ohio State in later rounds.

Harvard will be appearing in the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in the program's history. They last made the tournament in 1946, losing to Ohio State in the first round of the then 8-team tournament.

Here is the full bracket for the East Region, as well as the printable bracket for the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

For more on this region and the impending March Madness season, check out SB Nation'scollege hoops news hub. Stay tuned to our StoryStream for more Harvard recaps, previews and news updates.

2012 NCAA Bracket: Vermont Lands In Midwest Region, Could Face North Carolina

After a successful regular season, the Vermont Catamounts have landed the 16-seed in the Midwest region for this year's NCAA Tournament, as the selection committee announced on Sunday. The Catamounts are the only team from the America East Conference to make the tournament, earning an automatic invitation after beating Stony Brook in the conference tournament.

The Midwest region should pose numerous challenges for a talented Vermont team. They will play a play-in game against the Lamar Cardinals, with the winner moving on to face No. 1 seeded North Carolina Tar Heels in the first round of 64 teams.

If the Catamounts pull off a massive upset over UNC, they could eventually face the likes of 4-seed Michigan, 3-seed Georgetown or 2-seed Kansas in later rounds.

Vermont will be appearing in the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time time in their history. Their highest finish ever came in 1980 when they beat Weber State and Oregon State to advance to the Sweet 16.

Here is the full bracket for the Midwest Region, as well as the printable bracket for the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

For more on this region and the impending March Madness season, check out SB Nation's college hoops news hub. Stay tuned to our StoryStream for more Harvard recaps, previews and news updates.

2012 NCAA Bracket: UConn Lands In South Region, Could Face Kentucky

After a successful regular season, the Connecticut Huskies have landed the 9-seed in the South region for this year's NCAA Tournament, as the selection committee announced on Sunday. One of nine teams from the Big East Conference to get a bid, the Huskies got an at-large invitation from the tournament selection committee.

The South region should pose numerous challenges for a talented UConn team. In the first round of the tournament, the Huskies will be facing the 8-seeded Iowa State Cyclones, with the winner moving on to likely face the tournament's No. 1 overall seeded Kentucky Wildcats in the second round.

If the Huskies have some success early in the tournament, they could eventually face the likes of 4-seed Indiana, and 2-seed Duke to advance to the Final Four.

UConn will be appearing in the NCAA Tournament for the 17th time in the Jim Calhoun era. The Huskies have appeared in 29 tournaments overall. They will look to defend last year's title won against the Butler Bulldogs.

Here is the full bracket for the South Region, as well as the printable bracket for the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

For more on this region and the impending March Madness season, check out SB Nation's college hoops news hub. Stay tuned to our StoryStream for more Harvard recaps, previews and news updates.

NCAA Bracket 2012: Vermont To Play Lamar In First Four Game On Wednesday

After landing the No. 16 seed in the 2012 NCAA Tournament, the Vermont Catamounts will be playing 16th-seeded Lamar to kick things off in their First Four game on March 14. The Catamounts received an automatic bid after winning the America East Conference Tournament, 51-43, over Stony Brook.

The Lamar Cardinals (23-11, 11-5 Southland) earned the automatic bid from the Southland Conference by winning the conference tournament championship game, 70-49, over McNeese State. Lamar has three players who score in double figures: Mike James (17.2 ppg), Anthony Miles (14.5) and Devon Lamb (11.9). Lamb leads the team in rebounds with 7.9 per game while Miles leads the team in assists with 4.1 per game. James, Miles and Lamb each average at least 1.6 steals per game. Osas Ebomwonyi (6-11, 220) only averages 12.4 minutes per game in the middle for the Cardinals but swats 1.9 shots per game to lead the team. In the Southland Tournament championship game, Ebomwonyi had 9 points, 9 rebounds and 6 blocks in 25 minutes.

For more on this region and the impending March Madness season, check out SB Nation's college hoops news hub. Stay tuned to our StoryStream for more Vermont recaps, previews and news updates.

NCAA Bracket 2012: Harvard To Play Vanderbilt In First Game

After landing the No. 12 seed in the 2012 NCAA Tournament, the Harvard Crimson will be playing 5th-seeded Vanderbilt to kick things off in their first game on March 15. The Crimson received an automatic bid after winning the Ivy League with a 12-2 record during the regular season.

The Vanderbilt Commodores (24-10, 10-6 SEC) got the No. 5 seed after shocking the No. 1 team in the country in Kentucky, 71-64, in the championship game of the SEC Tournament. The win gave Vandy the SEC's autobid into the NCAA Tournament. Jeffery Taylor led the Commodores past the Wildcats with 18 points and 11 rebounds in the game. John Jenkins led Vandy in scoring during the regular season with 20 points per game. Taylor scored 16.3 points per game during the regular season. Festus Ezeli (6-11, 255) is a big presence inside for the Commodores who averages nearly 10 points and two blocks per game.

For more on this region and the impending March Madness season, check out SB Nation's college hoops news hub. Stay tuned to our StoryStream for more Harvard recaps, previews and news updates.

NCAA Bracket 2012: UConn To Play Iowa State In First Game

After landing the No. 9 seed in the 2012 NCAA Tournament, the UConn Huskies will be playing 8th-seeded Iowa State to kick things off in their first game on March 15. The Huskies received an at-large bid from the tournament selection committee.

The Iowa State Cyclones (22-10, 12-6 Big 12) were also an at-large selection out of the Big XII and are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2005. Iowa State lost to Texas in the quarterfinal of the Big XII Tournament. The Cyclones are led by Royce White's 13.1 points per game, 9.2 rebounds per game, 5.2 and 1.2 assists per game. White was named the Big 12's Newcomer of the Year and was a first-team All-Big 12 selection. Scott Christopherson (12.5 ppg) and Chris Allen (11.8 ppg) also score in double figures for the Cyclones.

Iowa State's out-of-conference results were not that impressive, but the Cyclones did defeat Kansas and Baylor inside their conference. Iowa State and UConn have never met on the basketball court.

For more on this region and the impending March Madness season, check out SB Nation's college hoops news hub. Stay tuned to our StoryStream for more UConn recaps, previews and news updates.

NCAA Printable Bracket 2012: Follow Harvard, Vermont And Connecticut In March Madness

The 2012 NCAA Tournament field has been announced, and three New England teams will be a part of the Madness. Connecticut earned a No. 9 seed, Harvard is a No. 12 seed and Vermont is a No. 16 seed. To track all three teams during March Madness, check out SB Nation's printable bracket. You can find the printable bracket for the 2012 NCAA Tournament right here.

For those who prefer online resources to paper and pen office pools, be sure to head over to Yahoo! and fill out a bracket here.

More NCAA Tournament resources:

West Region

East Region

Midwest Region

South Region

Our Outstanding Network Of College Blogs

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket, stay with SB Nation's Selection Sunday StoryStream, and stick around SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a completeprintable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on who was snubbed, who got the best bracket, and who will make it all the way to New Orleans and the Final Four.

NCAA Tournament 2012 Bracket Update: Vermont Is 16 Seed, Will Face Lamar On Wednesday In First Four Game

Vermont earned a 16-seed in the 2012 NCAA Tournament and will face the Lamar Cardinals in a First Four game on March 14 in Dayton, Ohio.

NCAA Tournament 2012 Bracket Update: Harvard Is 12-Seed, Will Face Vanderbilt On Thursday

Harvard has earned a 12-seed in the 2012 NCAA Tournament and will face 5th seeded Vanderbilt in their first game.

NCAA Tournament 2012 Bracket Update: UConn Is 9-Seed, Will Face Iowa State On Thursday

Connecticut has earned an at-large bid to the 2012 NCAA Tournament. They will be a 9-seed and face 8-seed Iowa State in their first game.

NCAA Selection Sunday 2012: Time, TV Schedule And More

Selection Sunday will air on CBS tomorrow at 6 PM EST. Harvard and Connecticut are both expected to be seeded in the nine or ten range, but where they will play and who they will play will be revealed on Sunday.

When: March 11 at 6 PM EST

TV Schedule: CBS

Where: Banker's Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis

Broadcast Team: Jeff Hathaway, Jim Nantz, Clark Kellogg, Steve Kerr, Greg Gumbel, Greg Anthony and Seth Davis

Immediately following the traditional Selection Sunday show on CBS, TruTV will air a new show called 'Hardcore Brackets' discussing reasons and details why certain teams were selected and why some where not. That show will feature Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith, among others.

For all of the latest information on UConn, check out The UConn Blog, and for all of your latest Harvard news and info, check out our team page. Be sure to check back with Dobbertean's Bracketology, as he'll continue to update the bracket leading up to Sunday's selection process.