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.