Ladies and Gentlemen, it's almost here: the 2010 Final Four in Indianapolis looms, but first a look back at what's transpired this March Madness.
The 2010 NCAA Tournament has been one to remember with titans Kansas (33-3), Villanova (25-8), Georgetown (23-11) and Vanderbilt (24-9) all losing before the first weekend was even over.
2010 Cinderellas
First round underdogs who slayed Goliath included 14 Ohio (22-15) pounding 3 Georgetown and 13 Murray State (31-5) erasing 4 Vanderbilt (24-9) from the brackets. While those two upsets stirred the nation on the first day, eight more upsets would ensue through the first round.
Cinderellas 12 Cornell (29-5), 11 Washington (26-10), 10 Saint Mary's (28-6) and 9 Northern Iowa (30-5) had dates in the Sweet 16 after conquering two higher seeds apiece.
Cornell shot the lights out, Washington's transition offense was in full flight, Saint Mary's Omar Samhan solidified his NBA Draft stock and Northern Iowa stole the show with their unwillingness to back down against the 2008 NCAA Tournament Champion Kansas Jayhawks.
However, the Sweet 16 games were the final chapters for the Cinderellas. Storybook seasons ended for the East Region's underdogs Cornell and Washington on Thursday, March 25 with tough defeats to 1 Kentucky (35-3) and 2 West Virginia (31-6) who stifled them in the halfcourt.
Saint Mary's and Northern Iowa's magical runs ran out too the next day when 3 Baylor (28-8) and 5 Michigan State (28-8) eliminated them.
The Gaels achieved school history by winning consecutive March Madness games- 7 Richmond (26-9) and 2 Villanova (25-8).
Tennessee's Season to Remember
A tight-knit group of guys in 6 Tennessee (28-9) did the unthinkable reaching the Elite Eight. Some thought they would lose in the first round, but the Volunteers were just one jump shot away from reaching the Final Four.
Tennessee doused Kansas and Kentucky in the regular-season. All they did in the NCAA Tournament was eliminate three Conference Tournament Champs: 11 San Diego State (25-9), 14 Ohio and 2 Ohio State (29-8) before Co-Big 10 regular-season champion Michigan State knocked them out.
Tennessee's J.P. Prince defied the laws of gravity with his spectacular dunks. However, he made a costly foul on Spartan Raymar Morgan that ultimately would cost the Volunteers the game. With one last chance, Prince's last second heave from halfcourt fell way short, but the season's been one to remember.
The Tennessee transfer endured an up and down season along with his teammates that will be remembered forever by Volunteer fans for beating top-ranked Kansas with only six scholarship players.
2010 Final Four Breakdown
Bob Huggins' 2 West Virginia (31-6) beat the East Region's top-seed Kentucky (35-3) en route to the Final Four. Their offense hasn't always been present in the tournament, but the Mountaineers defense is why West Virginia is in the Final Four for the first time since 1959.
They slowed down double-digit seeds Washington (26-10), Missouri (23-11) and Morgan State (27-10) on their way to the Elite Eight. They called on their defense once again to kick Kentucky to the curb and now find themselves one win away from playing for a national championship.
When West Virginia's starting point guard Darryl "Truck" Bryant went down Tuesday during practice, the Final Four was the furthest thing on the Mountaineer players and coaches minds.
However, they've climbed an uphill battle twice by erasing halftime leads to reach Indianapolis. The Mountaineers have won ugly in turnover filled games. If West Virginia keeps another opponent under 40 percent from the field, the Mountaineers could win a fifth straight tournament game. Their next opponent is 1 Duke (33-5).
Defense is contagious to winning championships. The boys from 5 Butler (32-4) have only conceded more than 70 points three times this season- losing all three. However, in NCAA Tournament games, they've yet to yield 60 points.
Butler's faced four high-scoring tournament teams (all averaging more than 75 points a game this season): 12 UTEP (26-7), 13 Murray State, 1 Syracuse (30-5) and 2 Kansas State (29-8).
The Bulldogs are the only Division I men's team to not lose a game this year. Butler shoots for their 25th win in a row against 5 Michigan State who has won their last two games without star Kalin Lucas.
The undermanned Spartans held off a furious rally against 4 Maryland (24-9) in the second round when Lucas hobbled off the court late in the first half. Michigan State has beaten their four opponents thus far in the tournament by a combined 13 points. With a collective effort from 10 players since Lucas was sidelined, the Spartans have rallied from halftime deficits in their last two tilts to ensure their second straight trip to the Final Four.
With the win, the South Region's top-seed Duke improved to 11-1 in Regional Finals since 1985. The 3 Baylor Bears tried to dismiss the Blue Devils to give Indianapolis its second straight Final Four without a No. 1 seed, but it was not to be. Duke's dominance on the rebounds is why they've been able to win even when shots have not fallen.
All four teams who've booked a trip to the Final Four in Indianapolis play exceptional defense. Three more games will determine who wins the 2010 NCAA Tournament Championship.
Tyrone Bowman - I'm 25, a recent Journalism graduate of Sacramento State, love the outdoors and am ultra-competitive. I thrive for perfection even though ...
Join the Conversation