What has me especially excited about this year’s post is that my beloved Hoosiers actually have what seems like – knock on wood – a pretty good chance to get back to the tournament for first time in this website’s existence. (Wow, does that put things into perspective. It’s been too long.)

To see if Indiana or any other team is currently projected to be a March Madness 2012 participant, and where the teams will likely be seeded, here is a link to the best March Madness 2012 bracketology on the web.

And now, here is all of the basic information you need to know about the 2012 edition of March Madness, including the schedule, key dates, all of the tournament sites, and links to buy tickets to each of the 67 games that will comprise this year’s NCAA Tournament – the greatest sports month of the year.

March Madness 2012 Schedule and Key Dates

Here are the key dates to keep in mind as this year’s NCAA Tournament approaches:

• March 5-March 11: Conference Championship Week
• March 11: Selection Sunday
• March 13 and 14: First Four
• March 15 and 16: Second Round Games*
• March 17 and 18: Third Round Games*
• March 22 and 23: Sweet 16 Games
• March 24 and 25: Elite 8 Games
• March 31: Final 4
• April 2: NCAA Championship Game

* – Remember that because of the First Four, the games on the NCAA Tournament’s traditional opening weekend are now officially referred to as “second round” and “third round” games, as silly as that sounds.

March Madness 2012 Tournament Sites and Tickets

Below you will find a breakdown of the March Madness 2012 schedule by tournament site, with links for you to buy tickets to each site. Obviously it is tough to know which site to buy tickets for if you follow a specific team, which is why I encourage you to bookmark this page so you can come back in March when the field of 68 is announced.

All ticket links below go to TicketLiquidator.com. Midwest Sports Fans does have an affiliate relationship with Ticket Liquidator, so we greatly appreciate you purchasing your tickets via the links below as each purchase helps to keep our website alive.

I have ordered tickets from Ticket Liquidator in the past, so I can personally vouch for their ordering system and customer service. I would not link you to them if I could not.

Additionally, here are some other links that may help with your travel plans:

• Hotels.com: Book hotels for March Madness 2012
• Priceline: Last-minute deals of up to 60% off on March Madness travel — flights, hotels, cars, and Packages
• Travelocity: Travelocity saves you 20% or more on March Madness air fares and more

First Four Sites and Tickets

• Dates: March 13th and 14th
• Site: University of Dayton Arena in Dayton Ohio
• First Four Tickets: All Session Strip

Second and Third Round Sites and Tickets

Portland, Oregon

• Dates: March 15th and 17th
• Site: Rose Garden
• Tickets: All Session Strip | Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3

Albuquerque, New Mexico

• Dates: March 15th and 17th
• Site: The Pit
• Tickets: All Session Strip | Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Dates: March 15th and 17th
• Site: Consol Energy Center
• Tickets: All Session Pass | Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3

Louisville, Kentucky

• Dates: March 15th and 17th
• Site: KFC Yum! Center
• Tickets: All Session Strip | Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3

Columbus, Ohio

• Dates: March 16th and 18th
• Site: Nationwide Arena
• Tickets: All Session Strip | Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3

Omaha, Nebraska

• Dates: March 16th and 18th
• Site: CenturyLink Center
• Tickets: All Session Strip | Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3

Nashville, Tennessee

• Dates: March 16th and 18th
• Site: Bridgestone Arena
• Tickets: All Session Strip | Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3

Greensboro, North Carolina

• Dates: March 16th and 18th
• Site: Greensboro Coliseum
• Tickets: All Session Strip | Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3

Regional Sites and Tickets

East Regional in Boston, Massachusetts

• Dates: March 22nd and March 24th
• Site: TD Garden
• Tickets: All Session Strip | Sweet 16 Games | Elite 8 Game

West Regional in Phoenix, Arizona

• Dates: March 22nd and March 24th
• Site: US Airways Center
• Tickets: All Session Strip | Sweet 16 Games | Elite 8 Game

Midwest Regional in St. Louis, Missouri

• Dates: March 23rd and 25th
• Site: Edward Jones Dome
• Tickets: All Session Strip | Sweet 16 Games | Elite 8 Game

South Regional in Atlanta, Georgia

• Dates: March 23rd and 25th
• Site: Georgia Dome
• Tickets: All Session Strip | Sweet 16 Games | Elite 8 Game

Final Four Site and Tickets

New Orleans, Louisiana

• Dates: March 31 and April 2
• Site: The Superdome
• Tickets: All Session Strip | Final Four Games | National Championship Game

March Madness History

Longtime readers of MSF know that we have done a number of posts related to the history of this wonderful sporting event. Here are links to these posts:

• NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament History: Past Champions, Final Four participants, Final Four locations by year, and interesting tournament tidbits
• NCAA Champions – Mens Basketball: All-time list of mens basketball NCAA Tournament champions, ordered from most won to least.
• NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament MOPs: All-Time List

And just to whet your appetite or another exciting March, how about the last two One Shining Moment videos? MSF’s beloved Butler Bulldogs are featured prominently in both, and since they don’t look like national contenders this year, it seems like an appropriate tribute.

Of course, at this time last year everyone was saying the same thing…

————-

While no one can ever replace Gus, there is one clear way that the folks at CBS and Turner Sports can rise and fire a shot in the arm of their NCAA Tournament coverage for this year and into the future: sign up Dan Dakich as a color commentator.

More on Dakich and what would make him an immediate upgrade in a second. First, a very quick requiem for Gus.

I know it seems incomprehensible. No Gus Johnson during March Madness? HOW CAN THIS BE?

Well, Richard Deitsch of SI.com broke it down last May when it happened. The two sides could not agree on a deal, so Gus became part of the Fox Sports. While I like that this makes him a featured voice on the Big Ten Network, I would gladly trade regular season Gus for March Gus.

But the purpose of this post is not to spend and inordinate amount of time dwelling on depressing thoughts like March Madness without Gus Johnson. So let me have one good cry and let’s move on.

Why Dan Dakich?

So…why Dan Dakich, you may ask? If you are asking that question, you clearly have never heard Dakich call a game.

While there are sure to be dissenters out there, and I welcome your feedback in the comment section, I rarely hear any negative comments about Dakich’s work from fans of either team during a game he’s calling or from neutral observers. What makes this especially interesting is that the majority of the games I watch that feature Dakich on the mic are Indiana games.

In case you don’t know, Dakich played at Indiana, he coached at Indiana under Bob Knight for a number of years, and he even bridged the short and tumultuous gap between He Who Shall Not Be Named and Tom Crean. You might think, then, that his calls would be somewhat biased. I’ve never found that to be the case, nor have I ever seen a fan of an Indiana opponent criticize Dakich for being a homer.

You may be thinking: great Jerod, that’s really wonderful you jackwagon, but since when does “He’s not a homer” qualify someone to be an announcer for the NCAA Tournament?

Image credit: InsideTheHall.com

Because it speaks to Dakich’s #1 and #2 qualifications: he’s honest and he’s candid.

I have no doubt that Dakich is loving seeing IU’s return to national prominence this year, and he isn’t shy about sharing anecdotes from his IU tenure as a player or coach. But he takes his role in the media seriously, like his daily radio show in Indy, and there are no “sacred cows” with Dakich. He will criticize an IU player, or Tom Crean, when a situation calls for it, and he will laud someone from IU when the situation calls for it. He’ll do the same for their opponents.

Usually, he’s spot on.

Furthermore, Dakich knows people, and he knows things. And he relays these things to the viewer.

On more than one occasion, I’ve thought myself, “I wonder if Dakich should really be saying this on TV?” in regards to an anecdote he’ll give about something that happened at a team’s practice or other “insider” info that typically isn’t given during broadcasts. And these insider stories don’t always shine positive light on their subject. They do, however, shine honest light on their subject, and they provide viewers with a more well-rounded and contextualized understanding of the game they are watching.

Contrast this with someone like Dickie V who, God love him, has made it his personal crusade to protect every coach and spout almost nothing but plaudits and platitudes that we can all see coming from 10 miles away. I sometimes feel like if you gave me a Dick Vitale sound board, I could fill in for him and no one would notice.

But Vitale isn’t an NCAA Tournament announcer, so comparing Dakich to him is pointless. I do so only to highlight the value of having Dakich’s voice on the college basketball beat now. It’s refreshing. It’s informative. It’s compelling.

And Dakich has been around the block a few times too. He played college basketball. He’s coached it. He’s experienced good times, bad times, weird times. Most importantly, he’s smart about the game, and he’s very adept at explaining things that happen concisely and cogently. This is a must-have for a good color commentator, and Dakich has it.

And now he needs to make its way into March Madness.

Who Would Dakich Replace?

Even without Gus Johnson, there are a number of voices and personalities to look forward to come March. Bill Raftery is and will always be ONIONS! Jay Bilas* gets better every year, and he has gone from someone who annoyed me to someone whose perspective I now actively seek out. Marv Albert and Steve Kerr are a terrific tandem that did a much better job calling college games than I figured they would. Clark Kellogg has an entertaining style and genuine love for college hoops that I enjoy, even if Jim Nantz’s work has really started to become an annoyance to me. Dan Bonner seems solid.

But Len Elmore? Jim Spanarkel? Bob Wenzel? REGGIE MILLER?

Elmore is okay, I guess, and I may be short-changing Spanarkel and Wenzel (please comment below if I am) but neither one has ever differentiated himself for me. Reggie Miller’s awfulness goes without saying, even though I want to say it anyway because he’s so awful.

Please someone give me a good reason why Dan Dakich would not be an upgrade over any of those four guys? Frankly, I’d take Dakich over almost anyone currently slated to provide color analysis for the NCAA Tournament, but I don’t expect you to be quite as excited about it as I am. So let’s just reduce the argument to the worst and/or least respected/anticipated/differentiated voices (however you want to describe them) of March. Why shouldn’t Dakich, whose done games on ESPN for a number of years now to raise his profile and prove his skill, be calling the season’s most important games instead of those guys?

In case you’re thinking but he’s at ESPN, how could he work for CBS and Turner Sports too? So is Bilas. So is Raftery. So is Bonner. A lot of guys affiliated with the Worldwide Leader still call games during March. So could Dakich.

And he should.

Update: As @AwfulAnnouncing reminded me on Twitter, Bilas didn’t do Tourney games last year. Crap. First no Bilas, now no Gus. We need Dakich more than ever!

A New ‘Movement’

In conclusion, with admittedly no idea of the logistics that would be necessary to actually make this happen, I am calling on all college basketball fans who want to make March Madness better to join me in a movement (not to be confused with The Movement) to bring Dan Dakich into our basketball loving homes during the greatest basketball month of the year.

This movement should probably start with making sure that Dakich wants call March Madness games – but why wouldn’t he? Tweet him and ask him. He’s one of the cool media folks who interacts with fans on Twitter. (He’s also just generally a good basketball follow, so follow him too.)

Next, we have to get media influencers like @RichardDeitsch, @AwfulAnnouncing, and @Fangsbites on board. These guys can help ideas like this spread and gain traction.

And then, it’s up to the folks at CBS to make it worth Dakich’s while. Conveniently, CBS Sports seems to have an active Twitter account that could be used for this purpose. The CBS Sports website also has a feedback form with one of the categories being “Comments about CBS TV.” There is also one for “Complaints” so I guess that one could used as well.

Let’s make this happen people. I promise you it will make March better; and with no Gus to excite us, we might as well have an intelligent, experienced, personable college hoops junkie like Dan Dakich to both entertain and inform us. It’ll make us all smarter, happier basketball fans.

Dakich, we’ve got your back bro.

Image source: Indy.com

Richard Deitsch informed college basketball fans today that iconic college basketball voice Gus Johnson and CBS could not reach a new deal.

This means that the unthinkable will become reality as soon as next season: March without Gus Johnson.

Again, altogether now: NOOOOOOO!!!!!

Here is an excerpt:

The patron saint of March Madness buzzer-beaters will not be calling the NCAA tournament next year.

SI.com has learned that CBS Sports recently parted ways with Gus Johnson, a play-by-play mainstay on its college basketball coverage for 16 years, after the two sides could not agree on a new deal. Johnson has also worked as a play-by-play voice for the network’s NFL coverage since 1998.

Connecticut is an incredible basketball team. What they accomplished over the past month is truly something to be admired. They played with an almost unmatched intensity at both ends of the floor, and are certainly worthy champions.

Kemba Walker – not Jimmer Fredette, Nolan Smith, or Jared Sullinger – is by far the best player in college basketball. He is offensively breathtaking, and always gives his all on both ends of the floor. He was an awesome leader on a worthy champion.

Jim Calhoun is a great coach. Even though this championship may not count some day, and his ethics have always been questionable at best, you can’t argue with the numbers: 850 wins, .700 winning percentage, 3 national titles and 11 Big East Championships.

Go ahead and compare those numbers with Bobby Knight…you will be stunned. And trust me, I don’t throw around Bobby Knight comparisons lightly.

Really, I don’t want to take anything away from the Huskies today. They beat Butler at their own game: they won ugly.

All of that said, this loss hurts worse than most.

Basketball is my favorite sport. I have literally studied it since I was six years old. Name any basketball book, and I can almost guarantee that I’ve read it. I am a fan, first and foremost, of the NBA, especially my beloved Indiana Pacers. The Purdue Boilermakers come in a distant third, but they are my favorite college team. So who is in second place?

Good basketball.

I mean that. While most of you might disagree, if any one of probably ten NBA teams are playing at the same time as Purdue, I’m watching the NBA game in a heartbeat. In my opinion, it is just better basketball. If Purdue is competing with another college game, I’m tuning into Matt Painter’s squad right away; but I have to say that I enjoy good basketball even more than I enjoy my favorite collegiate team.

That’s why I jumped so wholeheartedly onto the Butler bandwagon.

For two years, they have been playing not good, but great basketball.

The teamwork. The defensive chemistry. The hard work. The big shots. The fundamentals. All of it. They have been at the top of the collegiate basketball world.

They didn’t rely on just one guy, but they still had some great individuals. They had fantastic mottos like, “Drawing charges is our way of blocking shots.” And throughout it all, they found ways to do what mattered the most: WIN.

I had prepared myself for a number of different outcomes going into the game:

Butler could win in a close game. Butler could lose in a close game. Butler could pull away at the end like the did against VCU. Kemba could take over the game and single-handedly win it for UConn. Howard or Mack could hit a buzzer beater. Jeremy Lamb could be the difference maker.

All of them, I would have accepted.

Never in a million years did I think that kids from Indiana would just forget how to shoot.

That’s what killed me last night.

I listened to Clark Kellogg and Steve Kerr – two of my favorite announcers in basketball – lie to us.

They called Butler “inept”; they said Butler didn’t come to play; they praised UConn’s defense; they said everything except what really happened:

Butler simply couldn’t shoot.

If Butler made just three of the dozens of lay-ups they didn’t convert, just one more three pointer, and three more free throws (they were only 8 of 14 from the line), perhaps the game is tied.

Just think about that for a second. If Butler only shot TWENTY percent from two, TWENTY-FOUR percent from three, and SEVENTY-EIGHT percent from the foul line, the game is close!

On the other side of the floor, Jeremy Lamb played great defense, but he only made four shots. The amazing Kemba was only 5 for 19, his worst shooting performance of the season.

Butler had four MORE offensive rebounds than UConn. More steals. Fewer turnovers. In fact, you could argue that even though the Bulldogs often win ugly, they didn’t play THAT ugly last night.

Go back and watch the game again. Their offense looked great. They moved the ball and got layup after layup, open three after open three.

Clang. Clang. Clang.

Every March, I look forward to three things more than any other:

First, I want to see how far Purdue can go. Second, I want to see upsets. But third, and actually most importantly, I look forward to watching “One Shining Moment” after the nets have been cut down.

For me, it is the most emotional moment in sports. It was one of the few things my dad let me stay up late to see when I was growing up. It didn’t matter who won, he always MADE me stay up to watch the Grand Finale with him. I have more than one of them on VHS, and two more on my DVR. I’m not ashamed to admit that I have shed many a tear while watching it.

This year, I was even more excited than normal, because after a trainwreck that was Jennifer Hudson in 2010, Luther Vandross was finally going to be back. As Butler made it further and further into the tournament, I looked forward to “One Shining Moment” more than anything – even more than Butler winning it all.

And yet, as the confetti fell last night, I had a bit of an odd experience. For the first time ever, I DID NOT want to watch the finale.

Why?

Because I felt like it was a lie this year.

The ball is tipped and there you are
You’re running for your life, you’re a shooting star.
And all the years, no one knows
just how hard you worked but now it shows…

In one shining moment, it’s all on the line. One shining moment, there frozen in time.

It didn’t seem fair. I was sure that last night would be Butler’s coming out party. The entire nation was going to see just how hard they worked. It would show on the court. They would finally be appreciated, and it would be Butler’s shining moment.

But time is short and the road is long
In the blinking of an eye ah that moment’s gone.
And when it’s done win or lose
You always did your best cuz inside you knew…

That one shining moment, you reached deep inside. One shining moment you knew you were alive.

This is the part that hurts the most. I was among the few people that thought Butler could make a run this year. Anyone that watched them closely last year would say that Gordon Hayward was a great player, but more often than not, it was Howard and Mack that were making the big shots for them.

They had a great coach and senior leadership; they played impeccable defense, and they had scorers. I thought they could make a run deep into the tournament, and they did.

But as exciting as the NCAA Tournament is, it is hardly the best way to determine who really is the best team.

It’s one and done. Win or go home. In the NBA, the best team nearly always wins in a 7-Game Series. Sure, for a lot of you it might not be as exciting, but at least there are no flukes.

I didn’t think this Butler team was a fluke, but it seemed like everyone else did. I thought that they were legitimately better than every team they beat on the way to the Championship except for maybe Pittsburgh, and Butler beat them at their best!

Butler deserved to be in the championship. They earned it.

But you just never know if you will be able to make it back. You have to play four perfect games on four different nights. Just one night off, and you go home, no matter how good you were that year. Just ask Ohio State, Kansas, Duke, Notre Dame, Purdue, and every other team that was better than their tournament record showed.

I know that Butler will have a solid team next year, and it’s possible that they could make it to more Final Fours in the future, but in the blink of an eye, that moment is gone.

I didn’t want to think about that. I couldn’t bear to watch the song while thinking about the possibility that they would never get back.

But then I remembered that last verse.

Feel the beat of your heart, feel the wind in your face
It’s more than a contest it’s more than a race….

And when it’s done win or lose,
You always did your best cuz inside you knew…

That one shining moment, you reached for the sky. One shining moment, you were willing to try. One shining moment…

Butler made an incredible run in every sense. America should be proud of their story the past two seasons. Unfortunately, they picked a bad night to forget how to do the one thing that most of them have probably been able to do well since grade school: shoot the rock.

To my surprise, the lasting image of the tournament in many people’s minds on the radio was of Butler beating Pitt.

Butler beat a #1 and #2 seed in back to back years. Has that ever happened with a team that was never ranked higher than #5?

This was a 5th place Horizon League team two short months ago that ESPN and the entire media mocked as “the biggest disappointment in the nation.” Then they won 9 straight conference games, received an eight seed – and it probably should’ve been a 9 or 10 – and everyone quickly picked against Butler in ROUND ONE, as they did all tourney, where Butler won five more to make it 14 in a row.

The entire country doubted Butler for two straight Marches. The majority of the media, experts, and analysts picked against them in nearly every game. Even last year, as a #5 seed, they weren’t supposed to beat UTEP!

Oh sure, there are still haters. ESPN, Seth Davis, UConn fans, and Big Conference supporters want you to look at last night, just one game, and point out that Butler didn’t belong. They want you to believe, like they do, that talent always wins, bigger is always better, and the underdog is always supposed to lose, eventually.

To them, no sane person would ever want to stay at Butler.

To them, no sane person would ever say that Shelvin Mack or Matt Howard deserved to be on the same floor as Kemba Walker.

To them, no sane person would believe that Butler deserved to be there.

And you know what, they were right. Finally. Just like last year. After picking against them in every single game, the media got it correct one measly time…in April.

Matt Howard, Shelvin Mack, and the rest of the Bulldogs feel lousy right now. I did too. But then I remembered this: the Butler Bulldogs didn’t just have ONE shining moment; they had TEN.

Ten fantastic moments where the world doubted them, and their star still shone brightly.

The ball was tipped, and there they were, winning on the court, and our hearts. Repeatedly.

**********

[Editor's note: Co-Editor AJ Kaufman contributed to this article.]

In the second Final 4 game, Connecticut led most of the way and held on for a close victory late. Kentucky had a shot for a three on their final possession, but they missed. UConn grabbed the rebound and held on for the victory.

Monday night, the 8th seeded Butler Bulldogs will face the 3rd seeded Connecticut Huskies to determine the 2011 national championship. It’s David versus Goliath, and it’s going to be one hell of a game.

Butler-UConn National Championship Game Info

• Butler – Connecticut Date: Monday, April 4th
• Butler – Connecticut Tip Time: 9:18 ET
• Butler – Connecticut TV: CBS
• Butler – Connecticut Announcers: Jim Nantz, Clark Kellogg, and Steve Kerr
• Butler – Connecticut Point Spread: Connecticut -3.5
• Butler – Connecticut Over-Under: 129

Butler-Connecticut National Championship Game Statistical Breakdown

Butler-Connecticut National Championship Game Prediction

One our college basketball-obsessed writers will have a more complete analysis and prediction for this game later tonight or tomorrow. Until then, we want to know what you think:

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

What a great game this should be. Check back. We’ll have plenty of opinions on this one coming soon.

Update: Jon has posted his Butler-UConn analysis and prediction. Here is a quick taste:

As someone who has picked Butler in every single game of the entire tournament, what I’m about to write might not surprise you.

Regardless, don’t gloss over this fact: my heart wants to pick Butler…but so does my head.

Now, I understand that Jay Bilas, Digger Phelps, Dick Vitale, and Hubert Davis all picked UConn. In fact, the only person I have heard pick Butler is Doug Gottlieb…not exactly the person you want endorsing your team.

However, I have heard various forms of the same argument come out of every talking head’s mouth: “Kemba Walker is a winner, and he won’t let UConn lose.”

With all due respect to the Kemba, (believe me, I love watching the Revolutionary Iverson ball it up every night) that statement is a slap in the face to guys like Matt Howard, Ronald Nored, Shawn Vanzant, and Shelvin Mack.

But that’s ok. Butler has made a living off of proving the doubters wrong. The 2011 NCAA Championship Game will be no different.

Butler-Connecticut Analysis and Prediction

 

A Cinderella team is one that no one expects to advance out of the first round. It can also be a team that few people besides the team’s fans even know anything about.

Butler has bona fide March stars in Brad Stevens, Shelvin Mack, Matt Howard, and Ronald Nored, and is the defending national runner-up. The Bulldogs are not a Cinderella story.

But Shaka Smart and VCU? Now there is a Cinderella story.

Before we look at VCU, it is worth noting regarding Butler that while their success in last year’s tournament makes their Final 4 appearance this year not unexpected, the Bulldogs certainly did not look like a Final 4 team early in the year.

Many people counted out Butler after a 14-9 start and a loss to the lowly Youngstown State Penguins. They were 6-5 and in the middle of pack in the Horizon League. They lost every tough game they had against teams such as Duke, Louisville, and Xavier.

The Bulldogs responded though by winning their last nine regular season games, including the Horizon League championship. They received an eight seed, which I believe was wrong. Although they had a tough season, they did finish the year with 23 wins and a conference title. The Horizon League is no longer dominated by Butler as is features talented teams such as Cleveland State and Milwaukee.

Butler was considered a Cinderella as a 5 seed last year, which makes even less sense than them being considered one this year. Either way, they are in the Final Four for the second straight year and coach Brad Stevens is building a dynasty at Butler.

But the true Cinderella team of this year’s tournament is Virginia Commonwealth University, more commonly known as VCU. Coached by the energetic Shaka Smart, the 11th-seeded VCU is on a magical run this season. The Rams face off today against Kansas looking for their first Final Four berth in school history.

VCU qualifies as a Cinderella because they were not even expected to be in the field. They were among the last four teams in and played in the First Four. Most people believed that they did not even deserve to be among the last four in. To go along with that, they were expected to lose in the First Four against USC.

The reason that their Cinderella status is intact is because of the lack of attention and respect that VCU received not just entering the tournament but all season. They play in the Colonial Conference, which receives little attention even though it produced three tourney teams in VCU, George Mason, and Old Dominion. VCU ended the year with a loss in the Colonial championship game to Old Dominion, which then went on to lose in the first round to non-Cinderella Butler.

A win over Kansas would give VCU the same status as George Mason in 2006. They would both be Colonial teams making it to the Final Four, which does not happen very often. A win would also set up a VCU vs Butler Final Four matchup.

It would be a great, historic Final Four game between two teams seeded 8th or higher, but only one of them would truly be a Cinderella.

There is no chance in hell this is what Brad Stevens was thinking when this picture was taken, but it certainly is what his Butler Bulldogs and their March dominance represent: suck it college basketball establishment.

Yep, tiny Butler from the disrespected Horizon League is headed back to the Final Four.

Image credit: Kevin Cox/Getty Images* via ChicagoTribune.com via @PeteGaines via @amandakaschube

What makes this picture so awesome is how ironic it is. Brad Stevens is the last guy who would actually give someone a “suck it” gesture, but he certainly could if he wanted to. His Bulldogs have been doubted for two straight years, yet here they go – back to the Final Four for the second straight year.

As an IU fan, I’m just glad that Butler’s rise has coincided with IU’s recent struggles, because Butler has given me a team to root for come March. All of those good feelings will be long gone next November when IU and Butler renew their annual series, but I’ll enjoy it for the next two weeks.

And for everyone who doubted the ‘Dawgs could get back to the Final Four – which is pretty much everyone, including me – suck it. They’re back. And there just may be no coach in America doing it better right now than Brad Stevens.

**********

* – I don’t know for sure that Kevin Cox took this picture. I’m guessing based on him getting the credit for the image at the Tribune’s Butler-Florida recap, which seems to be taken from the same angle. I’m efforting to find out though.

In overtime, with less than a minute to go, a Butler male cheerleader saw the camera while transitioning from a timeout to the action…and he let his Bulldog pride go on full display for the entire nation.

You know what, Excitable Butler Male Cheerleader, we’re all with you!* Go ‘Dawgs!

* – Unless, of course, VCU beats Kansas on Sunday. Then Butler becomes just the “old guard” favorite and everyone will rally behind the underdog Rams. I’ll still root for the kids from Indiana, but America will have Shaka fever.

**********

The matchups will be: Butler-Florida; UCONN-Arizona; Kentucky-North Carolina; and Kansas-VCU.

Elite 8 Games on Saturday, March 26th

Southeast Region:

• 4:37 ET: #2 Florida v #8 Butler
• TV: CBS
• Announcers: Gus Johnson, Len Elmore, and Reggie Miller
• At New Orleans Arena
• MSF: Florida v Butler Elite 8 Preview and Prediction

West Region:

• 7:00 ET: #3 UCONN v #5 Arizona
• TV: CBS
• Announcers: Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery
• At The Honda Center in Anahein, CA
• MSF: UCONN v Arizona Elite 8 Preview and Prediction

Elite 8 Games on Sunday, March 27th

Southwest Region:

• 2:20 ET: #1 Kansas v #11 VCU
• TV: CBS
• Announcers: Marv Albert and Steve Kerr
• At Alamo Dome in San Antonio
• MSF: Kansas v VCU Elite 8 Preview and Prediction

East Region:

• 5:05 ET: #2 North Carolina v #4 Kentucky
• TV: CBS
• Announcers: Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg
• At The Prudential Center in Newark
• MSF: Kentucky v North Carolina Elite 8 Preview and Prediction

Check back later tonight/tomorrow for previews of the two Sunday games. Also we may or may not live blog. I’ll keep you posted.

So once the games start, head on over here and join us for the most riveting, irreverent, humorous and occasionally insightful basketball commentary you will find anywhere. At least, that’s the plan.

To set the stage, here is the TV schedule for tonight, plus links to our previews of the four games to be played tonight.

Sweet 16 Games on Friday, March 25th

Southwest Region:

• 7:27 ET: #1 Kansas v #12 Richmond on TBS
• 9:57 ET: #10 Florida State v #11 VCU on TBS
• Southwest Regional games will be played in San Antonio at the Alamo Dome.
• The announcers will be Marv Albert and Steve Kerr with Craig Sager
  

East Region:

• 7:15 ET: #2 North Carolina v #11 Marquette on CBS
• 9:45 ET: #1 Ohio State v #4 Kentucky on CBS
• East Regional games will be played in Newark at the Prudential Center.
  
• The announcers will be Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg with Tracy Wolfson

I might be a little bit late tonight, depending on traffic, but everything will kick off right around 7:00 ET. Should be a fun night of basketball!

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So once the games start, head on over here and join us for the most riveting, irreverent, humorous and occasionally insightful basketball commentary you will find anywhere. I promise. (But I haven’t signed a letter of intent, so don’t hold me to it!)

To set the stage, here is the TV schedule for tonight, plus links to our previews of the four games to be played tonight.

Southeast Region:

• 7:27 ET: #2 Florida v #3 BYU on TBS
• 9:57 ET: #4 Wisconsin v #8 Butler on TBS
• Southeast Regional games will be played in New Orleans at New Orleans Arena.
  
• The announcers will be Gus Johnson, Len Elmore, and Reggie Miller with Marty Snider
  

West Region:

• 7:15 ET: #2 San Diego State v #3 UCONN on CBS
• 9:45 ET: #1 Duke v #5 Arizona on CBS
• West Regional games will be played in Anaheim in the Honda Center.
  
• The announcers will be Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery with Leslie Visser

Not sure when the other dudes are showing up, but I’ll probably be here around 7:00 ET to start the chatting festivities. See you then.

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The Jayhawks make it back to the Sweet 16 after being upset by Northern Iowa in the second round in 2010. Kansas has what some would consider the easiest path the the Final Four considering the 10, 11, and 12 seeds are the teams still left in their bracket.

The 12 seed, Richmond, has returned to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1998, defeating Vanderbilt and Morehead State to get there. The Spiders have won 16 of their last 18 games with the only loses coming against Temple and Xavier, who both made the NCAA Tournament.

This sets up Kansas and Richmond in the Southwest semifinal. Game information is below.

Sweet 16: Kansas-Richmond Game Info

• Date: Friday, March 25
• Location: Alamo Dome in San Antonio, TX
• Tip Time: 7:27 ET
• TV: TBS
• Announcers: Marv Albert, Steve Kerr and Craig Sager
• Point Spread: Kansas -10.5
• Over-Under: 138

Kansas Jayhawks and Richmond Spiders by the Numbers

Here is the statistical breakdown of the two teams, via the ESPN Bracket Predictor.

What the Numbers Mean

Statistically, Kansas has almost every advantage. The only areas that Richmond holds over Kansas are Opponents Free Throw Attempts per Field Goal Attempts and Turnover Percentage. Kansas ranks fifth in the nation in points per game (82.4) compared to Richmond ranking 129th (70.2). Kansas also leads the nation in field goal percentage and grabs almost seven more rebounds per game than Richmond.

Fortunately for Richmond, the game of basketball isn’t played on paper, especially in March.

Richmond has thrived late in the season on their overall athleticism. They can match up athletically with any team in the nation, and that will definitely help them against Kansas. Both Morris twins can step out to the three point line and knock down open shots, which can be extremely difficult to cover.

Richmond has superb athletes, including Darrius Garrett who has contributed some fantastic blocks so far this tournament. If Richmond is able to cover the Morris brothers on the perimeter and force the ball out of their hands, they will force Kansas to rely on their guards to win, a position the Jayhawks have had problems with this year.

Part of that guard play has been indecision, which shows in the turnover percentage, one of the few statistics that is in Richmond’s favor. If Richmond can get their guards and athletes up and down the court, it might not be in their favor, but it may force Kansas’ guards to also push the tempo and create turnovers.

For Kansas to win this game, it is simple: come out to play early. A staple of Bill Self and this Kansas team is that they start slow and sometimes take too long to adjust and take over. That’s what we saw last year against Northern Iowa and at times in the first round against Boston. The Jayhawks need to control the boards as they have all year, make sure the Morris twins get involved early and often, and limit mistake from their guards.

Kansas-Richmond Prediction

This could end up being one of the better Sweet 16 games. Richmond is an extremely underrated team athletically and can hang with any team in the nation. They match up well against this Kansas team. Unfortunately, they don’t have the experience or a player like Marcus Morris to carry them through a full game.

Richmond will keep this game too close for too long, and if Kansas doesn’t show up early, we could have our second #1 seed fall. I don’t see that happening, but you can bet it will an exciting game.

• Kansas-Richmond Prediction: Kansas 76, Richmond 66
• Kansas-Richmond Spread Pick: Richmond +10.5
• Kansas-Richmond Over-Under Pick: Over

Many may wonder how are these high seeds winning so many games.  The answer to this question has two parts: defense and, most importantly, the three-point shot.

Defense

Defense is a huge part of how upsets have been occurring this year.  Looking back to the Butler Bulldogs of 2010, they were able to pull off upsets because they held teams to under 60 points.

When we take a look at upsets from this year, higher seeds are able to hold the favorites under their season averages, thus creating the opportunity for themselves to pull off the upset.

• #13 Morehead State held #4 Louisville to 61. (Season Avg. 74.9)
• #12 Richmond held #5 Vanderbilt to 66 (Season Avg. 75.9)
• #10 Florida State held #7 Texas A&M to 50 (Season Avg. 68.3)
• #11 Marquette held #6 Xavier to 55 (Season Avg. 72.1)
• #11 Virginia Commonwealth held #6 Georgetown to 56 (Season Avg. 71)
• #8 Butler held #1 Pittsburgh to 70 ( Season Avg. 74)
• #11 Marquette held #3 Syracuse to 62 (Season Avg. 73.6)
• #10 Florida State held #2 Notre Dame to 57 (Season Avg. 76)

In the upsets, the winning teams held their opponents to a combined 108.8 points below their season averages, proving the point that defense is a key factor into the recipe for a major upset.

Three-Pointers

While defense is key, the three-point shot is probably the key factor in a team pulling off a major upset.  Teams that catch fire in the tournament are usually destined to make long tourney runs, and the 2011 NCAA Tournament is proving to be no different.

• #13 Morehead State 9-19 (47.4%) from the 3 point line in upset victory over #4 Louisville
• #12 Richmond 12-24 (50%) from the 3 point line in upset victory over #5 Vanderbilt
• #11 Gonzaga 9-15 (60%) from the 3 point line in upset victory over #6 St. John’s
• #11 Virginia Commonwealth 12-25 (48%) from the 3 point line in upset victory over #6 Georgetown
• #8 Butler 12-27 (44.4%) from the 3 point line in upset victory over #1 Pittsburgh
• #11 Virginia Commonwealth 8-21 (38.1%) from the 3 point line in upset victory over #3 Purdue
• #10 Florida State 9-19 (47.4%) from the 3 point line in upset victory over #2 Notre Dame

As most can see, the three-point line and defense are vital aspects to teams pulling off an upset.  If a higher seed can jump out on a team early with a few quick three-pointers, then hunker down on defense, a major upset is very feasible.

With this said, as we look forward to how to apply the lessons of 2011 to our brackets in 2012, the question becomes: were there signs in teams’ season stats that showed they were very capable of pulling off such upsets?  Should one look deeper into defensive efficiency and three-point statistics when picking their brackets for the future?

Season Stats for 2011 – Defense

As it was mentioned above, looking at defensive and three-point stats of teams could have helped people predict these upsets, and they’d be sitting at the top of their pool, instead of in the cellar.  First, we’ll take a look at teams’ season defensive stats to see if their defense in the upsets was a fluke, or if it was a sign for everybody to pick these bracket-busting upsets.

Morehead State over Louisville

We look back to Morehead State holding Louisville to almost 14 points below their season average.  According to KenPom, Morehead State was ranked 94th in the country, however, their defensive efficiency was ranked at 84th.  Kenpom had Louisville ranked 14th, however their offensive efficiency was at 50th in the country.  When you put Morehead State’s defensive efficiency above their overall ranking, and Louisville’s offensive efficiency below the overall ranking, that is a key ingredient for a possible upset.

Richmond over Vanderbilt

Richmond was able to hold Vanderbilt to almost 10 points below their season average.  Kenpom ranked Richmond overall at 37, and their defensive efficiency at 48.  Vanderbilt was ranked at 35, with their offensive efficiency at 13.  When just looking at these two factors, Vanderbilt still seems like the favorite.  However, when looking at Vanderbilt’s defensive efficiency, they are ranked all the way at 90th.  With Richmond having the much better defensive efficiency, and defense being the most important aspect of tournament games, Richmond’s upset potential spikes, and they proved their defense helped them pull off the upset.

Florida State over Texas A&M

Florida state held Texas A&M to 18 points under their average for the season.  Florida State was ranked overall by Kenpom at 27, but their defensive efficiency was number 1 in the entire country.  When looking at Texas A&M, ranked 50th overall with an offensive efficiency ranking of 70.  With Florida State having the number 1 defensive efficiency in the entire nation, and Texas A&M’s offensive efficiency at a sub-par 70, this should have been a sure-fire upset pick for your pool.

Marquette over Xavier

Marquette held Xavier to 55 points, 17 below their season average.  Overall, Marquette was ranked 26th by Kenpom with a defensive efficiency of 54th.  Xavier was ranked overall at 44th, and their offensive efficiency was ranked 42nd. However, Xavier’s defensive efficiency was at 58th.  While this game did not cry out upset due to efficiency rankings, Marquette did have the higher defensive efficiency in a tournament where defense means most.

Virginia Commonwealth over Georgetown

Virginia Commonwealth was not a team Kenpom efficiency rankings could have predicted.  VCU had a defensive efficiency ranking of 111th in the country, where Georgetwon had an offensive efficiency ranking of 43.  Most did not believe VCU could beat Georgetown, however, VCU was able to buy into the recipe of defense for the Georgetown game and held them to 15 points below their season average.

Butler over Pittsburgh

Butler over Pitt was another game that would not have been predicted by Kenpom efficiency rankings.  Butler had a defensive efficiency of 74th, and Pitt had an offensive efficiency of 6th.  However, just like VCU, Butler was able to buy into the recipe of defense against Pittsburgh and hold them under their season average.  Buying into the defensive aspect in the tournament helped them pull off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.

Marquette over Syracuse

Marquette was able to hold Syracuse to 11 points under their season average.  As stated above, Marquette was ranked 26th overall, with a defensive efficiency of 54th.  Syracuse on the other hand was ranked 11th overall, had an offensive efficiency of 20th, and defensive efficiency of 14th.  Once again, with just a quick glance at efficiency rankings, Syracuse may seem like the heavy favorite.  In games like this, you can dig deeper and see that these two teams had already met once earlier in the season.  In the earlier match-up, Marquette beat Syracuse 76-70.  In the matchup in the tournament, Marquette played even better defense, and it bought them a trip to the Sweet 16.

Florida State over Notre Dame

Florida State held Notre Dame to an astounding 19 points under their season average.  Florida State was a team that had also pulled of an upset in the first round. (technically 2nd round)  Again, Florida State was ranked overall at 27th, but their defensive efficiency was ranked number 1 in the country.  While Notre Dame did have the number 3 ranked offensive efficiency, like I stated earlier, defense is what wins games in the tournament, and Florida State proved that. 

Season Stats – Three Pointers

Just like defense, three-point field goals are a key ingredient to any upset in the tournament.  Above, we showed team’s three-point field goals in their respective games we won, but we’ll dig deeper to see if these teams had a trend of being able to knock down three point jumpers for the entire season, and if there were signs looming that these three-point shots could help predict upsets.

Morehead State over Louisville

Morehead State was not a team that would have been predicted to be three-point threats.  Morehead State was ranked 190th in the nation in three-point field goals, and made 5.8 three-pointers per game.  However, one could have predicted that Morehead State would attempt a lot of three-pointers because they attempted 17 per game in the regular season.  It would be understood that if Morehead State could get hot, a lot of attempts would begin to be a lot of makes, and that proved true as Morehead State went 9-19 in an upset victory over Louisville.

Richmond over Vanderbilt

Richmond was a team that proved they could hit the three-pointer the entire season.  Richmond was 10th in the entire NCAA in three-point field goal percentage.  Also, Richmond hit 7.9 three-point field goals per game in the regular season.  Those stats alone show that an upset is very attainable, and Richmond pulled off the upset shooting 12-24 behind the arc.

Gonzaga over St. John’s

Gonzaga was a team that was 72nd out of 346 teams in terms of three-point percentage.  Also, Gonzaga shot 16 three-pointers per game in the regular season.  The combination of the two statistics show that Gonzaga had the potential to shoot a lot of three-pointers, and they shot them at a pretty high percentage.  Those two factors point to a potential upset, and Gonzaga pulled off the easy upset shooting 9-15 from the three-point line.

Virginia Commonwealth over Georgetown

Virginia Commonwealth was a team that shot the three-point shot in the top-third of the NCAA in terms of percentage.  The eye-opening number to those filling out a bracket should have been that Virginia Commonwealth 23 three-point shots per game.  With the combination of being a pretty good three-point shooting team and the vast number of attempts VCU put up, the three-point ingredient fit just right.  VCU proved the three-pointer helped them by shooting 12-25 from beyond the arc and pulling off the upset over Georgetown. 

Butler over Pittsburgh

Butler was another team that shot the ball in the upper-third of the entire NCAA.  With 21 three-point attempts per game, and their reliance on the three-point basket in previous tournaments, butler was a certainty to use the three-point basket to be a bracket-buster, and they were able to pull it off once again.  Butler shot 12-27 in their upset victory over Pittsburgh.

Virginia Commonwealth over Purdue

As it was shown above, Virginia Commonwealth was one of the best three-point shooting teams in the nation from a percentage standpoint, and they attempted more three-point baskets than most teams would think of.  The Purdue game proved to be no different for VCU, as they shot 8-21 from beyond the arc, and stunned the Boilermakers.

The Idea Behind the Recipe

The idea behind the defense and three-point argument is to help you (yes you) pick the upsets nobody else would ever fathom happening.  Are there upsets where no defense is played and the team shoots terribly from the three-point line?  Yes, but they rarely happened.

Look at the upsets from the 2011 NCAA Tournament, and most of the upsets had at least one of the key ingredients for an upset, and a lot of them had both key ingredients.

While this is not a perfect system for picking upsets, it can help you get first place in your brackets for years to come.

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About the Author

Tony Adragna is a student at Indiana University studying Sports Communication-Broadcast and Entrepreneurship.  Tony is the founder of the group Hysterical Hoosiers, and also hosts his own radio show and blog, SportsRadioDnT.  Tony is an avid sports fan and very addicted to Twitter.  You can find Tony on Twitter, @tonyadragna.  Aside from that, Tony is a huge IU fan, and plans to host his own radio empire someday.

With a thrilling 71-70 victory over #1 seed Pittsburgh, Brad Stevens and the #8 seed Bulldogs are moving on to the Sweet 16.

In the locker room after the game, a jubilant bunch of ‘Dawgs and their terrific coach celebrated what has become commonplace for them: a down-to-the-wire victory over a higher profile, favored foe.

I have already decided that next year I am making a significant change to my bracket predicting system. I will add the category “Is Brad Stevens their coach?” If he is, you get an extra point – or hell, maybe just an automatic win.

I’ll close by saying this to Butler: for the second straight year you are making March a little less depressing for this IU fan. Thank you. Hoosiers everywhere are behind you again!

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To this point, exactly 26 hours after the brackets were announced, I am fed up with the following: Duke; the Big East; Mid-Major Bashing; Committee Bashing; “Upset Specials”; “Fill your bracket out Here”; Jay Bilas; Talking Heads talking about all the parity and upsets and then picking four #1 seeds to the Final Four; etc…

Let’s get some things straight: I am a huge basketball fan; it is my favorite sport…but I’m an NBA guy first. I would consider myself to be very knowledgeable about the college game, but in no way am I an expert.

When I was younger, I would spend hours researching each team, and fill out my bracket with the utmost care. Then, I would cringe and groan my whole way through the tournament every time one of my picks was wrong. To be honest, the whole experience was quite stressful.

Then, I figured out the solution: if you don’t want to agonize over every pick; if you want to enjoy the hours of great basketball; if you want to maximize the amount of fun you could have with the tournament, follow these simple steps, and I promise you the 2011 NCAA Tournament will be unlike any sporting event you’ve ever experienced.

Rule #1: Pick your team to win it all.

To me, this is a no-brainer. If your team is in the tournament, they should be on the “Champion” line in your bracket. Why is this important? Well, let’s look at the potential outcomes of watching your team in the Tournament:

Outcome 1: You pick your team to win it all and it comes true.

Could anything else top this? Really? Doesn’t this have to be some sort of sports utopia? Now you say, “But I’m a Richmond fan!” I DON’T CARE!!! How vindicating would that be to not only win the tournament as a 12 seed, but to be able to say, “I PICKED IT BABY!!!!”

* – Side note: Let’s make the following rule for March Madness. Nobody cares who you picked to beat whomever in whatever year. Everyone has that one upset they picked and love to brag about it. In my case, it was Hampton over Iowa State. I was like 12 years old, and I loved college basketball, but I only knew about the few big teams that were famous: Duke, Kentucky, Purdue, IU, etc. So when I saw that some team named Iowa State was a 2-seed, I got angry. “Who are they? They can’t be a 2! I’m picking Hampton!” Little did I know that Iowa State was REALLY good, and was led by the young Jamaal Tinsley. Had I known these things, I definitely wouldn’t have picked Hampton–but you know the rest. Tinsley misses at the buzzer and Hampton rejoices. But again…nobody cares. So let’s stop wasting everybody’s time with these ridiculous stories. Like I just did…

Nevermind. Let’s just put the limit at one story apiece.)

Outcome 2: You pick your team to win it all and it doesn’t come true.

So your team lost, but at least you didn’t doubt them right? 99.9 % of teams lose every year. Only one team can win. You didn’t win. At least you cheered your team on and kept the faith until the very end.

Outcome 3: You pick against your team and they win it all.

How bad do you feel now? Your team went out and accomplished something…and you doubted them the whole way. What a cheap victory.

Beyond that, some of us ultra-competitive people could get stuck in the old “my favorite team is playing against the team I picked” predicament and actually get conflicted as to who we want to win. We might as well stand up and scream, “I’M A BAD FAN!!!!” when this happens.

Outcome 4: You pick against your team and they lose.

There is no worse feeling than watching your team lose a game that you picked them to lose. You almost feel like you caused the horrible scenario to happen. Add to that the whole “who should I be cheering for?” conundrum and it’s just not fun.

So pick your own team to win it all! I mean, it’s not like there’s some fool-proof method to picking the champion anyway. And like we talked about before, no one even cares if you picked the winner. This way, you have an excuse for not picking the right winner. I absolutely love telling people, “Oh my bad. I’m just too good of a fan. What’s your excuse for not picking the right champ?” It’s seriously awesome. So do that with me this year.

Rule #2 Pick some REAL upsets.

No seriously. We aren’t talking about #9 Illinois over #8 UNLV. Pick a 13 seed. Pick a 14 seed. Pick a 16 seed! Hey, it has to happen sometime, right?

I am in a bracket challenge right now where this guy literally picked the top 8 teams for each bracket into the second round. Then he picked the top 4 teams from each bracket into the Sweet Sixteen. He eventually had two #3 seeds win, but then had the four #1s in the Final Four. Now this guy could definitely win the whole thing. I’m not saying he doesn’t know his basketball. But really, how is that any fun at all?

The biggest reason to do this is because you don’t want to be the tool cheering for the #2 seed to hang on because you don’t want it to ruin your bracket. Believe me, I was there a few years ago; nobody wants to watch the game with you. If UC Santa Barbara is down by one with the ball and ten seconds left, do you really want to be the idiot in the corner cheering against them? I think not.

Rule #3 Cheer for the games, not your bracket.

At the end of the day, what makes March Madness so great? It’s not the bracketology (despite what they think on ESPN); it’s the basketball.

In the NBA, the best team almost always wins it all. So you think the Celtics were better than the Lakers last year? Too bad. They lost 4 out of 7.

But nothing, absolutely NOTHING, tops the excitement of March Madness. It’s one game. Anything can happen. Butler probably doesn’t happen in the NBA. But in March? They can be world beaters.

So go ahead and make fun of me and my bracket (click here or here for how I made those picks). Sure, UNC, Duke, Purdue, and Butler as a Final Four might never EVER happen. I don’t care. Give me your fool-proof method for picking perfect Final Fours.

Actually, don’t. I probably won’t listen. I’ll be the guy in the corner screaming for Duke and UNC to play each other in the Final Four…and Purdue and Butler to match up in the game of a lifetime. And I’ll be smiling the whole time.

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* – Source for photo of crazy Duke fan: Sportschump.net