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

What began with 68 college basketball teams has boiled all the way down to just two. Following the Final Four games on Saturday, the Kentucky Wildcats and Kansas Jayhawks have emerged as the participants who will face off to determine a national champion in the final game of the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

The Wildcats bested their in-state rivals the Louisville Cardinals, 69-61, while the Jayhawks came from behind to eliminate the Ohio St. Buckeyes, 64-62.

You can see how Kentucky and Kansas got to this point, as well as how everything else in the tournament went down with our printable 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket (PDF).

The national championship game will be held on Monday in New Orleans. Print out a bracket for yourself, fill in your predicted winner and potentially experience the satisfaction of a tournament successfully predicted.

If you haven't already, head to SB Nation's Printable Bracket StoryStream to print an updated one out for yourself.

NCAA Tournament 2012, Final Four Odds: Kansas Jayhawks, Louisville Cardinals Underdogs On Saturday

The Final Four is finally here and just two games separate four teams from a national championship. After seeing two Cinderella teams advance to the last weekend in 2011, this year we have four schools with very rich basketball histories: Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio State and Kansas.

So which teams are the favorites on Saturday evening? According to Odds Shark, Kentucky is a nine-point favorite over Louisville. The Wildcats feature numerous players projected to be drafted in the NBA Lottery, and they are led by Anthony Davis, who is taking home awards for being the nation's best player. The Cardinals rely on strong defense to beat you, and they ranked No. 2 nationally according to Kenpom.com.

The over/under on points for the matchup is 137.5.

As for the Kansas vs. Ohio State showdown, the Buckeyes are favored by 2.5 points on Saturday evening. OSU is led by All-American big man Jared Sullinger, while KU will turn to star big man Thomas Robinson in the paint. The over/under for the game has been set at 136.5.

Kentucky vs. Louisville is set to begin at 3:10 PT, with the Kansas vs. Ohio State game coming sometime around 5:45 PT.

Final Four 2012: Updated Bracket Available To Print

The Final Four is finally here after two long weeks of college hoops action. The NCAA Tournament has seen the field of 68 whittle down to just four schools, and two games separate these teams from a national championship. The contenders: the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, Ohio St. Buckeyes and Kansas Jayhawks.

There is probably a good chance your bracket is a mess given the early-round upsets, so we have a nice, clean updated bracket available for you to check out.

Head over to SB Nation's Printable Bracket StoryStream to print an updated bracket for yourself and take a minute to sit back and look how badly things turned for you. Did you have Mizzou or Duke winning it all? Did the early exit from Georgetown or Florida State wreck havoc in your office pool? It did for quite a few of us.

For up-to-the-minute scores on all NCAA Tournament games, please check out SI.com's complete scoreboard.

Stay with us here at SB Nation Arizona for NCAA Bracket Scores and Updates throughout the day in this StoryStream.

NCAA Tournament Final Four 2012: Schedule, Start Times, TV Coverage & More

The 2012 NCAA Tournament has narrowed itself down from 68 to just four teams over the last few weeks, and now just two more games separate either the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, Ohio St. Buckeyes or Kansas Jayhawks from a national championship.

Unlike last season where we saw two Cinderella teams in Butler and VCU, all four of these programs feature plenty of history and have been basketball powerhouses for years.

All of the Final Four action will get started Saturday afternoon from rowdy New Orleans. Here is the tentative schedule along with TV times.

No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats (36-2) vs. No. 4 Louisville Cardinals (30-9) - 3:09 pm PT (6:09 ET), CBS

No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (31-7) vs. No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks (31-6) - 5:49 pm PT (8:49 ET), CBS

The matchup between OSU and KU will begin about 45 minutes after the conclusion of World War III -- I mean, the Kentucky and Louisville showdown.

For up-to-the-minute scores on all NCAA Tournament games, please check out SI.com's complete scoreboard.

If you haven't already, head to SB Nation's Printable Bracket StoryStream to print an updated one out for yourself.

Printable NCAA Bracket 2012: Only Four Teams Remain

The Final Four of the 2012 NCAA Tournament is set following Sunday's action, with the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, Ohio St. Buckeyes and Kansas Jayhawks the only teams remaining out of the original field of 68 teams. Check out SB Nation's updated printable 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket (PDF) to see how the Final Four made their way to New Orleans.

On Sunday, the Wildcats emerged as the last No. 1 seed standing, as they flexed their muscle and put on a show in knocking the Baylor Bears out of the running. Over in the Midwest Region, the Kansas Jayhawks eliminated the other remaining No. 1 seed, the North Carolina Tar Heels.

The all-Kentucky showdown between the Wildcats and the Cardinals will hold up one end of the Final Four, while on the other side of the bracket, the Buckeyes will duke it out with the Jayhawks for the right to play in the national championship game.

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket, poke around SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for tons of analysis on the Final Four in New Orleans.

Final Four 2012: Kentucky Plays Louisville, Kansas Plays Ohio State

The Kentucky Wildcats put together a complete performance to overwhelm the Baylor Bears for the majority of the game to punch their ticket to New Orleans. Kentucky now gets set for a cross-state rivalry rematch with Louisville in the national semifinal at 3:09 PM PT/6:09 PM ET

The Kansas Jayhawks kept the pace up with the North Carolina Tar Heels for most of the first half, but managed to shut UNC down late with their defense and take control late. Kansas will face Ohio State in their Final Four semifinal at 5:49 PM PT/8:49 PM on CBS.

For up-to-the-minute scores on all NCAA Tournament games, please check out SI.com's complete scoreboard.

Stay with us here at SB Nation Arizona for NCAA Tournament Updates throughout the day in this StoryStream. Finally, if you haven't yet, head to SB Nation's Printable Bracket StoryStream to print an updated one out for yourself.

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Printable NCAA Bracket 2012: Two More Final Four Tickets Punched Sunday

With two of the tickets already punched for the 2012 Final Four, the entire field will fill out by the end of the day Sunday as the last two elite eight games are set to take place in the South and Midwest regions.

Ohio State and Louisville have already made their way into the big dance on Saturday, but the Baylor Bears tussle with the Kentucky Wildcats and Kansas Jayhawks take on the North Carolina Tar Heels for the final two spots in the tournament.

Most brackets around the country have been busted long ago, but you can always keep dreaming or stay in the loop by checking out SB Nation's daily printable bracket (PDF).

For a meticulously updated printable bracket that includes Saturday's pair of Elite Eight games, head over to SB Nation's 2012 printable bracket StoryStream. For more up to the minute news and top notch analysis of every single NCAA Tournament game, make sure that you head over to SB Nation's dedicated NCAA Basketball hub.

NCAA Tournament 2012 Schedule: Elite 8 TV Times, Matchups And More

The 2012 NCAA Tournament has been great thus far and just eight teams remain in contention for a national championship. Saturday will feature two Elite 8 matchups, with the winners earning a trip to the Final Four in New Orleans. One of the games will be played in Phoenix, with the other about 3,000 miles east. Let's take a closer look at the games.

WEST REGION - Phoenix, AZ

Matchup: Louisville Cardinals (4) vs. Florida Gators (7)

Road To The Elite 8: Louisville knocked off Davidson in the second round, New Mexico in the third and dismantled Michigan State in the Sweet 16 on Thursday. Florida dominated Virginia and Norfolk State in their first two games, and led the entire way against Marquette earlier this week.

Tipoff Time: 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT

TV Coverage: CBS will broadcast the game live across the entire nation, with pre-game coverage starting 90 minutes before the game.

EAST REGION - Boston, MA

Matchup: Syracuse Orange (1) vs. Ohio St. Buckeyes (2)

Road To The Elite 8: Syracuse avoided the early upset against UNC-Ashville in the opening round before defeating Kansas State to advance to the Sweet 16. They knocked off Wisconsin at the buzzer on Thursday. Ohio State has defeated Loyola, Gonzaga and Cincinnati to get to this point.

Tipoff Time: 7:05 p.m. ET / 4:05 p.m. PT

TV Coverage: CBS will broadcast the action. Should the Louisville-Florida matchup run long or into overtime, they will likely delay the start until the conclusion of the earlier game.

For more on the West Region and the showdown between Florida and Louisville, check out SB Nation Arizona's StoryStream, complete with a game preview, breakdown of individual players and more.

March Madness Schedule 2012: Full TV Times & Announcer Info For Friday

Friday's schedule of NCAA Tournament games features three No. 1 seeds, three double-digit seeds and several NBA prospects. Even if you are not a fan of these particular teams, there will be a handful of NBA prospects that will demand your watching.

Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist are projected lottery picks from Kentucky, while North Carolina's Harrison Barnes is projected to be the No. 2 prospect behind Kentucky's Davis. Other prospects to keep your eye on? Baylor has three prospects in Perry Jones, Quincy Miller and Quincy Acy, while Kansas' frontline of Thomas Robinson and Jeff Withey are NBA-bound as well.

Here's your schedule for Friday:

South Regional - Atlanta, GA

Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Clark Kellog (analysis), Tracy Wolfson (sideline reporter)

No. 3 Baylor Bears vs. No. 10 Xavier Musketeers - 4:15 pm PT, CBS

No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats vs. No. 4 Indiana Hoosiers - 6:45 pm PT, CBS

Midwest Regional - St. Louis, MO

Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analysis), Craig Sager (sideline reporter)

No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels vs. No. 13 Ohio Bobcats - 4:47 pm PT, TBS

No. 11 N.C. State Wolfpack vs. No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks - 7:17 pm PT, TBS

Stay with us here at SB Nation Arizona this Thursday to find more info on the tournament, particularly concerning the West Regional. For schedule, game times, TV Announcers, and more, check out this tournament schedule and info storystream from our buddies at SB Nation Seattle.

NCAA Bracket 2012: Sweet 16 Day One Game Recaps

March Madness continued on Thursday with teams in the East and West region battling it out to advance to the regional finals. The city of Phoenix hosted two Sweet 16 games at US Airway center on Thursday with two lower seeds advancing to the Elite Eight. On the other side of the country, No. 1 Syracuse and No. 2 Ohio State came out on top and will face each other for a trip to the final four on Saturday.

West Region Results:

No. 4 Louisville Cardinals defeats No. 1 Michigan State Spartans, 57-44

In a game between two of the greatest college basketball coaches of all-time, Louisville's Rick Pitino got the best of Michigan State's Tom Izzo. Pitino's squad ousted the Spartans and Draymond Green behind stellar defense. The Cardinals 2-3 zone held the Spartans to 28.6 percent shooting from the field on 14-for-49 shooting.

No. 7 Florida Gators defeats No. 3 Marquette Golden Eagles, 68-58

After a gutsy win over Marquette, the Florida Gators are now in their second Elite Eight in a row and will be trying to make their fourth final four in the past 12 years. A 9-0 run to end the first half gave Florida their biggest lead of the game (six points) and after that the Gators stayed in control and came away with the victory.

East Region Results:

No. 1 Syracuse Orange defeats No. 4 Wisconsin Badgers, 64-63

The Orange lived to play another day in a game that came down to the final seconds. Syracuse's highly-touted zone defense tightened up in the game's final minutes after Wisconsin caught fire from the three-point line in the second half. Wisconsin only made one shot from the field in the final six minutes.

No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes defeats No. 6 Cincinnati Bearcats, 81-66

Thursday's largest margin of victory goes to the Ohio State Buckeyes who came away with a 15-point win over state-rivals Cincinnati. Sophomore forward Deshaun Thomas played big for the Buckeyes and led all scorers with 26 points — 20 of them coming in the first half.

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

NCAA Tournament Tickets: People Want To See Cinderella

Ticket prices in Phoenix, where there are no Cinderellas, are about half as much as they are in regions with lower seeds, according to TiqIQ's data.

March Madness 2012: Tournament Bracket Updated For Sweet 16

So many teams left, so little time to figure out who's left. What are the big matchups for you to check out this weekend? The Sweet 16 features matchups like Syracuse playing Wisconsin, Kentucky rematching with Indiana, upstart Xavier facing off with Baylor, an all-Ohio matchup in Cincinnati and Ohio State, North Carolina facing super underdog Ohio, Michigan State facing off with Louisville, Marquette battling Florida, and NC State trying to keep the miracle run going against Kansas.

With so many upsets happening in the first two rounds, you might need a new bracket to look at. If you want a new bracket for this round, click here for a brand new, fresh printable bracket.

Stay with us here at SB Nation Arizona this Thursday to find more info on the tournament, particularly concerning the West Regional. For schedule, game times, TV Announcers, and more, check out this tournament schedule and info storystream from our buddies at SB Nation Seattle.

NCAA Tournament 2012: Time, TV Schedule, More Information For Sweet 16

The West regional will see both of their games taking place in Phoenix, Arizona, and will feature four teams that have a pretty solid chance of making it to New Orleans in the Final Four. The Michigan St. Spartans are the top seed, but they're hardly an overwhelming squad that is expected to dominate its opponents. The Marquette Eagles, Louisville Cardinals and the Florida Gators all have definite shots at winning two in a row in Phoenix next week. Michigan State will have the best shot.

Here's the Thursday schedule featuring West and East regional action. Games will tip-off regionally around 4:47 PM PT/7:47 PM ET in Arizona.

Thursday, March 22

East Regional - Boston, MA

Verne Lundquist (play-by-play), Bill Raftery (analyst), Lesley Visser (sideline)

No. 1 Syracuse vs. No. 4 Wisconsin - 4:15 pm PST, CBS

No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 6 Cincinnati - approx. 30 minutes after conclusion of first game, CBS

West Regional - Phoenix, AZ

Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Len Elmore and Reggie Miller (analysts), Marty Snider (sideline)

No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 4 Louisville - 4:47 pm PST, TBS

No. 3 Marquette vs. No. 7 Florida - approx. 30 minutes after conclusion of first game, TBS

Friday, March 23

South Regional - Atlanta, GA

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

No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 7 Xavier - 4:15 pm PST, CBS

No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 4 Indiana - approx. 30 minutes after conclusion of first game, CBS

Midwest Regional - St. Louis, MO

Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst), Craig Sager (sideline)

No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 13 Ohio - 4:47 pm PST, TBS

No. 2 Kanas vs. No. 11 NC State - approx. 30 minutes after conclusion of first game, TBS

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

NCAA Tournament 2012: Printable Sweet 16 Brackets Are Now Available

March Madness Schedule 2012: Full TV Times & Announcer Info For Sunday

The 2012 NCAA Tournament finished up its Round of 32 on Sunday, as the upsets and excitement haven't let up for an instant. Sunday will reveal the final eight teams that will comprise the Sweet Sixteen, as the race to a national champion narrows the field yet again.

Below, you can find the full tipoff times, TV broadcast info and announcers for each of the eight games.

Here is the full schedule for Sunday's games. All times are Eastern.

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 up-to-the-minute scores on all NCAA Tournament games, please check out SI.com's complete scoreboard.

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket, stay with SB Nation's Selection Sunday StoryStream, and stick around SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hubb for a complete printable NCAA Tournament brackett 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 Brackets 2012: Bracket Busted? Print A New, Updated Version!

NCAA Tournament 2012: West Region Results From The Round Of 64

Friday's action in the 2012 NCAA Tournament was marked by exciting, close games and historic upsets as the Round of 64 drew to a close. As promised, the West Region has supplied plenty of drama and intrigue.

The West Region was one of two (yes, two) brackets that saw their No. 2 seed knocked out by the No. 15 seed...something that had only happened four times prior to Friday's upset double-header. In the West, Norfolk St. upended the Missouri Tigers to knock out one of the heaviest hitters in the region. No. 1 Michigan State managed to hang in there, but the No. 9 Saint Louis Billikens eliminating the No. 8 Memphis Tigers was also something of a surprise.

If there's anything this year's tournament has shown us, it's that the field is wide open. The full final scores from the West Region are below.

West Region:

No. 1 Michigan State def No. 16 Long Island 89-67
No. 9 Saint Louis def No. 8 Memphis 61-54
No. 5 New Mexico def No. 12 Long Beach State 75-68
No. 4 Louisville def No. 13 Davidson 69-62
No. 6 Murray State def No. 11 Colorado State 58-41
No. 3 Marquette def No. 14 BYU 88-68
No. 7 Florida def No. 10 Virginia 71-45
No. 15 Norfolk State vs No. 2 Missouri 86-84

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.

March Madness Schedule 2012: Game Time & TV Info For Saturday

The Round of 64 in the 2012 NCAA Tournament was populated with thrilling last-minute wins and unbelievable upsets. There's barely a moment for viewers to catch their breath before hurtling back into the wall-to-wall March Madness viewing schedule. The field is wide open -- perhaps more so than it has been in years -- and there's no shortage of storylines or emerging superstars to keep an eye on.

The Round of 32 kicks off on Saturday, with another eight games of intense competition on the slate.

Saturday's games will feature Thursday's winners duking it out to determine who enters the Sweet 16 as we get one day closer to crowning a national champion.

Syracuse. vs. Kansas St., 12:15 p.m. on CBS
Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Len Elmore and Reggie Miller

Ohio St. vs. Gonzaga, 2:45 p.m. (tentative) on CBS
Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Len Elmore and Reggie Miller

Marquette vs. Murray St., 5:15 p.m. on CBS
Announcers: Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery

Wisconsin vs. Vanderbilt, 6:10 p.m. on TNT
Announcers: Spero Dedes and Bob Wenzel

Indiana vs. VCU, 7:10 p.m. on TBS
Announcers: Brian Anderson and Dan Bonner

Kentucky vs. Iowa St., 7:45 p.m. (tentative) on CBS
Announcers: Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery

Baylor vs. Colorado, 8:40 p.m. (tentative) on TNT
Announcers: Spero Dedes and Bob Wenzel

Louisville vs. New Mexico, 9:40 p.m. (tentative) on TBS
Announcers: Brian Anderson and Dan Bonner

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: Friday Start Times, TV Schedule, Announcers And More

The 2012 NCAA Tournament got off to a fun start on Thursday and fans should be in for yet another day of great hoops action on Friday. The field of 48 will be trimmed down to 32, meaning just one game separates the winners from being one game away from the Sweet 16. Here is a complete schedule of Friday's action, including TV times, announcers and more:

Morning/early afternoon session:

Cincinnati vs. Texas, 9:15 AM PT, CBS (Nashville)
Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst), Lewis Johnson (sideline)

San Diego St. vs. NC State, 9:40 AM PT, truTV (Columbus)
Announcers: Tim Brando (play-by-play), Mike Gminski (analyst), Otis Livingston (sideline)

Creighton vs. Alabama, 10:40 AM, TBS (Greensboro)
Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Clark Kellogg (analyst), Tracy Wolfson (sideline)

Florida vs. Virginia, 11:10 AM, TNT (Omaha)
Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst), Craig Sager (sideline)

Florida State vs. St. Bonaventure, 30 minutes after conc. of Cincinnati/Texas, CBS (Nashville)
Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst), Lewis Johnson (sideline)

Georgetown vs. Belmont, 30 minutes after conclusion of San Diego St./NC State, truTV (Columbus)
Announcers: Tim Brando (play-by-play), Mike Gminski (analyst), Otis Livingston (sideline)

North Carolina vs. Lamar/Vermont, 30 minutes after conclusion of Creighton/Alabama, TBS (Greensboro)
Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Clark Kellogg (analyst), Tracy Wolfson (sideline)

Missouri vs. Norfolk St., 30 minutes after conclusion of Florida/Virginia, TNT (Omaha)
Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst), Craig Sager (sideline)

Late afternoon/evening session:

Memphis vs. Saint Louis, 3:50 PM PT, TBS (Columbus)
Announcers: Tim Brando (play-by-play), Mike Gminski (analyst), Otis Livingston (sideline)

Duke vs. Lehigh, 4:15 PM PT, CBS (Greensboro)
Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Clark Kellogg (analyst), Tracy Wolfson (sideline)

Michigan vs. Ohio, 4:20 PM PT, TNT (Nashville)
Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst), Lewis Johnson (sideline)

St. Mary’s (CA) vs. Purdue, 4:27 PM PT, truTV (Omaha)
Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst), Craig Sager (sideline)

Michigan State vs. LIU Brooklyn, 30 minutes after conclusion of Memphis/St. Louis, TBS (Columbus)
Announcers: Tim Brando (play-by-play), Mike Gminski (analyst), Otis Livingston (sideline)

Notre Dame vs. Xavier, 30 minutes after conclusion of Duke/Lehigh, CBS (Greensboro)
Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Clark Kellogg (analyst), Tracy Wolfson (sideline)

Temple vs. California/South Florida, 30 minutes after conclusion of Michigan/Ohio, TNT (Nashville)
Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst), Lewis Johnson (sideline)

Kansas vs. Detroit, 30 minutes after conclusion of St. Mary's/Purdue, truTV (Omaha)
Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst), Craig Sager (sideline)

Brackets on the brain? Us too! Play Yahoo! Tourney Pick'em and be a part of the craziest month of college basketball. It is fun, easy, and free. For more coverage of St. Mary's in the 2012 NCAA Tournament, visit the SB Nation Arizona NCAA Tournament StoryStream. Click here for a link to our 2012 NCAA Bracket. And of course, make sure and get your printable bracket!

NCAA Tournament 2012 Scores: Marquette, Louisville Among Advancing Teams In West Region

The road to the Final Four for teams in the West Region will run through Phoenix this year and numerous participants were in action on Thursday afternoon to kick off the 2012 NCAA Tournament. With big name schools such as Marquette, Louisville and others in action early today, let's take a look at the winners and losers on a busy day of hoops.

3. Marquette Golden Eagles defeat 14. BYU Cougars, 88-68:

The Eagles controlled this game from the tip and used their athleticism and strong defense to impose their will at both ends of the court. The Cougars looked a little fatigued after playing an exhausting game on Tuesday evening and their shots simply would not go down. They trailed by double digits the entire second half, and despite a late rally to cut the deficit to 11 points, Marquette responded with a big run to close out the game.

4. Louisville Cardinals defeat 13. Davidson Wildcats, 69-62:

The final score of this one isn't really indicative of how the game was played and Louisville dominated from the start. Their tough defense led them in this one and Davidson hit just four of their 19 attempts from behind the arc. The Cardinals used a balanced scoring effort to find their points, as Peyton Siva had 17, Chane Behanan had 14, Kyle Kuric had 13 and Gorgui Dieng added nine.

5. New Mexico Lobos defeat 12. Long Beach St. 49ers, 75-68:

In what has easily been one of the better games of the day, the Lobos knocked off the 49ers with some stellar defensive play down the stretch. New Mexico held star guard Casper Wear to 17 points on 5-for-19 shooting, including 2-for-9 from behind the arc after hitting 42% of his shots this season. Drew Gordon had a monster game with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Kendall Williams hit big shot after big shot on his way to 16.

6. Murray St. Racers defeat 11. Colorado St. Rams, 58-41

It took the Racers a bit to get going, but they came out and dominated the opening minutes of the second half and ended up blowing out the Rams. Isaiah Canaan went off for 15 points despite a mediocre shooting night, while Donte Pool added 13.

Upcoming games on Friday: Michigan State vs. LIU, an intriguing 8-9 game between Memphis and Saint Louis, a 7-10 showdown between Florida and Virginia, and second-seed Mizzou vs. Norfolk State.

March Madness: 2012 NCAA Tournament Expert Bracket Picks

Bracketology 2012: North Carolina Draws Top Seed, Ohio State No. 2 In West Regional

Chris Dobbertean of SB Nation released his latest bracketology, and it does seem to attract some great looking matchups to the West Regional. Phoenix might be in store for some great college basketball a few weeks from now.

With of course no strong West Coast power ready to take the fourth number one seed, the bid will likely go the weakest of the four top seeds, which will likely be the ACC Tournament Champion if Duke or North Carolina. Kentucky, Syracuse and Michigan State are pretty locked in barring shocking upsets in their conference tournaments. Right now, with North Carolina obliterating Duke in their final regular season matchup, the Tar Heels seem to be the team most likely to get there, although they'd probably have to win another matchup with Duke in the tournament final to ensure the bid.

Ohio State has dropped off the past few weeks, but a win over Michigan State in their final game of the season puts them back at a solid No. 2 seed. The Georgetown Hoyas and the Baylor Bears draw the next two top seeds with UNLV and Gonzaga also making it in. Could be some highly compelling basketball if the West Region draws a bracket this favorable.

Bracketology 2012: Arizona Wildcats Projected For 11 Seed In March Madness

NCAA Bracketology 2012: Duke Moves Into No. 1 Seed In West Region

Got to love Braketology.

It looked like the desert was going to get the Ohio State Buckeyes as the big fish in its Sweet 16 and Elite 8 possibilities but with all the shake up at the top of the national rankings, Phoenix could be in line for one of the premier college basketball programs in all the land - the Duke Blue Devils.

After Duke's incredible comeback win over the rival North Carolina Tar Heels, the Blue Devils are now a member of the front line of seeds in SB Nation's Bracketology, placing them as the no. 1 in the West Region. To make things even more fun, another national power, the Kansas Jayhawks, sit at no. 2 in the region. If the region goes all chalk, Phoenix could see a Duke-Kansas Elite 8 game.

Can't get much bigger than that.

But lurking are top flight programs like the Marquette Golden Eagles (no. 3) and Louisville Cardinals (no. 4), plus some up-and-comers like the Wichita St. Shockers (no. 5) and Murray State Racers (no. 6).

Could be fun in the sun. But with college basketball, this could all change by next week. Stay tuned.

NCAA Bracketology: West Region Could Feature Intriguing Matchups

Phoenix would possibly host an Elite 8 game between Ohio State and Kansas, according to SBNation's current bracketology.