NCAA Tournament, SEC Teams: UConn Knocks Off Kentucky, Will Face Butler In Final

Kentucky came out of halftime on a run but faltered late falling to UConn by a score of 56-55. The Huskies advance to Monday's NCAA Championship Game against Butler who defeated VCU earlier tonight. 

With Kentucky trailing by two with under 20 seconds on the clock, DeAndre Liggins missed a long three point attempt with the clock winding down. After being fouled to stop the clock, UConn's Shabazz Napier calmly sunk two free throws giving the Huskies a four point lead. Brandon Knight hit a three as time expired but it wasn't enough for the Wildcats. 

Kemba Walker led the way for UConn with 18 points and seven rebounds while playing some very stingy defense against Kentucky's Brandon Knight. Jeremy Lamb added 12 points while Alex Oriakhi added eight points and 10 rebounds. 

Knight led Kentucky with 17 points but was just 6-23 from the field including 3-11 from three-point range. Doron Lamb netted 13 points while Terrance Jones added 11 points and a game high 15 rebounds. The Wildcats lived and died with the three-point shot going 9-27 in the game. 

For more on this game, Kentucky fans should check out A Sea of Blue, and UConn fans should visit The UConn Blog.

If this game could be compared to a heavyweight title fight, then Kemba Walker and UConn came out in the lead after the first round. UConn takes a 31-21 lead into halftime against Kentucky with Walker leading the way with nine points and six assists. 

Kentucky came out of the gate looking poised while forcing the Huskies into six early turnovers. The Wildcats failed to build a lead off those turnovers and UConn answered with a 10-0 run later in the half. The Huskies defense picked up late in the half forcing Kentucky to settle for long jump shots. The Wildcats shot just 28% in the first half including going 2-12 from three-point range. 

Walker's nine points leads the way for the Huskies while Jeremy Lamb added eight points of his own. UConn shot a sizzling 52% in the first half. 

Terrence Jones led Kentucky with nine points while Brandon Knight added seven. Knight has struggled going just 3-11 from the field. Josh Harrellson has failed to have much of an impact recording just two points and one rebound while picking up two fouls in the first half. 

For more on this game, Kentucky fans should check out A Sea of Blue, and UConn fans should visit The UConn Blog.

How badly does the NCAA (and CBS!) wish the Final Four could be re-seeded? On this side of the bracket, two programs that sell themselves, stocked with stars and including the player who might be college basketball's most-well-known first-name-only scorer by Tuesday morning.

Kemba Walker vs. Brandon Knight will be the duel of the weekend, as Knight won't have a chance to spend the first half warming up as is custom. Expect Walker to score early and often -- can Knight and company keep up?

Game time, TV schedule, location: April 2 at 8:30 pm ET, CBS, Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. Winner gets the winner of the 6 pm ET VCU-Butler game in the 2011 NCAA Tournament final on April 4, also at Reliant.

Odds, spread, and over/under: Kentucky's -115 at Bodog, and UConn's +110, while the line has hovered right around the -2 mark all week, with the Wildcats barely favored. The over/under started at 142 and has been slowly inching downward, resting at 140 the last I checked.

Predictions: John Calipari becomes a perfect career 1-0 in Final Four games. And taking the under, unless it creeps down any further. Each of these teams has only played one game in this tournament that has surpassed 140 points. There's a lot of firepower here, but we're still talking about a SEC team vs. a Big East team.

For more on this game, Kentucky fans should visit A Sea Of Blue and Team Speed Kills. UConn fans should join The UConn Blog.

Kentucky rides a 10 game winning streak into Saturday's Final Four match up against Connecticut. The game will be a rematch as both teams met earlier this season in the Maui Invitational. The Huskies won that game 84-67 and that tournament was junior guard Kemba Walker's coming out party. 

Much has changed for the Wildcats since that game. Freshman point guard Brandon Knight played like a freshman in that earlier meeting scoring just six points on 3-15 shooting. He has looked like a season pro throughout the SEC Conference Tournament and the NCAA Tournament particularly at crunch time. Knight scored the game winning basket in Kentucky's second round win over Princeton. Knight scored a game high 30 points in the Wildcat's third round contest against West Virginia and hit a jump shot with just 5.4 seconds remaining to lift Kentucky over Ohio State. 

Knight continued his strong play against North Carolina stuffing the stat sheet with 22 points, seven rebounds, and four assists while lifting his club to the Final Four. 

Now the challenge is slowing down Kemba Walker who had 29 points and six assists in that earlier meeting. Throughout their run, Kentucky has been solid defensively but perhaps faces its biggest challenge in Walker. It may not come down to Knight needing to outscore Walker but he along with DeAndre Liggins needs to make Walker work hard for every shot he takes.  

To this point in the tournament, Kentucky has outworked each opponent behind the play of Knight and Josh Harrellson. Saturday's match up with Connecticut pits two storied programs and two marquee coaches in what should be one entertaining match up to watch. 

For more on this game, Kentucky fans should visit A Sea Of Blue and UConn fans should head to The UConn Blog.

More 2011 March Madness resources: Visit our NCAA Tournament hub for up-to-date news and information … updated printable NCAA Tournament bracket.

Check the full NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 schedule, and see predictions and previews for each game.

John Calipari has taken his third different school to the Final Four as Kentucky held on over North Carolina by a score of 76-69. Kentucky led by eight at halftime before Carolina came storming back in the second half. The Wildcats were able to withstand the charge thanks to the play of Brandon Knight.

Knight had an excellent all around game with 22 points, seven rebounds, and four assists for the Wildcats who had five different players score in double figures. Josh Harrellson and DeAndre Liggins each added 12 points while Josh Harrellson and Terrence Jones had 11. 

Tyler Zeller once again led the Tar Heels with 21 points and nine rebounds. Harrison Barnes added 18 for Carolina. 

It was Kentucky 's long range shooting that was the difference in this game as the Wildcats were 12-22 from three point range while North Carolina was just 3-16. 

Kentucky advances to the Final Four in Houston where they will take on Jim Calhoun's Connecticut Huskies. 

For more on this game, Kentucky fans should visit A Sea Of Blue and North Carolina fans should head to Carolina March.

More 2011 March Madness resources: Visit our NCAA Tournament hub for up-to-date news and information … updated printable NCAA Tournament bracket.

Check the full NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 schedule, and see predictions and previews for each game.

Two of the most storied programs in NCAA history, North Carolina and Kentucky will face off on Sunday with a trip to this year's Final Four at stake. This match up is a sort of "last stand" match for both the ACC and SEC as Kentucky and North Carolina are the last two teams remaining in the tournament from each conference. 

Kentucky earned its birth in the Elite Eight after knocking off Princeton, West Virginia, and the No. 1 seed in the entire tournament Ohio State. The Wildcats have been suffocating defensively and it will be an interesting match up to see if they can slow down the Tar Heels. 

North Carolina defeated Long Island, Washington, and Marquette to earn their birth in the Elite Eight. The Tar Heels dominated Marquette on Friday and appeared to be hitting on all cylinders both offensively and defensively. Tyler Zeller has taken his came to another level in the tournament and his match up against Kentucky's Josh Harrellson will be a key factor in today's game. 

For more on this game, North Carolina fans should visit Carolina March and Kentucky fans should head to A Sea Of Blue.

More 2011 March Madness resources: Visit our NCAA Tournament hub for up-to-date news and information … updated printable NCAA Tournament bracket.

Check the full NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 schedule, and see predictions and previews for each game.

The No. 8 Butler Bulldogs clinched their second consecutive Final Four trip with a 74-71 overtime win over the No. 2 Florida Gators in one of the most exciting games of the entire 2011 NCAA Tournament so far. Florida had multiple chances to win in the closing minutes, but a pair of bizarre long threes gave Butler all the opportunity it needed. Not that Brad Stevens really needs your help, you understand.

Butler advances to take on either the No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks or No. 11 VCU Rams. If Kansas can hold off VCU, then Kansas’ average opponent seed throughout the entire tournament will be 10. Shelvin Mack was huge today for the Bulldog, scoring 27 points and adding four boards and four assists.

The No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats are now the only SEC team remaining. They’ll take on the No. 2 North Carolina Tar Heels Sunday.

For more on this game, Florida fans should visit Alligator Army and SB Nation Tampa Bay, and Butler fans should head to SB Nation Indiana.

More 2011 March Madness resources: Visit our NCAA Tournament hub for up-to-date news and information … updated printable NCAA Tournament bracket.

Check the full NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 schedule, and see predictions and previews for each game.

The Florida Gators downed the BYU Cougars in Thursday night’s Sweet 16 action, earning an Elite Eight shot at the Butler Bulldogs at 4:30 pm ET Saturday with a trip to the Final Four on the line. So much alliteration! Here’s some more: Alligator Army describes Butler as “the modern Hoosiers” and “national darlings,” and it’s safe to say we should not be surprised to see the SEC’s Southeast region rep cast as the bad guys in this one.

SB Nation Indiana views Butler’s versatility as an advantage, contrasting the Bulldogs’ multiple shooters with BYU’s one-man show, which Florida handled masterfully. Don’t expect Butler shooters to hurl 15 missed three-pointers a la Jimmer Fredette.

The Gators are favored by 4.5 — but don’t let Brad Stevens make you the next contestant on that “One Shining Moment” montage, Billy Donovan. Also, in case we haven’t formally thanked Butler for ridding the bracket of the detestable, irresponsible, unacceptable playing style of the Wisconsin Badgers … thank you, Butler.

For more on this game, Florida fans should visit Alligator Army and SB Nation Tampa Bay, and Butler fans should head to SB Nation Indiana.

More 2011 March Madness resources: Visit our NCAA Tournament hub for up-to-date news and information … updated printable NCAA Tournament bracket.

Check the full NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 schedule, and see predictions and previews for each game.

Coming into this game, Kentucky knew that it was going to have to get a big performance out of someone defensively against Ohio State's Jared Sullinger. Enter Josh Harrellson for the Wildcats. Harrellson finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds but was instrumental in making things difficult for Sullinger inside. 

Brandon Knight didn't have the game he had against West Virginia but he hit the biggest shot of the game for Kentucky burying a pull up jump shot with just 5.4 seconds remaining providing the Wildcats with their winning margin. 

DeAndre Liggins added 15 points for Kentucky while Knight finished with nine. Sullinger led Ohio State with 21 points and 16 rebounds. John Diebler added 16 for the Buckeyes. 

Kentucky's defensive effort was key in pulling the upset. The Wildcats held Ohio State to just 33% shooting while also blocking 11 shots in the game. 

The Wildcats advance to the Elite Eight where they will take on North Carolina on Sunday. 

For more on this game, visit A Sea Of Blue and Along The Olentangy.

More 2011 March Madness resources: Visit our NCAA Tournament hub for up-to-date news and information ... updated printable NCAA Tournament bracket.

Check the full NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 schedule, and see predictions and previews for each game.

Jimmer Fredette scored 32 points but went scoreless in overtime as Florida outscored BYU 15-6 in the extra period to capture a 83-74 victory and a spot in the Elite Eight of the 2011 NCAA Tournament. 

Alex Tyus had a career night for the Gators with 19 points and 17 rebounds. Tyus was 8-9 from the field. His play along with the size of Vernon Macklin on the interior gave BYU problems the entire game. Kenny Boynton scored 17 points while Erving Walker and Chandler Parsons scored 16 apiece. Parsons also had nine rebounds and seven assists. 

While Boynton and Walker were good offensively, perhaps their best accomplishment came in never allowing Jimmer Fredette to establish a rhythm. Fredette scored 32 points but had to take 29 shots from the field. Fredette was just 3-15 from the three point range. The Cougars needed that second scorer tonight and just couldn't come up with it to battle the balanced attack of Florida. Jackson Emery and Noah Hartsock each scored nine points for the Cougars. 

Florida advances to the Elite Eight where they will take on the winner of tonight's matchup between Wisconsin and Butler. 

For more on this game from the Florida perspective, visit Alligator Army. BYU fans should stop by Vanquish the Foe. Head to SB Nation’s NCAA Basketball hub for more on March Madness.

If any team in this year's NCAA Tournament is aware of BYU guard Jimmer Fredette it is Florida and heach coach Billy Donovan. After all it was the Cougars that knocked the Gators out of last year's tournament 99-92 in double overtime. Fredette scored 37 points in that game. 

Fredette has had an amazing season averaging 28.8 points and 4.3 assists per game. He has topped 30 points in six of the last seven games. Perhaps BYU's success in tonight's game lies though not with Fredette but with his teammates who will also need to come up with good games if they hope to defeat Florida. 

To get to the sweet sixteen, Florida has defeated UC Santa Barbara and UCLA. Erving Walker scored 21 points with many of them coming late as the Gators dispatched the Bruins to earn the trip into the sweet sixteen. While the Cougars rely heavily on Fredette, Florida has more a team approach with players like Walker, Kenny Boynton, or Chandler Parsons all equally capable of carrying the team on any given night. 

Tonight's game tips at 7:30 p.m. and will be televised on TBS. 

For more on this game from the Florida perspective, visit Alligator Army. BYU fans should stop by Van. Head to SB Nation’s NCAA Basketball hub for more on March Madness.

Kentucky faces perhaps its biggest obstacle in its quest for another trip to the Final Four. The Wildcats take on the No. 1 ranked team in the nation in Ohio State. The Buckeyes are the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and have looked impressive thus far in the tournament having last defeated George Mason 98-66.

David Lighty scored 25 points to lead the Buckeyes while Jared Sullinger added 18 points and eight rebounds in just 22 minutes of action. The Buckeyes have won nine games in a row including a Big 10 regular season and tournament championship.

John Calipari's club has played well also winning its last eight games including an SEC Tournament Championship. The Wildcats survived against Princeton in the second round of the NCAA Tournament 59-57 before defeating West Virginia 71-63 on Saturday.

Defense will be key for the Wildcats if they expect to upset Ohio State. Kentucky surrendered 41 first half points to West Virginia on Saturday before clamping down defensively and only allowing 22 points in the second half. It was Kentucky's defense that helped them win the SEC Tournament and they may have to come up with their best effort yet against Ohio State.

For more on this game from the Kentucky perspective, visit A Sea Of Blue. Ohio State fans should stop by Along the Olentangy. Head to SB Nation’s NCAA Basketball hub for more on March Madness.

It was the Erving Walker show down the stretch as the tiny Gator point guard scored 21 points while leading Florida to a 73-65 victory over UCLA. Walker scored 12 of the last 14 points for the Gators including an off balance bank shot over UCLA's Joshua Smith and a crucial three after a near Bruin steal. 

UCLA can look no further than its on free throw shooting as a deciding factor in the loss. The Bruins were but 16-25 from the free throw line and missed a couple of big front ends of one in ones late. 

In addition to Walker's 21 points, Kenny Boynton scored 12 points while Vernon Macklin added 10. Boynton left the game late in the second half after suffering an ankle injury. He briefly returned before leaving the game once again this time for good. His status will be something to keep an eye on for the next round of the tournament. 

UCLA was led by Smith's 16 points. Reeves Nation also had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Malcolm Lee netted 14 points in the loss. 

The Gators advance to the sweet sixteen where they will play the winner of tonight's game between Gonzaga and BYU. 

Kentucky advances to the sweet sixteen and avenges last year's tournament loss with a 71-63 victory over West Virginia. The Mountaineers led by eight at the half before Kentucky clamped down defensively late enabling the Wildcats to outscore West Virginia by 16 points in the second half. 

Kentucky guard Brandon Knight had an outstanding game for the Wildcats with 30 points and four assists. The freshman point guard is following in the long line of successful players to play the position under coach John Calipari. Josh Harrelson scored 15 points while Terrence Jones logged a double double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. 

Joe Mazzulla led the way for West Virginia with 20 points while Darryl Bryant added 15. 

The story of this game was how much better defensively the Wildcats were in the second half. Kentucky was down eight points at halftime despite shooting 56% from the field. The Wildcats came out and set the tone early holding the Mountaineers to just 22 second half points and 41% shooting for the game. 

The Wildcats become the first team this season to advance to the sweet sixteen. They will play the winner of today's game between Ohio State and George Mason. 

Travis Leslie's desperation heave as time expired didn't find the mark enabling Washington to survive a furious Georgia comeback 68-65. Isaiah Thomas scored 19 points while adding seven assists for the Huskies who built as big as a ten point lead in the second half. 

Georgia was able to close that gap significantly until Leslie's shot at the buzzer fell no good. Trey Thompkins led the Bulldogs with 26 points and 11 rebounds. Gerald Robinson and Travis Leslie each scored 12. Georgia controlled the tempo in the first half yet still went in at halftime with the score tied despite Washington hitting a very low percentage of their shots. The Huskies were able to turn up the defensive pressure in the second half and without a shooter on the floor to help stretch the defense, the Bulldogs had a difficult time getting any clean looks at the basket. The Bulldogs hurt themselves with 14 turnovers while Washington only turned the ball over five times in the game. 

Washington advances to the third round of the NCAA Tournament where they will face off against North Carolina. 

This could have been the last game for Georgia juniors Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie who will face decisions about whether to turn pro or remain in Athens for their senior seasons. The Bulldogs went to the tournament in just Mark Fox's second season on the bench for the Bulldogs. This trip was Georgia first appearance in the tournament since 2008. 

The Wolverines outscored the Vols 42-16 in the second half in a 75-45 rout that could have been an ugly ending to the Bruce Pearl era at Tennessee. Seven Michigan players scored at least eight points led by Zack Novak's 14. Matt Vogrich sparked the Wolverines in the first half when they made a late run to take a four point lead. Vogrich scored 11 points going a perfect 5-5 from the field. Freshman Tim Hardaway Jr also scored 11 points for the Wolverines.

Tobias Harris scored all 19 of his points in the first half for the Volunteers who turned the ball over 18 times while shooting only 35% from the floor. 

Late in the first half, Michigan coach John Beilein switched defenses to a 1-3-1 zone alignment that frustrated the Volunteers. The Wolverines closed the first half on a run and never let up in the second. At one point in the second half, Tennessee went over eight minutes without scoring a basket while Michigan continued to poor it on. 

With the win, Michigan advances to the third round of the NCAA Tournament where they will face the winner of the game between Duke and Hampton. 

Florida jumped out to a 43-19 lead and cruised home handling over matched UC Santa Barbara with ease. Erving Walker led Florida with 18 points while SEC Player of the Year Chandler Parsons recorded a near triple double with 10 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds. Kenny Boynton added 13 points while Vernon Macklin tossed in 10. 

The Gators put on a clinic offensively recording 22 assists on 29 made baskets. Defensively the Gators forced UC Santa Barbara into 17 turnovers. 

Orlando Johnson led the Gauchos with 21 points while James Nunnally netted 12 of his own. 

Florida advances to the third round of the NCAA Tournament where they will take on the winner of the UCLA-Michigan State matchup later tonight. After falling to Kentucky in the SEC Tournament championship, Florida sent a message today to the other teams in the tournament that they are a Final Four contender and won't be an easy out for any team. 

For more on this game and the Florida Gators check out Alligator Army. 

Kevin Anderson's floater with just under 20 seconds to go helped seal a 69-66 upset victory over No. 5 seeded Vanderbilt. The victory sets up a matchup of teams that scored big upsets during today's second round of the NCAA Tournament.  

This is the third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament where Vanderbilt failed to get out of the first round. Last season The Commodores were defeated at the buzzer by No. 13 seeded Murray State in the first round. Prior to that, Vanderbilt lost to another No. 13 seed in Siena. 

Earlier in the day it was Morehead State's Demonte Harper who nailed a three pointer with just four seconds remaining shocking the No. 4 seeded Louisville Cardinals. 

Not many brackets that were filled out today probably had Richmond advancing to face Morehead State in the third round of the tournament. However, that is exactly where the two teams will meet on Saturday. 

The Vanderbilt Commodores fell victim to the 12 vs. 5 upset on Thurday, losing to Richmond 69-66 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. For the 9th year out of the last 10, a No. 12 seed has sent a No. 5 seed home early.

Vandy falls early for the third consecutive year after losing to No. 13 seed Murray State in 2010 and No. 13 seed Siena in 2009. The Commodores had their own two headed scoring monster in Festus Ezeli and John Jenkins who combined for 42 points on 14-19 from the field, including 4-6 from deep.

The Spiders of the Atlantic-10 were fueled by 25 points from Kevin Anderson. The 6’0, 170lbs Senior from Peachtree Ridge HS was the catalyst in the final 3 minutes and scoring the final 5 points. Justin Harper and Francis-Cedric Martel combined for 25 points off the bench.

Richmond moves on to face the other Cinder-Fellas of Morehead State on Saturday for a trip to the Sweet 16.

Brandon Knights lay in with two seconds left saved Kentucky from becoming one of the biggest upsets of the NCAA Tournament thus far. The basket was Knight's only two points of the game but proved to be the biggest. Before the shot, Knight had been 0-7 from the field.  

Princeton tied the game with 34 seconds to go on a Dan Mavraides jump shot before Kentucky called time out to set up the final play. This game was described as a David versus Goliath matchup and the Tigers nearly pulled off playing the role of David to perfection. 

Darius Miller led the Wildcats with 17 points. Josh Harrelson added 15 points and 10 rebounds while Terrence Jones added 10 for Kentucky. 

Mavraides led Princeton with 14 points. Douglas Davis added 13 points off the bench while Kareem Jackson and Ian Hummer added 12 and 11 respectively. 

Kentucky advances to play West Virginia who defeated Clemson 84-76 earlier today. 

For more on todays game, Kentucky fans should check out A Sea Of Blue. 

For more tournament predictions, head over to SB Nation.

The SEC has five teams in the 2011 NCAA Basketball Tournament. What kind of chance does each team have? Here are our predictions starting with the lowest seed. 

Georgia Bulldogs (21-11, 9-7)

Georgia has exhibited up and down play the entire season. At times they have looked like they were capable of competing with anyone. Other times they look like they might not ever win another game. The Bulldogs face a talented Washington team that won the Pac-10 Tournament and is led by Isiah Thomas. It is very possible that Georgia could be shell shocked by their first tournament appearance since 2008, I am predicting a first round upset win for Mark Fox's Bulldogs as I think he will have them focused and ready to play after having plenty of time to prepare for Washington. The Bulldogs run will likely end in the second round against North Carolina. 

Tennessee Volunteers (19-14, 8-8)

Tennessee is a No. 9 seed despite having a worse record than Georgia largely due to the strength of its wins over Pitt and Villanova. The Volunteers also lost to the likes of Richmond, Oakland, and College of Charleston. Two of those teams are in the tournament and are worthy opponents but as talented as Tennessee is they shouldn't be losing to schools of that caliber. With news of Bruce Pearl's uneasy job status at Tennessee leaking into the media on the eve of the tournament I have changed my mind on the Vols and am now predicting a second round loss to Michigan. Thus ending a short stay in the NCAA Tournament and perhaps the end of the Bruce Pearl era in Tennessee. 

Vanderbilt Commodores (23-10, 9-7)

Vanderbilt is one of those teams that is hard to predict. If John Jenkins is healthy and playing well then I wouldn't be surprised to see the Commodores stick around for a while in the tournament. Jenkins however missed Vanderbilt's first game in the SEC Tournament and went just 3-15 in their loss to Florida in the semifinals. Compound that with drawing a very good Richmond team in the second round and I am predicting yet another upset loss and early exit for an SEC team. 

Kentucky Wildcats (25-8, 10-6)

The Wildcats drew a No. 4 seed despite defeating the No. 2 seeded Florida Gators rather convincingly in the SEC Tournament championship. Kentucky was also rewarded by being sent to the East regional which just might be the toughest region in this year's tournament. At any rate, I see a sweet sixteen run for Kentucky and a collision course with Ohio State. The Wildcats are talented enough to knock off the Buckeyes but I am afraid that their lack of depth will ultimately cost them in the sweet sixteen. Kentucky over Princeton and West Virginia before falling to Ohio State. 

Florida Gators (26-7, 13-3)

Despite losing to Kentucky in the SEC Tournament, Florida earns a No. 2 seed in the southeast region. While their performance against the Wildcats has given me pause, I still believe that Billy Donovan's club is good and has the best chance of any SEC team to reach the Final Four. I have the Gators knocking off Pitt in the Elite Eight before ultimately falling to Kansas in the Final Four. 

Georgia head coach Mark Fox has done a solid job turning the Bulldogs program around in just two short years. Georgia failed to qualify for postseason play in 2009, Fox’s first year at the helm. But a year later, Fox has the Bulldogs back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008. Really though it had been since 2002 since Georgia last turned in a complete season worthy of a ticket to the Big Dance. (In ’08, if you recall, Georgia shocked the SEC by winning the conference tournament as a No. 6 seed and made the field of 65 as a 14 seed).

Georgia’s opponent in the first round is a Washington Huskies team that loves to run and is no stranger to getting hot at this time of year. The Huskies sneaked into the tournament last year by winning the Pac 10 Conference tournament, then made a surprise run to the Sweet 16 before finally being bounced. The Huskies are again Pac 10 Conference tourney champs, and again should be considered a dangerous out because of their stellar guard play and experience.

Fox joined WQXI in Atlanta on Monday to talk about if he felt his team was slighted by receiving just a 10 seed, what he sees in the Huskies as he prepares his team for their first round matchup, and how he’ll get his team ready to play late in the evening on Friday night. (Partial transcription via: SRI)

If he was surprised Georgia was a #10 seed:

“I don’t know. I felt like if you look at the teams that we probably had a resume that was stronger, so I felt very confident going in. The seeding process, because of the rule, teams not being able to play teams in their own league sometimes it can be a little bit skewed. So I am not sure if I felt like we should be a 10, 11, 12 really did not care, just wanted to get in.”

What it is about Washington that jumps right out at him:

“Well they are a great offensive team. They are scoring a boatload of points, almost 85 points a game. They got great speed and athleticism, so I think from the standpoint of just pure talent they rank pretty well with everybody. They have a very good backcourt, a terrific lead guard in Isaiah Thomas, they have big, athletic frontline players. They have had a team that has been explosive all year so we will have to gear up for that.”

How he is going to get his team to adjust to playing later than normal:

“That is a little bit unique. Fortunately with today’s generation I don’t think they go to bed as early as I do so I am going to have to adjust my schedule more than the players do, but we will adjust it a little bit this week. Probably practice a little bit later as we start getting near the end of the week and then just at that time you have got to be willing to play any time, any place. I don’t care if the game is at midnight, when you are in the tournament you have got to get ready to play.”

For more Bulldogs coverage leading up to the Big Dance, be sure to check out Dawg Sports.

The 2011 NCAA Tournament’s Southeast region is this year’s most forgiving, but few expect the Florida Gators to be able to take advantage and reach the Final Four. Most experts are picking the Pittsburgh Panthers almost by default in the Southeast, with a self-depleted BYU Cougars team the only real option besides Florida, unless you think Kansas State can go on another March Madness tear.

Or maybe you think Wisconsin can reach the Final Four by winning four consecutive road games. No! They will fall to the mighty Belmont Bruins! Quake and tremble!

As far as the computers go, Kenneth Massey has the Gators ranked as the worst No. 2 seed, Joel Sokol has them ranked below various double-digit seeds, and Ken Pomeroy probably would’ve ranked them as a No. 4 or No. 5 seed.

It’s been a mystery to many why Florida earned a No. 2 seed, but with a friendly home pod location (Tampa) they should be able to survive long enough to meet Pitt or K-State.

For more on Florida, visit Alligator Army and SB Nation Tampa Bay.

The question isn't whether or not the No. 10 seeded Georgia Bulldogs can knock off the No. 7 seeded Washington Huskies. The question is will they? If this season has shown anything it has shown that the Bulldogs are capable of putting together some pretty impressive stretches of basketball only to followed by a frustrating streak where scoring isn't even an option. This happened as recently as their last game against Alabama in the SEC Tournament. After building a 14 point lead in the second half, Georgia was mired with turnovers and bad shot selection which ultimately led to them losing in overtime. 

Washington is definitely no slouch. The Huskies won 23 games while finishing 11-7 in the Pac-10 which was good enough for third place. Then Washington won the Pac-10 conference tournament beating regular season champ Arizona 77-75 in the championship game. SB Nation bracket expert Chris Dobbertean picks Washington over Georgia in his bracket projections.

No. 7 Washington over No. 10 Georgia, Isaiah Thomas and the Huskies should make the Bulldogs' surprise trip a short one.

A lot of people will dismiss my pick of Georgia as being a card carrying Dawg fan. However, it is a reflection of my belief in Mark Fox. I think given the time to prepare, Georgia has the inside-out game needed to be successful in March. So I am going with the Bulldogs in an upset. 

Are the No. 12 Richmond Spiders an upset threat against the No. 5 Vanderbilt Commodores? March Madness math by Kenneth Massey, along with SB Nation’s own flesh-‘n’-blood Chris Dobbertean, certainly think so, while the systems developed by Joel Sokol and Ken Pomeroy are more comfortable with the upper-seeded Dores. The New York Times’ FiveThirtyEight prefers Vandy as well.

Dobbertean thinks Richmond’s versatility will be too much for Vandy, a team used to cumbersome and awkward SEC basketball. It’s a fair point — Vanderbilt has no offense beyond John Jenkins. If he’s not hitting, they’re playing ugly, ugly hoops. But Vandy has four players who score in double digits, while Richmond has just two.

I’m going to pick the favorite here, and not just because my bracket’s littered with upset picks elsewhere.

For more on this game from the Vandy perspective, visit Anchor Of Gold. Head to SB Nation’s NCAA Basketball hub for more on March Madness.

One of the 2011 NCAA Tournament's second round highlights promises to be the No. 8 and No. 9 matchup between Tennessee and Michigan. When examining Tennessee this season there is a glass half empty / half full process to looking at the Vols. On one hand how can a team beat Pitt, Villanova, Memphis, and Vanderbilt and only be a No. 9 seed? On the other hand how can a team be a No. 9 seed and lose to Oakland, Charlotte, College of Charleston, and have their coach suspended by the SEC for the first eight games of the conference season? 

That is exactly why you find Tennessee in one of the biggest coin flip spots on the bracket. The Volunteers are talented enough with players like Scotty Hopson and Tobias Harris to make some noise in the tournament. They are also equally inconsistent enough to go out in the first round to Michigan with little more than a whimper. 

Their opponent Michigan surprised many teams this season on their way to 20 wins and a 9-9 record in the Big 10. John Beilein's club is young and inexperienced but doesn't seem to be phased by their surroundings. Led by sophomore Darius Miller and freshman Tim Hardaway Jr, the Wolverines knocked off Illinois in the Big 10 conference tournament and then put a scare in Ohio State before falling 68-61. 

SB Nation bracket expert Chris Dobbertean picks Michigan in his bracket prediction.

No. 8 Michigan over No. 9 Tennessee, simply because you have no idea which Volunteer team will show up.

As big a fan of Beilein as I am, I really want to pick Michigan but ultimately I think Tennessee is too talented and that Bruce Pearl is just too good a coach. The Vols will be ready in this one and I think will win one of the better games of the second round of the tournament. 

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