Printable NCAA Bracket 2012: One Last Look At Kentucky's National Championship Run

John Calipari, Anthony Davis, Doron Lamb, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Terrence Jones and the rest of the Kentucky Wildcats can all call themselves NCAA National Champions for the first time ever. Kentucky seized control early in the game with their swarming defense and defeated the Kansas Jayhawks, 67-59, in the 2012 NCAA Tournament's National Championship game on Monday night.

Whether you won your office pool or want to relive the Kentucky run through the tournament field one last time, be sure to take another look at March Madness with SB Nation's printable 2012 NCAA Bracket (PDF).

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. For more on the title game, stick with SB Nation Chicago. For more on Kentucky head over to A Sea of Blue and for more on Kansas visit Rock Chalk Talk. For analysis, news and notes from around the country, check out SB Nation's college basketball news hub.

Kentucky Vs. Kansas Final Score: Chicago Native Anthony Davis Leads Wildcats To National Title

Freshman center Anthony Davis went 1-for-10 from the field, but finished with six points, 16 rebounds, six blocks, five assists and three steals to help key a 67-59 victory for the Kentucky Wildcats. It's the first NCAA championship for coach John Calipari. This is the eight national championship in school history for Kentucky.

Guard Doron Lamb. had 22 points and three assists for Kentucky. Marquis Teague had 14 points. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist finished with 11 points and six rebounds.

Kansas was led by forward Thomas Robinson, who had 18 points and 17 rebounds. Guard Tyshawn Taylor had 19 points on 8-of-17 shooting.

The Wildcats finish the season 38-2. No. 2 Kansas end the season with a 32-7 overall record.

For more on the title game, stick with SB Nation Chicago. For more on Kentucky head over to A Sea of Blue and for more on Kansas visit Rock Chalk Talk. For analysis, news and notes from around the country, check out SB Nation's college basketball news hub.

NCAA Final Four 2012, Kentucky Vs. Kansas: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Kentucky Wildcats were supposed to be in this game. The Kansas Jayhawks, on the other hand, were not. The Wildcats entered the season ranked No. 2 by the AP, while the Jayhawks entered at No. 13, which is certainly nothing to scoff at, but still far off the program's usual expectations. But none of that will matter come tip-off on Monday night, as both teams now stand a game away from winning this year's national championship.

The young Wildcats have shown none of the pitfalls of youth so far in this tournament, as they've methodically rolled to the tournament's final game thanks to the play of their young stars (Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist) and veterans such as Darius Miller (senior) and Terrence Jones (sophomore, which qualifies). Where Kentucky can come at teams with at least five legitimate scoring threats, the Wildcats are powered by the duo of junior Thomas Robinson and senior Tyshawn Taylor, with a bit of junior Elijah Johnson thrown in.

If Robinson can handle Kentucky's vaunted frontline, the Jayhawks may be able to pull off what would be considered a decided upset. But if he and Taylor shoot the 11-29 that they did against the Ohio State Buckeyes in Saturday night's quarterfinals, Kentucky may be too good to allow a second-half comeback that saves the day.

Game time/date: Monday, April 2, 2012, 8:23 p.m. CT

Location: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, La.

TV: CBS

Odds: Kentucky by 6.5

For more on the title game, stick with SB Nation Chicago. For more on Kentucky head over to A Sea of Blue and for more on Kansas visit Rock Chalk Talk. For analysis, news and notes from around the country, check out SB Nation's college basketball news hub.

Final Four 2012: Is Louisville Vs. Kentucky The Best Rivalry In College Basketball?

On Saturday, the No. 4 Louisville Cardinals take on the No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats in a Final Four matchup for the right to advance to the 2012 NCAA Tournament National Championship game. These two teams met back on Dec. 31, and the Wildcats pulled out a 69-62 win over the Cardinals in the continuation of a bitter in-state rivalry that SB Nation's Mike Rutherford calls the best rivalry in college basketball. The stakes are incredibly high for the rematch, so this is the perfect time to sit down and read Rutherford's wonderful story on exactly why Louisville Vs. Kentucky Is College Basketball's Top Rivalry. Here is a small snippet from the story that highlights how the inherent tension between the two programs is compounded by a mutually destructive relationship between John Calipari and Rick Pitino:

Calipari has taken pot shot after pot shot at Pitino and Louisville over the past year, most notably referring to Kentucky as "the only real program in the state." This was the comment that finally drew a response from Pitino.

"Four things I've learned in my 59 years about people," Pitino said. "I ignore the jealous, I ignore the malicious, I ignore the ignorant and I ignore the paranoid."

"If the shoe fits anyone," he added. "Wear it."

But the rivalry between the head coaches is far deeper than the recent words go. Calipari has beaten Pitino handily in each of their two head-to-head meetings as head coaches of the Commonwealth's major programs. He has brought in the No. 1 recruiting class in America three straight times, and on Saturday will start a freshman point guard whom Pitino had made a top priority recruit for three years.

Still, it's Pitino who has what Calipari wants: a national championship.

Here is the game time and TV schedule for the rematch on Saturday:

(4) Louisville Cardinals vs. (1) Kentucky Wildcats

Game date: Saturday, March 31

Game time: 5:09 p.m. CT

TV: CBS

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.

2012 NCAA Bracket And Schedule Fresh For Final Four Matchups

The 2012 NCAA Tournament has reached the Final Four stage, and this year this Cinderella is at home. The quartet of teams in New Orleans is a group of big-time programs with big time players. Did you have the Louisville Cardinals, Kentucky Wildcats, Ohio St. Buckeyes and Kansas Jayhawks as the last four teams standing in March Madness? If not, check out SB Nation's updated printable 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket (PDF) to make your final predictions and to see the path that each navigated to the Final Four. Here is the schedule of games:

(4) Louisville Cardinals vs. (1) Kentucky Wildcats

Game date: Saturday, March 31

Game time: 5:09 p.m. CT

TV: CBS

(2) Ohio State Buckeyes vs. (2) Kansas Jayhawks

Game date: Saturday, March 31

Game time: 7:49 p.m CT

TV: CBS

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: Breaking Down The Conclusion Of March Madness (SB Nation Chicago Podcast)

Final Four 2012: Favoritism At The Conclusion Of March Madness

Don't know who to root for in this Final Four? Fear not, SB Nation Chicago's Bobby Loesch breaks down the remaining teams in the NCAA Tournament based on likability.

Final Four 2012 Schedule: Ohio State To Tip Off In Primetime

The interstate match up between the Louisville Cardinals and Kentucky Wildcats is likely to dominate the headlines leading into this weekend's Final Four in New Orleans, but it isn't Saturday's primetime match up. That honor belongs to the Ohio State Buckeyes and Kansas Jayhawks, who will take the court following the clash between Rick Pitino and John Calipari.

Though the game between Kansas and Ohio State obviously doesn't have the history of Louisville-Kentucky, it does feature the weekend's marquee individual match up, as Thomas Robinson and Jared Sullinger (both potential top 10 picks in the 2012 NBA Draft) will battle on the block.

Here's the full TV schedule for Saturday night's Final Four in the Superdome in New Orleans.

(4) Louisville Cardinal vs. (1) Kentucky Wildcats

Game date: Saturday, March 31

Game time: 5:09 p.m. CT

TV: CBS

(2) Ohio State Buckeyes vs. (2) Kansas Jayhawks

Game date: Saturday, March 31

Game time: 7:49 p.m CT

TV: CBS

For all things March Madness, be sure to check out SB Nation's 2012 NCAA Basketball Tournament hub for all the latest news and analysis.

March Madness Bracket 2012: Final Four Now Set

With the Final Four now set in stone, your bracket is probably looking a little bit shoddy. Especially since only one No. 1 seed, Kentucky, advanced to the Final Four. That's quite alright though, you're certainly not alone, and the folks over at SB Nation know that -- and have you covered. Be sure to print out a brand new, perfectly clean bracket as we head into the final week of March Madness.

This year's Final Four doesn't really feature any Cinderellas, as the fourth-seeded Louisville Cardinals are the highest seeded team left in the tournament. They'll take on the top-seeded Kentucky Wildcats in the first Final Four game on Saturday, with a scheduled tip-off of 5:09 p.m. CT.

The second game pits a pair of No. 2 seeds against each other, as the Kansas Jayhawks and Ohio State Buckeyes are scheduled to tip-off at 7:49 p.m. CT.

For all things March Madness, be sure to check out SB Nation's 2012 NCAA Basketball Tournament hub for all the latest news and analysis.

Final Four 2012: Kentucky, Kansas, Louisville And Ohio State Make Trip To New Orleans

The Final Four is set following Sunday's action that saw the Kentucky Wildcats prevail against the Baylor Bears and the Kansas Jayhawks outlast the North Carolina Tar Heels. Kentucky, which came into the tournament ranked as the No.1 team in the country, is the only No.1-seed left standing.

Kansas is going head-to-head with the Ohio St. Buckeyes in the battle of No. 2 seeds. Both squads took down the No. 1 seed in its division, with the Buckeyes handing a 77-70 loss to Syracuse on Saturday and the Jayhawks pulling away from North Carolina, 80-67 on Sunday.

Both games will be played on Saturday, March 31. Here is a look at the schedule for the Final Four:

No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats vs. No. 4 Louisville Cardinals (5:09 p.m. CT, CBS)

No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks vs. No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (7:49 p.m. CT, CBS)

Read more about March Madness at the SB Nation NCAA basketball hub page.

Printable NCAA Bracket 2012: Updated For Elite Eight, Ready For Final Four

The 2012 NCAA Tournament is set for the Elite Eight, meaning spots in the Final Four are on the line when the remaining teams take the court this weekend. No double-digit seeds remain after the Sweet 16, and many of the top seeds in each region are still alive. On Saturday two Final Four spots will be filled, as the No. 7 Florida Gators take on the No. 4 Louisville Cardinals in the West Region, and the No. 2 Ohio St. Buckeyes face the No. 1 Syracuse Orange in the East Region.

The entire tournament landscape is reflected in our updated printable 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket (PDF). On Sunday, the No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats play the No. 3 Baylor Bears in the South Region, and the No.1 North Carolina Tar Heels tip off against the No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks in the Midwest Region. If you need another shot at a perfect bracket, why not start from the Elite Eight and see if you can do it from there?

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket, poke around SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for tons of analysis who will make it all the way to New Orleans and the Final Four.

March Madness Schedule 2012: TV Times And Elite Eight Matchups For Saturday

The 2012 NCAA Tournament has sifted out most of the March Madness at this point, as the Elite Eight features plenty of high seeds. The surviving octet includes the No. 1 Syracuse Orange, No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats, No.1 North Carolina Tar Heels, No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks, No. 2 Ohio St. Buckeyes, No. 3 Baylor Bears, No. 4 Louisville Cardinals and No. 7 Florida Gators. The entire tournament landscape is reflected in our updated printable 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket (PDF).

The sun may rise in the east and set in the west, but the 2012 NCAA Tournament action rises in the West Region and sets in the East Region. In the first game of the day, the No. 7 Florida Gators take on the No. 4 Louisville Cardinals out west. The second matchup of the day pits the No. 2 Ohio St. Buckeyes against the top-seeded Syracuse Orange in the east.

Here is a look at today's schedule:

Saturday, March 23

West Region

No. 7 Florida Gators vs. No. 4 Louisville Cardinals, 3:30 p.m. CT, CBS

Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, and Len Elmore

East Region

No. 2 Ohio St. Buckeyes vs. No. 1 Syracuse Orange , 6:05 p.m. CT, CBS
Announcers: Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket, stick around SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub. There you'll find 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 Bracket 2012, Printable Perfection Just One Click Away

SB Nation has a perfect 2012 NCAA bracket for you to see. You see, we've been writing in the winners after the final buzzers, so it's hard to be wrong. It didn't faze us when No. 1Syracuse Orange knocked off the No. 4 Wisconsin Badgers, or that the No. 2 Ohio St. Buckeyes also advanced. No. 4 Louisville's upset of the the top-seeded Michigan St. Spartans? Got it. No. 7 Florida's win over the No. 3 Marquette Golden Eagles? Got that one too.

If you aren't into writing games in after the final score is determined, print a fresh bracket out and try to nail the winners on Friday. Three of the eight active teams are double-digit seeds -- No. 10 Xavier, No. 11 N.C. State and No. 13 Ohio -- so things could get even weirder if another upset goes down. You probably need a clean bracket, so go ahead and get one.

The 2012 Printable NCAA Tournament Bracket is updated and available now. View the full Sweet 16 TV schedule.

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 Tournament StoryStream, and stick around SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on the games as they happen.

March Madness 2012: Sweet 16 TV Schedule And Bracket For Friday

The 2012 NCAA Tournament rolls on, and while four teams punched their ticket to the Elite Eight on Thursday, eight more hopefuls get their chance to advance on Friday night. The No. 1 Syracuse Orange knocked off the No. 4 Wisconsin Badgers thanks to some poorly executed plays by the Badgers down the stretch, while the No. 2 Ohio St. Buckeyes advanced as the other team from the East Region. Out West, No. 4 Louisville upset the top-seeded Michigan St. Spartans, while the No. 7 Florida Gators closed out the No. 3 Marquette Golden Eagles with a strong second half performance.

On Friday, the other half of the Sweet 16 matchups unfold. In the South Region, No. 3 Baylor will try to stay focused and avoid an upset by No. 10 Xavier, while No. 4 Indiana hopes to shock top-seeded Kentucky for a second time this season. In the Midwest Region, North Carolina looks to weather the storm after Kendall Marshall's injury and North Carolina St. tries to survive a bit longer as one of the tournament's biggest long shots.

Here is a complete look at the Friday schedule for ongoing 2012 NCAA Tournament action:

Friday, March 23

South Region

No. 3 Baylor Bears vs. No. 10 Xavier Musketeers (Atlanta): 6:15 p.m. CT on CBS
Announcers: Jim Nantz, Clark Kellogg and Tracy Wolfson

No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats vs. No. 4 Indiana Hoosiers (Atlanta): 8:45 p.m. CT on CBS
Announcers: Jim Nantz, Clark Kellogg and Tracy Wolfson

Midwest Region

No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels vs. No. 13 Ohio Bobcats (St. Louis): 6:47 p.m. CT on TBS
Announcers: Marv Albert, Steve Kerr and Craig Sager

No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks vs. No. 11 N.C. State Wolfpack (St. Louis): 9:17 p.m. CT on TBS
Announcers: Marv Albert, Steve Kerr and Craig Sager

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket, stick around SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub. There you'll find 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. For more on Indiana, head over to Crimson Quarry.

March Madness Schedule 2012: Sweet 16 Game Times For Thursday

After a three day break, the 2012 NCAA Tournament resumes again today with the start of the Sweet 16. CBS and TBS will each air two games, the earliest (Wisconsin vs. Syracuse) starting at 6:15 local time, the latest (Florida-Marquette) beginning at approximately 9:17 central time.

Here's the game times and announcers for action in the West Regional at Phoenix and East Regional action in Boston tomorrow night.

Thursday, March 22

Wisconsin vs. Syracuse (Boston): 6:15 p.m. CT on CBS
Announcers: Verne Lundquist, Bill Raftery and Lesley Visser

Louisville vs. Michigan State (Phoenix): 6:47 p.m. CT on TBS
Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Len Elmore and Marty Snider

Cincinnati vs. Ohio State (Boston): 8:45 p.m. CT on CBS
Announcers: Verne Lundquist, Bill Raftery and Lesley Visser

Florida vs. Marquette (Phoenix): 9:17 p.m. CT on TBS
Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Len Elmore and Marty Snider

The 2012 Printable NCAA Tournament Bracket is updated and available now. View the full Sweet 16 TV schedule.

For more on these games, stick with SB Nation Chicago. For more on Indiana, head over to Crimson Quarry and for more on Michigan State check out Only Colors. For more Ohio State visit Along the Olentangy and for more on Wisconsin head over to Bucky's 5th Quarter. For the best news, notes and analysis of the 2012 NCAA Tournament, stay with SB Nation's college basketball news hub.

Printable NCAA Bracket 2012: Updated Bracket Now Available For Sweet 16

Three Big Ten teams will be in action when the NCAA Tournament returns tonight with the start of the Sweet 16. The Wisconsin Badgers will take on the top-seeded Syracuse Orange in the East Regional to kick-off the day. Tom Izzo's Michigan State Spartans will also be in action against Rick Pitino's Louisville Cardinals.

The Marquette Golden Eagles will also draw local interested. Buzz Williams' team will face Bradley Beal and the Florida Gators in the final game of the night.

The 2012 Printable NCAA Tournament Bracket is updated and available now. View the full Sweet 16 TV schedule.

Friday's action will be highlighted by the No. 13 Ohio Bobcats taking on No. 1 North Carolina in the Midwest Regional.

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket, stick around SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub. There you'll find 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 Bracket Update: Big 10 Teams In Action On Thursday, Friday

The Big Ten has four teams in this year's Sweet 16, which ties them with the Big East for most teams advancing to the second week of play. But it won't stay that way for long, as three of this week's eight match ups feature a Big Ten team squaring off with a Big East team. Conference supremacy will be just about the last thing on the minds of any of the teams taking the floor, but it will be an interesting measuring stick for the rest of us.

Those three match ups will headline Thursday night's slate, with Indiana being the lone Friday holdover. Here's the full schedule and broadcast info as it pertains to the Big 10's teams still alive in the tournament:

(4) Wisconsin Badgers vs. (1) Syracuse Orange

Game date: Thursday, March 22

Game time: 6:15 p.m. CT

Location: TD Garden, Boston, Mass.

TV: CBS

(4) Louisville Cardinals vs. (1) Michigan State Spartans

Game date: Thursday, March 22

Game time: 6:47 p.m CT

Location: US Airways Center, Phoenix, Ariz.

TV: TBS

(6) Cincinnati Bearcats vs. (1) Ohio State Buckeyes

Game date: Thursday, March 22

Game time: 8:45 p.m CT (approximate)

Location: TD Garden, Boston, Mass.

TV: CBS

(4) Indiana Hoosiers vs. (1) Kentucky Wildcats

Game date: Friday, March 23

Game time: 8:45 p.m. CT (approximate)

Location: Phillips Arena, Atlanta, GA

TV: CBS

For more on these games, stick with SB Nation Chicago. For more on Indiana, head over to Crimson Quarry and for more on Michigan State check out Only Colors. For more Ohio State visit Along the Olentangy and for more on Wisconsin head over to Bucky's 5th Quarter. For the best news, notes and analysis of the 2012 NCAA Tournament, stay with SB Nation's college basketball news hub.

NCAA Bracket 2012: Heavyweights Advance On Sunday; Sweet 16 Set

The final batch of 2012 NCAA Tournament round three games was played on Sunday, and now the Sweet 16 is set for next weekend. Three double-digit seeds -- Xavier, North Carolina State and Ohio -- punched their tickets to the next round, while both Michigan State and Kansas survived tough battles against lower seeds.

Here's the breakdown of Sunday's results:

East Region
No.6 Cincinnati 62, No. 3 Florida State 56

South Region
No. 10 Xavier 70, No. 15 Lehigh 58

Midwest Region
No. 11 NC State 66, No. 3 Georgetown 63
No. 1 North Carolina 87, No. 8 Creighton, 73
No. 2 Kansas 63, No. 10 Purdue 60
No. 13 Ohio 62, No. 12 South Florida 56

West Region
No. 1 Michigan State 65, No. 9 Saint Louis 61
No. 7 Florida 84, No. 15 Norfolk State 50

A bracket with the next round's matchups is available here.

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 2012 TV Schedule, Bracket, And More

Saturday's action in the 2012 NCAA Tournament featured a few close games, but not a single upset. If every action has an opposite reaction, then expect a torrent of chaos on Sunday as second round play concludes. Most eyes will be on the Norfolk State Spartans and Lehigh Mountain Hawks, the two 15 seeds that each scored one of the major upsets in tournament history with victories over the Missouri Tigers and Duke Blue Devils, respectively.

Both Norfolk State and Lehigh will face tough teams, but it's hard to doubt them after they took down two of the top teams in the country. Here is today's schedule (all times Central):

N.C. State vs. Georgetown, 11:15 p.m. on CBS
Announcers: Tim Brando and Mike Gminski

Saint Louis vs. Michigan St., 1:45 p.m. (tentative) on CBS
Announcers: Tim Brando and Mike Gminski

Creighton vs. North Carolina, 4:15 p.m. on CBS
Announcers: Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg

Norfolk St. vs. Florida, 5:10 p.m. on TNT
Announcers: Marv Albert, Steve Kerr and Craig Sager

Ohio vs. South Florida, 6:10 p.m. on TBS
Announcers: Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel

Lehigh vs. Xavier, 6:45 p.m. (tentative) on truTV
Announcers: Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg

Purdue vs. Kansas, 7:40 p.m. (tentative) on TNT
Announcers: Marv Albert, Steve Kerr and Craig Sager

Cincinnati vs. Florida St., 8:40 p.m. (tentative) on TBS
Announcers: Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket 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 2012 TV Schedule, Bracket, And More

The 2012 NCAA Tournament transformed into March Madness on Friday, with the No. 4 Michigan Wolverines, No. 2 Missouri Tigers and No. 2 Duke Blue Devils all falling victim to massive upsets that will send shock waves through brackets across the country. If you need a fresh start, be sure to check out the latest Printable 2012 NCAA Tournament Bracket.

If you just want to know where you can see all of the upcoming March Madness, here is the complete schedule for Saturday, which features eight more games and plenty of potential for more upsets.

Syracuse vs. Kansas State, 11:15 AM CDT, CBS
Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Len Elmore, Reggie Miller

Ohio State vs. Gonzaga, 1:45 PM CDT, CBS
Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Len Elmore, Reggie Miller

Marquette vs. Murray State, 4:15 PM CDT, CBS
Announcers: Verne Lundquist, Bill Raftery

Wisconsin vs. Vanderbilt, 5:10 PM CDT, TNT
Announcers: Jim Nantz, Clark Kellogg, Tracy Wolfson

Indiana vs. Virginia Commonwealth, 6:10 PM CDT, TBS
Announcers: Brian Anderson, Dan Bonner

Kentucky vs. Iowa State, 6:45 PM CDT, CBS
Announcers: Verne Lundquist, Bill Raftery

Baylor vs. Colorado, 7:40 PM CDT, TNT
Announcers: Spero Dedes, Bob Wenzel

Louisville vs. New Mexico, 8:40 PM CDT, TBS
Announcers: Brian Anderson, Dan Bonner

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 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.

Notre Dame Vs. Xavier Recap: Irish Let Victory Slip Away, Lose 67-63

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish started ugly in their opening round NCAA Tournament game vs. the Xavier Musketeers, but they finished uglier, and it was that which cost them a chance to make a run in a bracket that was opened up by the Lehigh Mountain Hawks' defeat of the Duke Blue Devils earlier in the night. The Irish led for most of the second half— at one point stretching their lead to 11 points— but the Musketeers fought back and eventually secured a 67-63 victory after a few mistakes that will haunt Irish fans and players for years to come.

The first blunder came with the Irish nursing a 63-62 lead with 32 seconds left in the game, when guard Eric Atkins, under the pressure of a light Musketeers press, overthrew Pat Connaughton as Connaughton rotated up from the corner of the court. That turnover was followed by an stunning acrobatic lay up by Xavier star Tu Holloway which put the Musketeers up a point, and after a missed Irish three and a free throw split by Xavier's Dezmine Wells, Atkins was fouled as he pushed the ball up the court with the Irish down two. Atkins sunk the front end of a one-and-one, but Jerian Grant was called for a lane violation, negating the basket and returning the ball to Xavier. From there, the Musketeers hit their free throws and escaped with a victory.

The loss was certainly painful for Irish fans and players, but it's hard to look at the season as a failure after Notre Dame's best player, forward Tim Abromaitis tore his ACL in the November and was lost for the year. The future also seems to be bright in South Bend, as every player who saw major minutes on Friday night is expected back, with the exception of senior Scott Martin. If the NCAA decides to grant Abromaitis a medical harship redshirt, the Irish may be one of the top teams in the Big East next year.

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 2012, Notre Dame Vs. Xavier: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

South Region No. 7 seed Notre Dame plays its first 2012 NCAA Tournament game against No. 10 seed Xavier on Friday night, and the Irish will be looking to continue what was a strong finish to the regular season.

Related: NCAA Tournament 2012: Watch Games Online For Free

Xavier's finish was a little more inconsistent, but the Musketeers made a run to the Atlantic 10 Tournament finals last weekend to seal an at-large bid.

With neither team likely to commit many turnovers, defensive rebounding could be a crucial factor in the outcome of this game.

Game Date & Time: Friday, March 16, approx. 9:45 ET

TV: CBS

Announcers: Jim Nantz, Clark Kellogg, Tracy Wolfson

For more coverage of this matchup, visit Notre Dame blog One Foot Down and Xavier blog Banners On The Parkway.

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 2012 Friday TV Schedule 2012 And Live Radio Stream Links

The 2012 NCAA Tournament rolls on with 16 more games in the Round of 64 on Friday, and if you need to know where to find those games on your TV, radio, laptop or mobile device, SB Nation has you covered. For a live video stream of March Madness, you can always head to the NCAA website or to CBS Sports. For more information, just click here. Live audio steam links for each individual game have been included in the full schedule below.

The local action is highlighted by the matchup between the No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish and No. 10 Xavier Musketeers tentatively set for 8:45 p.m. CT in Greensboro, NC. Most of the action in the South Region happened on Thursday, and the Kentucky Wildcats, Iowa St. Cyclones, VCU Rams, Indiana Hoosiers and Colorado Buffaloes all advanced. No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Lehigh is the only other matchup in the South region on Friday.

Here is the schedule, including announcers, for Friday's action. All times are Central.

Cincinnati vs. Texas, 11:15 a.m., CBS (Nashville) - Click Here For Radio Stream
TV Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst), Lewis Johnson (sideline)

San Diego St. vs. NC State, 11:40 a.m., truTV (Columbus) - Click Here For Radio Stream
TV Announcers: Tim Brando (play-by-play), Mike Gminski (analyst), Otis Livingston (sideline)

Creighton vs. Alabama, 12:40 p.m., TBS (Greensboro) - Click Here For Radio Stream
TV Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Clark Kellogg (analyst), Tracy Wolfson (sideline)

Florida vs. Virginia, 1:10 p.m., TNT (Omaha) - Click Here For Radio Stream TV Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst), Craig Sager (sideline)

Florida State vs. St. Bonaventure, 1:45 p.m. (tentative), CBS (Nashville) - Click Here For Radio Stream
TV Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst), Lewis Johnson (sideline)

Georgetown vs. Belmont, 2:10 p.m. (tentative), truTV (Columbus) - Click Here For Radio Stream
TV Announcers: Tim Brando (play-by-play), Mike Gminski (analyst), Otis Livingston (sideline)

North Carolina vs. Lamar/Vermont, 3:10 p.m. (tentative), TBS (Greensboro) - Click Here For Radio Stream; TV Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Clark Kellogg (analyst), Tracy Wolfson (sideline)

Missouri vs. Norfolk St., 3:40 p.m. (tentative), TNT (Omaha) - Click Here For Radio Stream; TV Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst), Craig Sager (sideline)

Memphis vs. Saint Louis, 5:50 p.m., TBS (Columbus) - Click Here For Radio Stream; TV Announcers: Tim Brando (play-by-play), Mike Gminski (analyst), Otis Livingston (sideline)

Duke vs. Lehigh, 6:15 p.m., CBS (Greensboro) - Click Here For Radio Stream
TV Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Clark Kellogg (analyst), Tracy Wolfson (sideline)

Michigan vs. Ohio, 6:20 p.m., TNT (Nashville) - Click Here For Radio Stream
TV Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst), Lewis Johnson (sideline)

St. Mary's (CA) vs. Purdue, 6:27 p.m., truTV (Omaha) - Click Here For Radio Stream; TV Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst), Craig Sager (sideline)

Michigan State vs. LIU Brooklyn, 8:20 p.m. (tentative), TBS (Columbus) - Click Here For Radio Stream; TV Announcers: Tim Brando (play-by-play), Mike Gminski (analyst), Otis Livingston (sideline)

Notre Dame vs. Xavier, 8:45 p.m. (tentative), CBS (Greensboro) - Click Here For Radio Stream
TV Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Clark Kellogg (analyst), Tracy Wolfson (sideline)

Temple vs. South Florida, 8:50 p.m. (tentative), TNT (Nashville) - Click Here For Radio Stream; TV Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst), Lewis Johnson (sideline)

Kansas vs. Detroit, 8:57 p.m. (tentative), truTV (Omaha) - Click Here For Radio Stream
TV Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst), Craig Sager (sideline)

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 hub for a completeprintable 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 Bracket 2012: Day 1 In The Books, Higher Seeds Dominate

The field of 64 is already shrinking, as 16 teams were eliminated on Thursday in the second round of the 2012 NCAA tournament. Those fans looking for upsets were disappointed, as only one lower-seeded team - VCU - was victorious on Thursday.

The surprise of the day came in a near win for UNC-Asheville over Syracuse, which would have marked the first time a 16 seed had toppled a one seed. The Orange prevailed late, staving off an historic defeat.

Here's a look at each of the final scores from Thursday:

South Bracket:

1. Kentucky 81 Vs. 16. Western Kentucky 66

3. Baylor 68 Vs. 14. South Dakota State 60

4. Indiana 79 Vs. 13 New Mexico State 66

8. Iowa State 77 Vs. 9. Connecticut 64

11. Colorado 68 Vs. 6. UNLV 64

12. VCU 62 Vs. 5. Wichita State 59

East Bracket:

1. Syracuse 72 Vs. 16. UNC-Asheville 65

2. Ohio State 78 Vs. 15. Loyola-MD 59

4. Wisconsin 73 Vs. 13. Montana 49

5. Vanderbilt 79 Vs. 12. Harvard 70

7. Gonzaga 77 Vs. 10. West Virginia 54

8. Kansas State 70 Vs. 9. Southern Miss 64

West Bracket:

3. Marquette 88 Vs. 14. BYU 68

4. Louisville 69 Vs. 13 Davidson 62

5. New Mexico 75 Vs. 12. Long Beach State 68

6. Murray State 58 Vs. 11. Colorado State 41

Second round plays continues on Friday, with 16 more games set to be played.

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 2012: Complete Schedule For Thursday

The Round of 64 is set and Thursday marks the true beginning of March Madness. The 2012 NCAA Tournament action turns into a chaotic barrage of upsets, close calls and statement games, so make sure you know where to find every single contest. Here's the schedule, TV information and announcers for Thursday's games, all according to CT. You should get a printable bracket to follow along with the games, so click through the link for that as well.

Local-ish teams playing on Thursday include the No. 4 Wisconsin Badgers, who take on the No. 13 Montana Grizzlies, and the No. 3 Marquette Golden Eagles who take on the No. 14 BYU Cougars. Here are all of the matchups in list form:

Murray State vs. Colorado State, 11:15 p.m. CT, CBS (Louisville)
Announcers: Verne Lundquist (play-by-play), Bill Raftery (analyst), Lesley Visser (sideline)

Kansas State vs. Southern Miss, 11:40 p.m. CT, truTV (Pittsburgh)
Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Len Elmore and Reggie Miller (analysts), Marty Snider (sideline)

Louisville vs. Davidson, 12:40 p.m. CT, TBS (Portland)
Announcers: Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Dan Bonner (analyst), Jenn Hildreth (sideline)

Wisconsin vs. Montana, 1:10 p.m. CT, TNT (Albuquerque)
Announcers: Spero Dedes (play-by-play), Bob Wenzel (analyst), Jamie Maggio (sideline)

Marquette vs. BYU, 1:45 p.m. CT (tentative), CBS (Louisville)
Announcers: Verne Lundquist (play-by-play), Bill Raftery (analyst), Lesley Visser (sideline)

Syracuse vs. UNC Asheville, 2:20 p.m. CT (tentative), truTV (Pittsburgh)
Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Len Elmore and Reggie Miller (analysts), Marty Snider (sideline)

New Mexico vs. Long Beach St., 3:20 p.m. CT (tentative), TBS (Portland)
Announcers: Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Dan Bonner (analyst), Jenn Hildreth (sideline)

Vanderbilt vs. Harvard, 3:40 p.m. CT (tentative), TNT (Albuquerque)
Announcers: Spero Dedes (play-by-play), Bob Wenzel (analyst), Jamie Maggio (sideline)

Kentucky vs. Western Kentucky, 5:50 p.m. CT, TBS (Louisville)
Announcers: Verne Lundquist (play-by-play), Bill Raftery (analyst), Lesley Visser (sideline)

Wichita State vs. VCU, 6:15 p.m. CT, CBS (Portland)
Announcers: Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Dan Bonner (analyst), Jenn Hildreth (sideline)

Gonzaga vs. West Virginia, 6:20 p.m. CT, TNT (Pittsburgh)
Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Len Elmore and Reggie Miller (analysts), Marty Snider (sideline)

Baylor vs. South Dakota State, 6:27 p.m. CT, truTV (Albuquerque)
Announcers: Spero Dedes (play-by-play), Bob Wenzel (analyst), Jamie Maggio (sideline)

Iowa State vs. Connecticut, 8:20 p.m. CT, TBS (Louisville)
Announcers: Verne Lundquist (play-by-play), Bill Raftery (analyst), Lesley Visser (sideline)

Indiana vs. New Mexico State, 8:20 p.m. CT (tentative), CBS (Portland)
Announcers: Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Dan Bonner (analyst), Jenn Hildreth (sideline)

Ohio State vs. Loyola Maryland, 8:50 p.m. CT (tentative), TNT (Pittsburgh)
Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Len Elmore and Reggie Miller (analysts), Marty Snider (sideline)

UNLV vs. Colorado, 8:57 p.m. CT (tentative), truTV (Albuquerque)
Announcers: Spero Dedes (play-by-play), Bob Wenzel (analyst), Jamie Maggio (sideline)

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: Watch Games Online For Free

NCAA Tournament action ramps up into full gear on Thursday with 16 games of unpredictable action, and if you want to see those games and more online, here is what you need to know. On the March Madness 2012 official website, you can sign up to have every March Madness game stream live on your computer, smartphone, or tablet for just $3.99. Even better, the service could be free if you receive your cable subscription from one of the eligible providers (be sure to have your account number on hand). If the prospect of free games streaming online across multiple platforms doesn't get you excited, that might be the biggest upset of the day.

Another great option comes from CBS Sports. If a game is airing on CBS, you can see it free. For a look at the remaining field while you watch, be sure to click here for a full 2012 NCAA Tournament printable bracket. For complete updates on this year's tournament, please visit SB Nation's dedicated 2012 NCAA Tournament hub.

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.

Printable NCAA Bracket 2012 Updated For Round Of 64

March Madness is truly here, as the First Four Games have ended and the field of 64 is set. Now it's time to enjoy the amazing stretch of 32 games in two days that only the NCAA Tournament can provide. You might need a clean bracket by the end of Thursday's action, so here is an easy way to get one.

Be sure to grab the updated 2012 Printable NCAA Tournament Bracket before March Madness gets under way.

The No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish are set to take on the No. 10 Xavier Musketeers in the Round of 64, so local hoops will be underway soon enough. Even so, all of the action promises to bring excitement and intrigue as brackets across the country will be validated and undermined in the court of 48 hours.

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 Predictions: Xavier Over Notre Dame An Assumed Upset In SB Nation's South Region Breakdown

March Madness is here and people are furiously filling out their brackets, so SB Nation is here to help. The 2012 NCAA Tournament starts with First Four matchups on Tuesday, and SB Nation's Matt Ufford sat down with Nick Fasulo of searchingforbillyedelin.com to break down the South bracket in greater detail. According to Fasulo, you can count on the Kentucky Wildcats to reach the Final Four, but the No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish aren't as likable on the bottom half of the bracket.

The Irish are an afterthought in the conversation, as the No. 10 Xavier Musketeers take a bigger role in the analysis, even though Xavier is projected to fall to the Duke Blue Devils in the Round of 32. Here's a look at the whole conversation from SB Nation's You Tube channel:

Join our 2012 NCAA Bracket pool to compete against the best and brightest from around the network.

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.

2012 NIT Schedule And Bracket: Northwestern Begins Their March To The Championship

The 2012 NIT Tournament is set to begin on Tuesday night at various home sites across the country, and one of the highlighted matchups in Region 1 is a game between the No. 4 Northwestern Wildcats and No. 5 Akron Zips. For Northwestern, the challenge will be to stay focused after missing out on the 2012 NCAA Tournament for the umpteenth time (aka- forever). Then again, they are primed to do very well in the NIT if they managed to channel their frustration into inspired play.

SB Nation's Northwestern Blog, Sippin' On Purple broke down the field in the NIT, and thinks the Wildcats have a good chance to win the whole thing:

Let's look at Kenpom rankings for this region:

1. Washington: 67
2. Dayton: 64
3. Oregon: 62
4. Northwestern: 58
5. Akron: 79
6. LSU: 98
7. Iowa: 87
8. Texas-Arlington: 110

Yes, by what I consider the most accurate and valuable rankings system available in college hoops, Northwestern is the best team in its region, despite being a four-seed. Therefore, those rankings would select Northwestern as the likely winner in neutral court games. Sadly, these won't be neutral court games. Barring upsets, Northwestern will only get one home-court game, and therefore will have to win a game it won't be favored in by those rankings in either Washington, Oregon, or Dayton. (The Flyers open on the road so as not to conflict with the First Four, but I assume that will be over with by the time Northwestern would meet them in a hypothetical tournament quarterfinal.) The Wildcats also have a better Kenpom ranking than a second one-seed - Tennessee - and have beaten a third - Seton Hall - in a neutral site game. There's a lot of evenly matched teams in this tournament, and Northwestern is just as good as pretty much any of them.

Here's the full schedule of 2012 NIT Tournament first round games for Tuesday. All times are Central, and home teams host all games with the exception of Dayton.

Region 1

No. 2 Dayton Flyers at No. 7 Iowa Hawkeyes, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)

No. 4 Northwestern Wildcats vs. No. 5 Akron Zips, 8:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

No. 3 Oregon Ducks vs. No. 6 LSU Tigers, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

No. 1 Washington Huskies vs. No. 8 Texas-Arlington Mavericks, 9:00 p.m. (ESPNU)

Region 2

No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers vs. No. 8 Savannah St. Tigers, 7:00 p.m. (ESPNU)

No. 4 Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders vs. No. 5 Marshall Thundering Herd, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN3)

Region 3

No. 4 Mississippi St. Bulldogs vs. No. 5 UMass Minutemen, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

No. 1 Seton Hall Pirates vs. No. 8 Stony Brook Seawolves, 6:15 p.m. (ESPN3)

Region 4

No. 3 Stanford Cardinal vs. No. 6 Cleveland St. Vikings, 10:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

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. The stakes are higher this year: compete for a chance to win $5 million in the Perfect Bracket and $10,000 in the BestBracket Sweepstakes.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For constant coverage of March Madness, stay with SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub. And for more on Northwestern, visit Sippin' On Purple.

CBI Tournament 2012 Day 1 Schedule And Full Bracket

The 2012 College Basketball Invitational begins on Tuesday, with a slate of three games featuring the TCU Horned Frogs, Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers, Evansville Aces, Princeton Tigers, Washington State Cougars and San Francisco Dons. The other five first round matchups are set for Wednesday, and that's when the Western Illinois Leathernacks will begin their march to the championship game.

The most interesting aspect of the CIB tournament is that the championship round is set up as a best two-out-of-three series, which takes some of the randomness out and ensures the winner is most deserving. Here's a look at the 2012 CIB Tournament Bracket.

Here's the full CBI first round schedule for Tuesday:

TCU vs. Milwaukee, 7 p.m. CT
Winner plays Oregon State-Western Illinois winner on March 19

Evansville vs. Princeton, 7 p.m. CT (HDNet)
Winner plays Pittsburgh-Wofford winner on March 19

San Francisco vs. Washington State, 9 p.m. CT (HDNet)
Winner plays Wyoming-North Dakota State winner on March 19

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. The stakes are higher this year: compete for a chance to win $5 million in the Perfect Bracket and $10,000 in the BestBracket Sweepstakes.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For constant coverage of March Madness, stay with SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub.

NCAA Bracket 2012 Reactions: Northwestern Fans Wonder Why Non-Conference Strength Of Schedule Is Considered In NCAA Selections

The 2012 NCAA tournament selection process wrapped up on Sunday, and as expected the Northwestern Wildcats failed to make the field. Nobody is really surprised or upset that Northwestern is headed to the NIT, but there is a bit of outrage over the selection committee's decision to include the Iona Gaels at the expense of the Drexel Dragons. SB Nation's Northwestern blog, Sippin' On Purple, used their platform not to complain about Northwestern being excluded, but question why the selection committee uses non-conference strength of schedule when making decisions on the composition of the field:

Drexel

vs RPI 1 through 50: 1-1 (Both against Virginia Commonwealth)

vs RPI 51 through 100: 5-2

vs RPI 101 through 200: 6-3

vs RPI 201+: 15-0

Iona

vs RPI 1 through 50: 0-2 (losses to Purdue and Marshall)

vs RPI 51 through 100: 5-1

vs RPI 101 through 200: 8-2

vs RPI 200+: 12-2

In reality, an NCAA tournament caliber team will be a heavy favorite over any team ranked 200th or worse in the country, and shouldn't get any extra credit for beating team #200 instead of team #345. Even the committee agrees with this, as they give teams equal credit (that is, no credit) for beating opponents rated worse than 100th in the country. Yet their SOS formula thinks that for an NCAA caliber team, the difference between playing the #1 team vs the #145 team is the same as the difference between playing the #200 team and the #345 team. It defies common sense, but it's the system we currently have.

If the NCAA is going to insist on using non-conference SOS to select the field, they should at least use a version of SOS that makes sense, and assign equal weight to all games against #200 and below. Otherwise, we end up with nonsense like Iona over Drexel.

Brackets on the brain? Us too! Play Yahoo! Tourney Pick'em and be part of the craziest month of college basketball. It is fun, easy and free!

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For constant coverage of March Madness, stay with SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub. And for more on Northwestern, visit Sippin' On Purple.

Printable NCAA Bracket 2012 Available Now

SB Nation's printable 2012 NCAA Bracket is now available, just in time for you to put off doing anything at work or in class as you agonize over first round upsets and Cinderella runs to the Elite Eight. Our printable bracket also comes with links to the team blogs corresponding to the 68 schools in this year's field, which will allow you to see how those that know the teams best feel about their match ups.

We also have detailed news and analysis broken down by region:

West Region

East Region

Midwest Region

South Region

This is one of the best times of the year to be a sports fan and/or amateur gambler, and though filling out a bracket often leads to more second-guessing than anything, it's an experience not replicated by any other sport.

Brackets on the brain? Us too! Play Yahoo! Tourney Pick'em and be part of the craziest month of college basketball. It is fun, easy and free!

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For constant coverage of March Madness, stay with SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub.

2012 NIT Schedule: Illinois State Vs. Mississippi Game Time, TV Schedule And More

There are teams that are happy to be in the NIT, and there teams that aren't, and the Illinois State Redbirds most likely qualify as the former. After a 12-19 finish a season ago, the Redbirds finished the 2011-2012 season with a 20-13 record and will enter the NIT as a No. 7 seed, where they'll travel to Oxford, Miss. to take on the Mississippi Rebels.

The Rebels, meanwhile, may have had their sights set higher than the NIT, but their high seeding in the tournament still represents some growth for a school with little basketball history to speak of. The Rebels also finished the year with a 20-13 record (8-8 in the SEC) that included victories over fellow NIT participants in the Miami Hurricanes, Mississippi State Bulldogs and Tennessee Volunteers. The Redbirds lack those sort of quality wins, but they did finish strong down the stretch, beating an NCAA Tournament team in the Wichita State Shockers and narrowly losing to another in the Creighton Blue Jays.

Game time/date: Wednesday, March 14, 8:30 p.m. CT

Location: Tad Smith Coliseum, Oxford, Miss.

TV: ESPNU

Brackets on the brain? Us too! Play Yahoo! Tourney Pick'em and be part of the craziest month of college basketball. It is fun, easy and free!

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For constant coverage of March Madness, stay with SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub.

2012 NIT Schedule: Northwestern Vs. Akron Game Time, TV Schedule And More

Though it didn't come as much of a surprise come Sunday night, the Northwestern Wildcats narrowly missed out on their first ever NCAA Tournament bid, thanks in large part to their opening round loss to the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Big Ten Tournament. But, the Wildcats' season isn't over just yet, as the team will participate in the 2012 NIT starting on Tuesday, when they'll host the Akron Zips in Evanston.

The Zips won the MAC regular season title but lost to the Ohio Bobcats in the conference tournament, and thus, along with Northwestern, find themselves as a team in the NIT left to wonder what could've been. Akron finished the season at 22-11, with their most impressive win coming over the Mississippi State Bulldogs to open the 2011-2012 season.

Game time/date: Tuesday, March 13, 8:00 p.m. CT

Location: Welsh-Ryan Arena, Evanston, Ill.

TV: ESPN2

Brackets on the brain? Us too! Play Yahoo! Tourney Pick'em and be part of the craziest month of college basketball. It is fun, easy and free!

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For constant coverage of March Madness, stay with SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub. And for more on Northwestern, visit Sippin' On Purple.

2012 NCAA Tournament Schedule: Notre Dame Vs. Xavier Game Time, TV Schedule And More

After a slow star to the season, Notre Dame turned things around in Big East play and solidified an NCAA Tournament bid in the process. The seventh-seeded Irish will open up in the tournament against No. 10 seed Xavier on Friday night.

Related: NCAA Bracket 2012: Printable Bracket For March Madness

The winner of this game faces a probable matchup with No. 2 seed Duke in the next round.

Game Date & Time: Friday, March 16, approx. 8:45 p.m. CT

TV: CBS

For more on March Madness at every level, visit SB Nation NCAA Basketball. Our 2012 NCAA Tournament hub has everything you need for the big one.

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. The stakes are higher this year: compete for a chance to win $5 million in the Perfect Bracket and $10,000 in the BestBracket Sweepstakes.

2012 CBI Tournament Bracket: Western Illinois Faces Oregon St. In 1st Round

In addition to the big NCAA Tournament unveiling, the field for the 2012 College Basketball Invitational (pdf) also was announced. Western Illinois made the cut for the CBI along with 15 other schools, including Pittsburgh, Butler, Wyoming and Western Illinois' first round opponent, Oregon State.

Related: NCAA Bracket 2012: Printable Bracket For March Madness

Western Illinois and Oregon State will tip off on Wednesday, March 14 at 9:00 p.m. CT. Oregon State is the home team.

The winner of that matchup will advance to play the winner of the Milwaukee vs. TCU game. The quarterfinal round will begin on March 19, and the semifinals will be held on March 21. The championship round, which begins on March 26, is best two-out-of-three.

Brackets on the brain? Us too! Play Yahoo! Tourney Pick'em and be part of the craziest month of college basketball. It is fun, easy and free!

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For constant coverage of March Madness, stay with SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub.

NCAA Bracket 2012 Printable: Tournament Field Announced; Start Making Your Picks

The 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket has been announced, and SB Nation has a printable version available for your convenience.

Related: NCAA Tournament Bracket 2012: Notre Dame Lands In South Region

Northwestern was relegated to the NIT on Selection Sunday, but Notre Dame received a bid as the No. 7 seed in the South Region. The Irish will play No. 10 Xavier, with a potential matchup against No. 2 Duke in the next round.

Michigan State is the top seed in the South Region, and other potential road blocks include No. 3 Marquette and No. 4 Louisville. No. 8 Memphis could also prove a dangerous team in the region.

Brackets on the brain? Us too! Play Yahoo! Tourney Pick'em and be part of the craziest month of college basketball. It is fun, easy and free!

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For constant coverage of March Madness, stay with SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub.

NIT Bracket 2012: Northwestern Is No. 4 Seed, Will Host Akron On Tuesday

The 2012 NIT bracket (pdf) was announced on Sunday night, and the Northwestern Wildcats made the cut as a No. 4 seed, which means they will get to host a game; the Wildcats will face the Akron Zips on Tuesday night.

Related: Northwestern Wildcats a 4-seed in NIT vs. Akron Zips

It's a disappointing development for a Northwestern team that was very close to making the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history, but the team has an opportunity to finish the year on a positive note.

Northwestern's game against Akron is set for 8:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday on ESPN2.

Elsewhere in the bracket, Illinois State received a No. 7 seed and will play at Mississippi on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU.

Brackets on the brain? Us too! Play Yahoo! Tourney Pick'em and be part of the craziest month of college basketball. It is fun, easy and free!

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For constant coverage of March Madness, stay with SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub. And for more on Northwestern, visit Sippin' On Purple.

NCAA Tournament Bracket 2012: Notre Dame Lands In South Region

After a very successful regular-season the Notre Dame Fighting Irish now know what their bracket will look like. While the Fighting Irish open up with a matchup against Xavier in Greensboro, they will also have their attention on a potential third round game against Duke.

The Fighting Irish enter this game having finished third in the Big East in the regular-season. The Musketeers struggled during the middle portion of their schedule, but played well at the end of the season and advanced to the Atlantic 10 Tournament championship game, where they lost to St. Bonaventure.

Duke is the No. 2 seed in the South region, but enters the tournament with some injury questions after Ryan Kelly missed the ACC Tournament. The Blue Devils will face Lehigh in the opening round. The Mountain Hawks earned a berth in the tournament after winning the Patriot League Tournament.

Brackets on the brain? Us too! Play Yahoo! Tourney Pick'em and be part of the craziest month of college basketball. It is fun, easy and free!! Stay tuned to SB Nation College Basketball for all your coverage during March Madness.

March Madness Bracket 2012: Notre Dame To Face Xavier In First Round

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will be playing the Xavier Musketeers in the first round of this year's NCAA Tournament after landing the No. 7 seed in the South region. The Irish received an at-large invitation to the tournament after losing to Louisville in the semifinals of the Big East Conference Tournament.

This year, the Irish are eyeing their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2003, when they beat Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Illinois before losing to Arizona. In 2011, Notre Dame won its first round game against Akron, but it then lost to Florida State in the second round. The Irish have made the Sweet 16 three times since making the Final Four in 1978.

The Musketeers finished the season with a 21-12 record. Xavier advanced to the Atlantic 10 Tournament championship game, where it lost to St. Bonaventure. The Musketeers started the season with a bang, but unfortunately was involved in the brawl with Cincinnati and never fully recovered.

Brackets on the brain? Us too! Play Yahoo! Tourney Pick'em and be part of the craziest month of college basketball. It is fun, easy and free!! Stay tuned to SB Nation College Basketball for all your coverage during March Madness.

NCAA Selection Sunday 2012: Time, TV Schedule And More

Notre Dame overcame the loss of a senior leader to finish third in the Big East and earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament