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Congratulations to the NCAA Final Four teams and fans. Visit our College Basketball Store to shop for NCAA Basketball apparel and Final Four apparel. National Championship: #8 Butler Bulldogs @ #3 Connecticut Huskies, Apr 4 9:23pm ET Shop 2011 Final Four Apparel:
The 2011 Final Four Matchups Are SetThe VCU Rams can officially consider themselves a bracketbuster. They downed the number 1 seeded Kansas Jayhawks 71 to 61. The Rams are the third eleven seed to make it to the final four. Jamie Skeen led the Rams with 26 points, and threw the ball from the free-throw line to the stands in the opposite backboard as the final seconds ticked-down in the upset victory.
The Jayhawks never trailed more than 2 points in any game during the tournament until Sunday, when they trailed by as many as 17 in the second half. Many Kansas players left the court in shock, and outwardly wept in defeat.
The Connecticut Huskies defeated the Arizona Wildcats 65-63. Jeremy Lamb scored 19 alongside a 20 point effort from Huskies guard Kemba Walker sealed the deal for UConn. A 12-2 Arizona run late in the second half seemed to turn the tide for the Wildcats, but a timely layup by Lamb thereafter recaptured the Connecticut lead which they did not relinquish.
In the final Elite 8 game of 2011, a matchup of traditional Division 1 powers Kentucky and UNC clashed to determine the final ticket Houston's Final Four. It was the Kentucky Wildcats who outlasted the North Carolina Tarheels Sunday afternoon 76 to 69. Kentucky clinched the victory thanks in large part to a 22 point effort by Brandon Knight, including a clutch 3 point shot late to pull ahead 70 to 67. 4 other Wildcats ended the game in double figures, despite Eloy Vargas fouling out of the contest.
The Final Four matchups are set to take place in Houston. The Butler Bulldogs will face the VCU Rams while the Connecticut Huskies will take on the Kentucky Wildcats for the right to play in the 2011 National Championship game.
Shop 2010 Final Four Apparel:Butler Bulldogs Final Four Apparel Duke Blue Devils Final Four Apparel Michigan State Spartans Final Four Apparel West Virginia Mountaineers Final Four Apparel Joining the West Region's 5 Butler in the 2010 Final Four in Indianapolis are the East's 2 West Virginia, the Midwest's 5 Michigan State and the South's top-seed Duke.
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NCAA Basketball Final Four BreakdownBob Huggins' 2 West Virginia (31-6) beat the East Region's top-seed Kentucky (35-3) en route to the Final Four. Their offense hasn't always been present in the tournament, but the Mountaineers defense is why West Virginia is in the Final Four for the first time since 1959. They slowed down double-digit seeds Washington (26-10), Missouri (23-11) and Morgan State (27-10) on their way to the Elite Eight. They called on their defense once again to kick Kentucky to the curb and now find themselves one win away from playing for a national championship. When West Virginia's starting point guard Darryl "Truck" Bryant went down Tuesday during practice, the Final Four was the furthest thing on the Mountaineer players and coaches minds. However, they've climbed an uphill battle twice by erasing halftime leads to reach Indianapolis. The Mountaineers have won ugly in turnover filled games. If West Virginia keeps another opponent under 40 percent from the field, the Mountaineers could win a fifth straight tournament game. Their next opponent is 1 Duke (33-5). Defense is contagious to winning championships. The boys from 5 Butler (32-4) have only conceded more than 70 points three times this season- losing all three. However, in NCAA Tournament games, they've yet to yield 60 points. Butler's faced four high-scoring tournament teams (all averaging more than 75 points a game this season): 12 UTEP (26-7), 13 Murray State, 1 Syracuse (30-5) and 2 Kansas State (29-8). The Bulldogs are the only Division I men's team to not lose a game this year. Butler shoots for their 25th win in a row against 5 Michigan State who has won their last two games without star Kalin Lucas. The undermanned Spartans held off a furious rally against 4 Maryland (24-9) in the second round when Lucas hobbled off the court late in the first half. Michigan State has beaten their four opponents thus far in the tournament by a combined 13 points. With a collective effort from 10 players since Lucas was sidelined, the Spartans have rallied from halftime deficits in their last two tilts to ensure their second straight trip to the Final Four. With the win, the South Region's top-seed Duke improved to 11-1 in Regional Finals since 1985. The 3 Baylor Bears tried to dismiss the Blue Devils to give Indianapolis its second straight Final Four without a No. 1 seed, but it was not to be. Duke's dominance on the rebounds is why they've been able to win even when shots have not fallen. All four teams who've booked a trip to the Final Four in Indianapolis play exceptional defense. Three more games will determine who wins the 2010 NCAA Tournament Championship.
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