Printable NCAA Bracket 2012 Captures Kentucky's Championship Win

The 2012 NCAA Tournament came to a close on Monday night, and the Kentucky Wildcats claimed their eighth men's basketball championship in school history by knocking off the Kansas Jayhawks in the National Championship Game. Their road to the title started in the South Region as the No. 1 seed, and from there they knocked off No. 16 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, No. 8 Iowa St. Cyclones, No. 4 Indiana Hoosiers, No. 3 Baylor Bears, No. 4 Louisville Cardinals (from the West Region) and then No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks (from the Midwest Region).

To enjoy Kentucky's 2012 National Championship run one more time, be sure to check out SB Nation's final 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 onKentucky 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 Tournament 2012 Championship, Kentucky Vs. Kansas Final Score: Jayhawks No Match For Favored Wildcats

The Kansas Jayhawks got as far a they had in four years Monday, but they weren't able to finish off the NCAA Tournament quite so impressively now as then—the Kentucky Wildcats were the winners of the 2012 NCAA national championship, topping KU 67-59 behind 22 points from Doron Lamb and a bizarre game from Anthony Davis, who went 1-10 for six points... and 16 rebounds, six blocks, five assists, and three steals. The Jayhawks' second-half run simply wasn't quite enough to make up for their 27 first-half points.

For the Wildcats it's embattled coach John Calipari's first national championship victory, and the program's first win since 1998, when Tubby Smith was the keeper of one of basketball's most storied reputations. All-American Thomas Robinson struggled early but finished with 18 points and 17 rebounds for Kansas, whose national championship drought stretches all the way to... well, to 2008.

For more national championship analysis and reporting, check out SB Nation's 2012 NCAA Tournament storystream, or take a spin through our YouTube channel below:

2012 NCAA Tournament Results: Kentucky Wildcats Win National Championship, Top Kansas 67-59

The Kentucky Wildcats did exactly what was expected of them Monday, winning the 2012 NCAA Tournament with a 67-59 national championship win over the Kansas Jayhawks. Anthony Davis was just 1-10 from the field, but he still grabbed 16 rebounds and altered shots all game. That was representative of the Jayhawks' night; whatever they did, it just wasn't enough to stop this monstrous Kentucky team. March Madness ended as expected: In April, with Kentucky the last team standing.

Doron Lamb led all scorers with 22 points; Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor led Kansas with 18 and 19 points, while Robinson added 17 rebounds. But after a slow start—they fell behind 41-27 at the half—the Jayhawks simply couldn't make up the deficit against Kentucky.

For more on the 2012 NCAA National Championship, you're going to want to take a look at SB Nation's YouTube channel, which is filled with more analysis than you'll likely be able to watch in one sitting:

2012 National Championship, Kentucky Vs. Kansas Score Update: Thomas Robinson Struggles As Jayhawks Trail

Thomas Robinson, the Kansas Jayhawks' unanimous AP All-American, has struggled along with the rest of his team as they trail the Kentucky Wildcats in a suffocating second-half of the 2012 NCAA National Championship; he's 4-14 with 10 points and eight rebounds as the Jayhawks attempt to fight through a double-digit deficit in a low-scoring contest. Anthony Davis's offensive struggles haven't been enough to dent the Wildcats, but without Robinson Kansas has little shot against the country's No. 1 team. Thus far it looks like Kansas's March Madness run might suffer an ignominious April end as they trail 46-30.

Overall the Jayhawks are just 12-39 from the field; they've managed to slow the pace, as is customary, but the Wildcats are the ones who've taken advantage; they held the Jayhawks to just 27 points in the first half.

For more on the 2012 NCAA National Championship, and all the great March Madness we've seen already, check out SB Nation's YouTube channel, which is filled with more analysis than you could reasonably watch in one sitting:

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

Thomas Robinson of the Kansas Jayhawks has widely been considered the second best player in the nation this year, and if he wants to win a national championship on Monday night, he'll have to defeat the kid widely considered to be the first. The match up between the Jayhawks and Kentucky Wildcats won't come down to only Robinson vs. Kentucky's Anthony Davis (in fact, Davis likely won't even draw Robinson in one-on-one defense) but those two players will have everyone's eyes when the teams take the floor in New Orleans.

Robinson and senior guard Tyshawn Taylor bare most of the responsibility for getting the Kansas offense into gear, and both players will likely need to have stellar nights against a Wildcats team that boasts a handful of eventual NBA first round picks and even more scoring options. Taylor has been, to put it mildly, inconsistent in this year's tournament, but Kentucky's young backcourt of Marquis Teague and Doron Lamb aren't nearly as stout on defense as they are potent on offense, and if Taylor can find his shooting stroke, it would give the Jayhawks a much better chance at morphing from underdogs to champions.

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: Kansas's Thomas Robinson A Unanimous All-American

March Madness has been concentrated, by means of the 2012 NCAA Tournament, into this year's Final Four, and Kansas Jayhawks fans are probably too busy to notice, but it's happened anyway: Junior star Thomas Robinson has been named an AP All-American—more impressively, he was named that unanimously. After two years with limited playing time, Robinson has emerged in 2011-12 fully formed, averaging 17.7 points and 11.8 rebounds and finishing second in the Big 12 with a PER of 27.8.

With Markieff and Marcus Morris gone, Robinson was always a candidate to have this kind of season, but it's been impressive to watch anyway. Now, with just two games separating him from the National Championship, he has a chance to top his season off with a little Kansas immortality.

More NCAA Final Four coverage handpicked from SB Nation St. Louis:

• Kansas needed a big second half from Tyshawn Taylor to escape their Elite Eight contest with North Carolina.
• Click through for a complete Final Four schedule.
• This is, of course, the Jayhawks' first Final Four berth since they were national champions.

2012 Final Four Reactions: Kansas, North Carolina Bloggers Digest Outcome

Final Four 2012 Schedule: Kansas, Ohio State Draw Late Game Saturday

It's a bittersweet time for college basketball fans, but the 2012 Final Four schedule is set after the Kansas Jayhawks and Kentucky Wildcats punched their tickets on Sunday to New Orleans. The first game of the Final Four will tip off on Saturday night, as the top-seeded Kentucky Wildcats take on the Louisville Cardinals at 5:09 p.m. CT. There's plenty of intrigue in this game, as Cardinals head coach Rick Pitino will be facing off against his old school in Kentucky.

The second Final Four game on Saturday pits a pair of No. 2 seeds, as Kansas, who won the St. Louis regional on Sunday, takes on the Ohio State Buckeyes. Tip-off between Kansas and Ohio State is scheduled for 7:49 p.m. CT.

The winners of each game will face off on Monday night to determine the 2012 Men's basketball champion.

Televised coverage for both games can be found on CBS.

For all things March Madness, be sure to head over to SB Nation's 2012 NCAA Men's tournament hub.

NCAA Bracket 2012: Kansas Earns First Final Four Berth Since National Championship Run

It hasn't been long since the Kansas Jayhawks got this far down the NCAA bracket—2008, when they won the National Championship for the first time in 20 years—but I'm sure it's still welcome; a year after being stunned by VCU in the Elite Eight they topped the North Carolina Tar Heels and made their way to the crown jewel of March Madness, where they'll face the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes, who toppled No. 1 Syracuse to escape the East regional.

Over at Rock Chalk Talk they're predictably excited; I especially enjoyed their pre game suggestion to Roy Williams: "he should lose today if he really wants to earn some brownie points." Done and done.

If you need a new bracket for the last two rounds, check out SB Nation's updated printable brackets here; for more updates and news about the closing games of the 2012 NCAA Tournament, follow along at SB Nation St. Louis, where we're almost over Saint Louis going down to Michigan State. Almost.

March Madness Bracket 2012: Final Four Set

The 2012 Final Four is now set, and the chances are pretty good that your bracket isn't in the best shape. Only one No. 1 seed, Kentucky, advanced to this year's Final Four. If your bracket is in rough shape, don't worry -- you're not alone. That's why the good folks over at SB Nation have you covered as well, with an updated, printable bracket ready to go as we head into the last week of March Madness.

The Final Four will tip off next Saturday, as Rick Pitino and the fourth-seeded Louisville Cardinals take on the top-seeded Kentucky Wildcats. Tip-off between the two Kentucky schools is set for 5:09 p.m. CT.

The second final four game between a pair of two seeds, Ohio State and Kansas, will tip off at 7:49 p.m. CT.

For more on all things March Madness, be sure to check out SB Nation's 2012 NCAA Basketball Tournament hub.

NCAA Final Four 2012: Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville And Ohio State Are Still Dancing

The NCAA Tournament's last four contenders have been set and will meet in New Orleans on Saturday at the New Orleans Arena. The field features the Kansas Jayhawks in a matchup against the Ohio St. Buckeyes. But before that, the No.1-ranked team in the country, the Kentucky Wildcats, will face the Louisville Cardinals in the ultimate college basketball postseason rivalry game.

Louisville made it to the Final Four by narrowly escaping the Florida Gators on Saturday, 72-68. Ohio State took down No. 1 seed Syracuse on Saturday, 77-70, while the Wildcats and Jayhawks handled business against the Baylor Bears and North Carolina Tar Heels on Sunday.

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

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

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

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 and who got the best bracket in the road to New Orleans and the Final Four.

NCAA Final Four 2012: Kansas Owes Home-Court Advantage Vs. UNC To Bracket

The Kansas Jayhawks are moving on to the 2012 NCAA Final Four, where they'll face the Ohio State Buckeyes. It's all thanks to their win—by a second-half-influenced score of 80-67 against the North Carolina Tar Heels—but was that at all thanks to their Midwest regional placement in St. Louis? St. Louis and Lawrence are hardly on speaking terms most of the year, but the Tar Heels fans', at the edge of what could reasonably be considered the Midwest, were overwhelmed by a wild KU crowd. They got home-court advantage by default.

It's hard to suggest that as a reason for their win—I'd probably lead off with Tyshawn Taylor's performance, if I were trying to come up with reasons—but it is an odd artifact of the seeding process.

More SB Nation St. Louis coverage of the Kansas Jayhawks' Elite Eight win over North Carolina:

• John Henson's ankle injury cost the Tar Heels against Thomas Robinson in the first half.
• And though Stilman White was strong as a playmaker in his second start of the season, he wasn't able to make up for Kendall Marshall's injury, which proved to be a crucial loss for the Tar Heels.

Kansas Vs. North Carolina Final Score: Jayhawks Defeat Tar Heels, 80-67

The Kansas Jayhawks are headed to the Final Four after a 80-67 victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels in St. Louis. The game was close almost through it's entirety, with Kansas pulling away in the final few minutes.

The Jayhawks were led by Thomas Robinson, who scored 22 points on 10-of-19 from the field. Tyshawn Taylor added 18 points, while Jeff Withey scored put in 15. Travis Releford and Elijah Johnson scored 11 points and 10 points, respectively.

This one went back and forth for the whole game, with the teams tied with 47 points at halftime. The defensive intensity picked up in the second half and the scoring scaled down a bit, as the Tar Heels were only able to put up less than half as many points as they did in the opening period.

Kansas moves on to the Final Four to take on the Ohio St. Buckeyes. Needless to say, the guys are pretty excited about it.

Read more about March Madness at our story stream here.

NCAA Bracket 2012, Kansas Vs. North Carolina Update: Tyshawn Taylor Outstanding For Jayhawks

Kansas vs. North Carolina has been one of the most exciting games of the Elite Eight, and the Kansas Jayhawks owe much of their high-scoring to an excellent performance from senior guard Tyshawn Taylor. Taylor's got a game-high 19 points on 9-16 shooting as the Jayhawks carry a small lead into the last 10 minutes of their March Madness capper with Roy Williams and the Tar Heels. He's also got four assists and four steals, disrupting the Tar Heels' attempts to move the ball without injured playmaker Kendall Marshall. With his strong performance the Jayhawks carry a 68-64 lead into the last seven minutes of the Midwest regional final.

With Thomas Robinson a little off now that John Henson is back in the game, Taylor's become a primary option for the Jayhawks, and it's paying off. It's clear he'd rather this wasn't the last college basketball game he ever plays, and so far it looks like he'll be able to make that happen.

More NCAA Tournament 2012 coverage from SB Nation St. Louis:

• Thomas Robinson's strong first half kept the Jayhawks in the game early.
• Especially after John Henson rolled his ankle (video).
• But Stilman White has looked strong for the Tar Heels in Kendall Marshall's absence.

March Madness 2012, Kansas Vs. North Carolina Update: Stilman White Strong In First Half

The North Carolina Tar Heels have had to deal with Kendall Marshall's injury ever since he left their Round of 32 contest in the 2012 NCAA Tournament with a wrist injury that required surgery, but March Madness is all about surprise performances: reserve freshman Stilman White was very strong in his first-half performance vs. the Kansas Jayhawks. He scored four points—shooting just twice and making two free throws—but he added six assists, facilitating an offense that raced right along with the Jayhawks to a 50-point half. With 15 minutes to go in the second half, the Tar Heels trail the Jayhawks 58-53, but that's not on White; he's been as good as UNC could possibly have expected.

In the regular season White was a non-factor—he averaged just 0.8 points in five minutes a game. He was similarly irrelevant in the Jayhawks' overtime win against a dangerous Ohio squad; in 32 minutes he scored two points on 0-4 shooting and tossed six more assists.

For more coverage of the 2012 NCAA Tournament as we approach the Final Four, and up-to-the-minute Kansas vs. North Carolina updates, follow the SB Nation St. Louis March Madness storystream.

Kansas Vs. North Carolina Halftime Score: Thomas Robinson Leads Jayhawks, Game Tied At 47

The Kansas Jayhawks and North Carolina Tar Heels are going at each other's necks for a trip to the Final Four, and at halftime the score is tied at 47.

Kansas appeared to have gone on a bit of a run after the score was tied at 31. The Jayhawks went on a 10-2 run from there, but the Tar Heels fought their way back with defense and three-point play opportunities like this one:

via assets.sbnation.com

For Kansas, Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor have both reached double figures in scoring, with Robinson putting in 14 points at the break and Taylor with 11. Both teams are shooting high percentages from the field. The Jayhawks are shooting 54.5 percent while the Tar Heels are shooting 61.8 percent from the floor.

North Carolina, once again, is without its point guard Kendall Marshall, but seem to be getting along just fine without him. James Michael McAdoo leads the way for the Heels at halftime with 10 points.

For more on the Kansas Jayhawks, visit Rock Chalk Talk.

John Henson Injury: North Carolina Forward Rolls Ankle Vs. Kansas, Leaves Game

Junior North Carolina Tar Heels forward rolled his ankle early in the team's Elite Eight contest vs. the Kansas Jayhawks, putting another starter in doubt after a week of dealing with Kendall Marshall's wrist injury. Henson has been averaging 13.8 points and 10.1 rebounds for the Tar Heels in his best season yet, but an awkward landing has him on the UNC bench, receiving treatment for an apparent ankle injury.

It was a classic case of paint footwork gone awry:

Since then he's been on the UNC bench as the Tar Heels and Jayhawks play to an early 31-31 tie. The Tar Heels are still in this game, and Henson could be back soon, but in a high-scoring game like this it's hard to imagine them staying in this if they continue to hemorrhage starters.

For more up-to-the-minute-coverage of this Elite Eight game, and the Midwest Bracket's trip all the way to the Final Four, follow our SB Nation St. Louis storystream. We have animated gifs!

Kendall Marshall Injury: UNC To Start Stilman White Against Kansas

The North Carolina Tar Heels have announced that starting point guard Kendall Marshall has been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Kansas Jayhawks and freshman Stilman White will be starting in his place. Marshall is recovering from a wrist injury that he sustained earlier in this year's NCAA Tournament.

White, a freshman that rarely saw action during the regular season, is being catapulted into a key role on a legitimate championship contender. He played significantly in place of Marshall as North Carolina narrowly avoided a brutal upset against Ohio in the Sweet 16, but failed to make a single field goal.

In 32 minutes against Ohio, Martin shot 0-for-4 from the field while scoring two points on a pair of free throw shots. He did dish six assists while committing zero turnovers, though, so he should be able to replace some of Marshall's playmaking ability.

For more up-to-the-minute UNC vs. Kansas coverage, follow SB Nation St. Louis's storystream.

Kendall Marshall Injury: North Carolina PG To Sit Out Against Kansas

North Carolina Tar Heels starting point guard Kendall Marshall won't be playing against the Kansas Jayhawks on Sunday as he recovers from a wrist injury that was sustained earlier in the NCAA Tournament, according to InsideCarolina.com.

Marshall already had surgery on the wrist and was labeled as a game-time decision for the game, but it appears that UNC will be going without its top playmaker. In his place, the Tar Heels will presumably go with Stilman White at point guard once again.

A freshman that played sparingly during the regular season, White is being forced into some serious action as the Tar Heels pin their national championship hopes on his ability to run the offense. Marshall is generally considered to be one of the best pure point guards in the nation and a quality NBA prospect, so these are big shoes to fill.

White played 32 minutes in UNC's 73-65 overtime victory over Ohio on Friday, and it was a bit of an up-and-down performance. There were obvious pluses, like the six-to-zero assist-to-turnover ratio, but he also failed to make a single field goal while scoring just two points.

For more up-to-the-minute UNC vs. Kansas coverage, follow SB Nation St. Louis's storystream.

March Madness 2012, North Carolina Vs. Kansas: Roy Williams Choked Up Over Matchup

Just in case you were worried the media wouldn't have enough March Madness storylines for you this year—just in case you fretted over the possibility that every trip to your 2012 NCAA bracket might not provoke an emotional reaction—just in case you were terrified that the tournament might turn into nothing more than a series of basketball games, the bracket gods have conspired to put Roy Williams and his North Carolina Tar Heels in the same bracket as his erstwhile Kansas Jayhawks. He is a little broken up about it.

This report out of New Orleans does a nice job of deepening the situation—especially by interviewing Bill Self, and touching on his equally impressive performance as coach in the years since 2003. That might be the toughest part for Roy Williams, though I'm sure he wouldn't admit it; since he's left, the Jayhawks have done a fair bit of repudiating his reputation as a genius, or at least confirming Bill Self's reputation for same.

For more up-to-the-minute UNC vs. Kansas coverage, follow SB Nation St. Louis's storystream.

Kendall Marshall Injury: Carolina PG Game Time Decision

North Carolina Tar Heels point guard Kendall Marshall practiced with the team on Saturday, but heading into Sunday afternoon's game vs. the Kansas Jayhawks, he still remains a game time decision. According to Steve Wieberg of USA Today, the Tar Heels will make the final call on Marshall's status sometime during or after the team's pre-game shootaround.

Marshall was absent for UNC's 73-65 victory over the Ohio Bobcats, and the Tar Heels, a team with several projected first round NBA draft picks, often looked lost on offense. Marshall's replacement Stilman White was not a disaster, but he didn't make a shot from the field and when the game got tight in the second half resorted to swinging the ball around the perimeter. The Tar Heels are talented enough to beat Kansas without Marshall, but it would be hard to say that it's likely.

For more on this game, stick with SB Nation St. Louis. For more on the Tar Heels, visit Carolina March. For more on the Jayhawks, visit Rock Chalk Talk. For news, notes and analysis around the tournament, head over to SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub.

NCAA Tournament 2012, UNC Vs. Kansas: Midwest Regional's Elite Eight Matchup Starts Tonight

The Midwest Region's side of the 2012 NCAA bracket looked ripe for upsets heading into the Sweet 16, when North Carolina and Kansas faced low-seeded rivals Ohio and North Carolina State, but with the dust settled it's a good old No. 1-No. 2 battle for a Final Four berth as March Madness draws to a close. Kansas vs. UNC it is; the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis will be the setting as the Kansas Jayhawks and North Carolina Tarheels compete for (ostensibly) Midwestern supremacy. Former KU coach Roy Williams will tangle with the Bill Self-staffed Jayhawks at 4:05 CDT.

For the Tarheels, their overtime win over that underdog Ohio squad gave them another chance to hope for point guard Kendall Marshall's wrist injury to heal. That doesn't seem especially likely, although the Jayhawks, who beat NC State by a slim margin of 60-57, are practicing assuming he will.

More 2012 NCAA Tournament by SB Nation's own Midwest Regional, SB Nation St. Louis:

• Kendall Marshall is practicing, but will he play?
• Roy Williams after that Ohio win: "I thought I was gonna frickin' pass out."

Kendall Marshall Injury: North Carolina Guard Participates In Drills, Uncertain Of Status Vs. Kansas

The North Carolina Tar Heels and the Kansas Jayhawks both wait to learn the status of the former's star guard, Kendall Marshall, for Sunday's Elite Eight contest in St. Louis, MO, but the latter's head coach is preparing as though he will need to face the guard:

Bill Self said he anticipates Kendall Marshall will play for North Carolina Sunday

— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyCBS) March 24, 2012

Obviously, it makes sense to prepare as though his team will face Marshall, who took part in shooting drills on Saturday. However, the guard could not comment on what his availability for Sunday would be after that, just that it's like Friday's status. He is having trouble "catching and passing" the ball.

If Marshall is unable to go, Stilman White will once again play for the Tar Heels. He scored two points on two free throws while going 0-for-4 from the field. Once again, he'll be expected to help out while Tyler Zeller and others fuel the offense.

Stick around for more on the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament bracket.

March Madness 2012, UNC Vs. Kansas: TV Schedule, Game Time And More

Two of the winningest teams in college basketball history, Kansas and North Carolina, square off in St. Louis on Sunday in the for the Midwest Regional championship and the right to move on to the Final Four in New Orleans a week from now.