SB Nation St. Louis - NCAA Final Four 2012: Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville And Ohio State Are Still Dancing https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49009/stl-fave.png2012-04-03T07:01:25-05:00http://stlouis.sbnation.com/rss/stream/26669052012-04-03T07:01:25-05:002012-04-03T07:01:25-05:00NCAA Tournament One Shining Moment 2012: Saint Louis Shut Out In CBS Highlight Reel
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<p>Like everyone else in the country, I watched Kentucky throttle Kansas to win the 2012 NCAA Tournament Monday night for one reason: I wanted to listen to "One Shining Moment," the last unironic adult-contemporary song standing in an America where Michael Bolton is famous primarily for singing the hook in a Lonely Island song about a movie about a Disney ride. That was when my March Madness buzz was permanently harshed: The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/saint-louis-billikens">Saint Louis Billikens</a> appear to have been shut out of OSM 2012. </p>↵<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/n9yFWobPFkw" height="177" width="290"></iframe></p>↵<p>I wasn't asking for much—obviously <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52460/brian-conklin">Brian Conklin</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52457/kwamain-mitchell">Kwamain Mitchell</a> weren't going to make appearances, and the Billikens' only win <i>was</i> the distinctly unexciting 8-9 upset. But to be shut out entirely seems like one slight too many for a state that already had to deal with Missouri's ignominious exit and Kansas's near victory. Couldn't we at least have seen some <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=sluperman&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDYQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fstlouis.sbnation.com%2F2012%2F3%2F16%2F2878979%2Fsaint-louis-vs-memphis-ncaa-tournament-2012-march-madness&ei=4qx6T97BE4GSsQLx0_n8Ag&usg=AFQjCNG5c18kXGsv35AtoIgV8q8ZscrXhw" target="_blank">gratuitous SLUperman footage</a>? Maybe some of Rick Majerus walking around and yelling and sweating profusely? </p>↵<p>Oh well. Enjoy it, Kentucky fans—your entire team's about to be drafted, anyway. </p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/4/3/2921980/one-shining-moment-2012-march-madness-saint-louisDan Moore2012-04-02T07:17:07-05:002012-04-02T07:17:07-05:00NCAA National Championship Schedule: Kentucky, Kansas Tip Off In Primetime
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<p>It's April 2, and March Madness is—well, stay with me here—March Madness is just about to end. On 8:23 p.m. CDT the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kansas-jayhawks">Kansas Jayhawks</a> and the heavily favored <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kentucky-wildcats">Kentucky Wildcats</a> will come together in the Louisiana Superdome for the end of the tournament, the 2012 NCAA National Championship. You'll find it on CBS.</p>
<p>This is just me speaking as an NBA fan, but I'm mostly going to be watching the proceedings for the sake of Anthony Davis and his <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/3/31/2917128/final-four-2012-anthony-davis-kentucky">absurd dunks</a> and his implausibly long arms. Do I feel a little weird that he's spent a year in college basketball camp because the NBA has barred high-schoolers from participating in the draft, thereby perpetuating a corrupt cartel? Well, yes. But it's happening, and you have exactly one more chance to watch the kid dominate at an artificially low level of competition.</p>
<p><i>For more on the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/2012-ncaa-tournament/2012/3/11/2862623/selection-sunday-2012-ncaa-bracket-schedule-seeds">2012 NCAA Tournament bracket</a>, take a good, long look around <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/2012-ncaa-tournament/">SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub</a>, where they've been covering this year's tournament since before Anthony Davis was born. </i></p>
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https://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/4/2/2919611/kentucky-vs-kansas-march-madness-2012Dan Moore2012-03-31T19:16:09-05:002012-03-31T19:16:09-05:00Final Four 2012: Enjoy This Anthony Davis Porn, Fellow NBA Fans
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<p>Before I got into baseball I was—and I'm not at all ashamed to admit this—a huge NBA fan. As a kid college basketball was just something to watch to see who would get drafted and play next October. With that in mind, I hope my fellow NBA fans are enjoying this 2012 FInal Four slate, if for no reason other than to watch Anthony Davis do stereotypically Anthony Davis things for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kentucky-wildcats">Kentucky Wildcats</a>. He's 6-7, because one of the things he does is be ridiculously efficient, with 11 rebounds, five blocks, and 15 points. He also did this:</p>↵<p align="center"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/2012/3/31/2917022/animated-anthony-davis-kentucky-alley-oop-dunk-doron-lamb"><img width="290/" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1034991/Animation2.gif"></a></p>↵<p>He's a freshman. He won All The Awards. Some team is going to be very happy about winning the draft lottery, if I had to guess. And if you watch college basketball for reasons that extend beyond next year's NBA rookie of the year contenders, he's also doing some impressive things against the No. 4 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/louisville-cardinals">Louisville Cardinals</a>—the team you see there in neon orange, watching him go over that guy's back backwards. </p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/3/31/2917128/final-four-2012-anthony-davis-kentuckyDan Moore2012-03-31T18:38:49-05:002012-03-31T18:38:49-05:00Final Four 2012 Schedule: Kansas Jayhawks, Ohio State Buckeyes Await March Madness Capper
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<p>As Kentucky and Louisville continue their battle for the first bid in the NCAA National Championship, two teams wait for their own chance at the 2012 Final Four. Kansas vs. Ohio State is the other game on the schedule, and the Jayhawks and Buckeyes will square off after the close of Game 1—scheduled at 7:49 CDT. <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/3/26/2904162/final-four-2012-kansas-jayhawks-thomas-robinson/in/2664008">Unanimous All-American</a> <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/99945/thomas-robinson">Thomas Robinson</a> and the Jayhawks, who escaped from an upset-filled Midwest regional as the No. 2 seed, will face another No. 2 in Ohio State after <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/3/24/2899967/ncaa-tournament-2012-unc-vs-kansas-preview-recap-score-update">beating the No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels 80-67</a> in their Elite Eight matchup in St. Louis.</p>
<p>With Anthony Davis and the Wildcats leading handily in the second half, it looks like whoever crosses the Final Four finish line will have their work cut out for them against Kentucky and their dominant freshman. </p>
<p>More <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kansas-jayhawks">Kansas Jayhawks</a> coverage from the grudgingly admiring writers at SB Nation St. Louis:</p>
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<span style="font-size: 12px;">The Jayhawks will need </span><a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/3/25/2902085/ncaa-bracket-2012-kansas-vs-unc-score-tyshawn-taylor">another big game from Tyshawn Taylor</a> to top Ohio State.</li>
<li>SB Nation's experts are<a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/3/31/2916103/final-four-2012-kentucky-ohio-state-sb-nation/in/2666905"> predicting Kentucky and Ohio State will go the national championship</a>.</li>
<li>If you still need a printable bracket, for whatever reason, <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/3/31/2916033/printable-ncaa-bracket-2012-final-four/in/2666905">we have you covered</a>. </li>
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https://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/3/31/2917066/final-four-2012-schedule-kansas-vs-ohio-stateDan Moore2012-03-31T12:52:24-05:002012-03-31T12:52:24-05:00Final Four 2012: Kentucky Wildcats Probably Wouldn't Beat A Bad NBA Team After All
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<p>This always comes up eventually, when March Madness is all the way upon us and it's hard to remember that there's a professional basketball league—2012 Final Four watchers, impressed by the prohibitive-favorite <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kentucky-wildcats" class="sbn-auto-link">Kentucky Wildcats</a>, are wondering aloud if they could beat a terrible NBA team under NCAA Tournament rules. So much for the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/louisville-cardinals" class="sbn-auto-link">Louisville Cardinals</a>, right? The answer, according to bookmakers: Probably not.</p>
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<p>Kentucky vs Wizards (NBA rules, neutral court) - bookmaker @<a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewsSports">AndrewsSports</a> would open Washington as a 30-point favorite.</p>
— RJ Bell (@RJinVegas) <a href="https://twitter.com/RJinVegas/status/185483855489277952" data-datetime="2012-03-29T21:49:31+00:00">March 29, 2012</a>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Washington Wizards</a>, in case you've forgotten, are 12-39. So yes: Anthony Davis is an outstanding player having an outstanding season. But Kentucky alum and Wiz guard <span>John Wall</span> is a great cautionary tale here. In one year with the Wildcats, in 2009-10, Wall had a PER of 22.3; it fell to 15.8 in a full season of NBA play. <span>DeMarcus Cousins</span>, as big forwards often do, dominated the college PER rankings, with a 34.2; in his first year with the <a href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Sacramento Kings</a> it was down to 14.6, before jumping back up this season.</p>
<p>That's not even taking into account all the players on the Kentucky roster who won't get near an NBDL court. The Wildcats have some players who could possibly turn into great NBA players. The Wizards, as bad as they are, have a bunch of great college players who've already turned into NBA players. There's a big difference.</p>
<p><i>Elsewhere on SB Nation St. Louis: Enjoy a <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/3/30/2914369/final-four-2012-schedule-saturday-ncaa-tournament">complete 2012 Final Four schedule</a>, with TV broadcast times and stations and a last-second printable bracket. </i></p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/3/31/2916443/final-four-2012-kentucky-wildcats-nba-teamDan Moore2012-03-31T10:49:59-05:002012-03-31T10:49:59-05:00Final Four 2012 Schedule: Louisville Vs. Kentucky Kicks Off Last March Madness Leg
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<p>The 2012 Final Four is finally about to begin, and if your love of March Madness is strictly calendar-based this is the last gig on the schedule for you and the 2012 NCAA Tournament: The National Championship will be all the way in April, which has no easily alliterative name for temporary insanity. Louisville vs. Kentucky is the first leg of the action, with the heavily favored <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kentucky-wildcats">Kentucky Wildcats</a> just a No. 4 seed away from their long-awaited championship appearance; the champion of the Midwest regional, Kansas, will take on Ohio State later. Time and TV broadcast information: </p>
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<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats vs. No. 4 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/louisville-cardinals">Louisville Cardinals</a>—5:09 p.m. CDT, CBS</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">No. 2 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kansas-jayhawks">Kansas Jayhawks</a> vs. No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes—7:49 p.m. CDT, CBS</span></li>
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<div>For 2012 Final Four coverage all night, stick to <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/3/26/2902864/ncaa-final-four-2012-schedule-kansas-ohio-state">SB Nation St. Louis's March Madness storystream</a>; their you'll find score updates, complaining about Saint Louis University's lot in life, and even <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/3/31/2916033/printable-ncaa-bracket-2012-final-four/in/2666905">a printable Final Four bracket</a>, if you're tired of looking at all the scratching-out on your original copy. </div>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/3/31/2916189/final-four-2012-schedule-louisville-vs-kentucky-march-madnessDan Moore2012-03-31T09:59:45-05:002012-03-31T09:59:45-05:00Final Four 2012: SB Nation Experts Predict Kentucky And Ohio State Will Meet In National Champioship
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kansas-jayhawks">Kansas Jayhawks</a> take on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/ohio-st-buckeyes">Ohio St. Buckeyes</a> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kentucky-wildcats">Kentucky Wildcats</a> play the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/louisville-cardinals">Louisville Cardinals</a> in Final Four matchups this weekend, and SB Nation's Dan Rubenstein and SBN college basketball expert Nick Fasulo break down some key matchups in these two 2012 NCAA Tournament games. According to Fasulo, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52446/tyshawn-taylor">Tyshawn Taylor</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/29804/kevin-young">Kevin Young</a> won't be enough to make the difference for Kansas against Ohio State. Meanwhile, Kentucky will roll against Louisville because the Wildcats will be able to impose their style of play and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123828/russ-smith">Russ Smith</a> won't score efficiently enough to prop up the Cardinals' offense.</p>
<p>If you need a fresh bracket, be sure to check out SB Nation's <a target="_blank" href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1024038/2012_NCAAB_Printable_Bracket__6_.pdf">updated printable 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket (PDF) </a>and make your final predictions. Here is the Final Four analysis: </p>
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<p><i>You can find more <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/2012-ncaa-tournament/2012/3/11/2862623/selection-sunday-2012-ncaa-bracket-schedule-seeds">2012 NCAA Tournament bracket</a> available at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/2012-ncaa-tournament/">SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub</a>. There you'll find our <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/2012/3/5/2846518/ncaa-bracket-2012-printable">printable NCAA Tournament bracket</a> and any additional Final Four analysis you need as the best mass in New Orleans.</i></p>
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https://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/3/31/2916103/final-four-2012-kentucky-ohio-state-sb-nationSteve von Horn2012-03-31T09:12:30-05:002012-03-31T09:12:30-05:00NCAA Bracket 2012, Printable Update For The Final Four
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<p>The 2012 NCAA Tournament has moved to New Orleans and the <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/louisville-cardinals">Louisville Cardinals</a>, <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kentucky-wildcats">Kentucky Wildcats</a>, <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/ohio-st-buckeyes">Ohio St. Buckeyes</a> and <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kansas-jayhawks">Kansas Jayhawks</a> are the last four teams standing. Big-time prospects like Anthony Davis, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145567/michael-kidd-gilchrist">Michael Kidd-Gilchrist</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/124094/jared-sullinger">Jared Sullinger</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/99945/thomas-robinson">Thomas Robinson</a> will all be on display this weekend and hope to make their mark on March Madness.</p>
<p>Did you have the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/louisville-cardinals">Louisville Cardinals</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kentucky-wildcats">Kentucky Wildcats</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/ohio-st-buckeyes">Ohio St. Buckeyes</a> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kansas-jayhawks">Kansas Jayhawks</a> as the last four teams standing in NCAA Tournament? If not, check out SB Nation's <a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1024038/2012_NCAAB_Printable_Bracket__6_.pdf" target="_blank">updated printable 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket (PDF) </a>to make your final predictions and to see the path that each navigated to the Final Four. Here is the schedule of games:</p>
<p><b>(4) Louisville Cardinals vs. (1) Kentucky Wildcats</b></p>
<p><b><u>Game date</u>:</b> Saturday, March 31</p>
<p><b><u>Game time</u>:</b> 5:09 p.m. CT</p>
<p><b><u>TV</u>:</b> CBS</p>
<p><b>(2) Ohio State Buckeyes vs. (2) Kansas Jayhawks</b></p>
<p><b><u>Game date</u></b>: Saturday, March 31</p>
<p><b><u>Game time</u></b>: 7:49 p.m CT</p>
<p><b><u>TV</u></b>: CBS</p>
<p><i>For more on the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/2012-ncaa-tournament/2012/3/11/2862623/selection-sunday-2012-ncaa-bracket-schedule-seeds">2012 NCAA Tournament bracket</a>, poke around <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/2012-ncaa-tournament/">SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub</a> for tons of analysis on the Final Four in New Orleans.</i></p>
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https://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/3/31/2916033/printable-ncaa-bracket-2012-final-fourSteve von Horn