The 2012 NCAA Tournament is down to the Final Four and its final three games. Top overall seed Kentucky is the only No. 1 to survive and advance to New Orleans for the 2012 Final Four, but an in-state showdown and another college basketball power stand between the Wildcats and a national championship, which would be their first title since 1998 and coach John Calipari’s first.
Final Four 2012: Dates, Location, Game Times And More
South Region winner Kentucky and West Region champion Louisville, a No. 4 seed, will meet in the first national semifinal at 6:09 p.m. on Saturday, March 31. The bluegrass battle -- get ready for that phrase to get repeated ad nauseam -- pits Calipari against former UK coach Rick Pitino and his Cardinals’ stifling defense. Of course, Kentucky has some defense of its own, and Anthony Davis and the ‘Cats got the better of Louisville in a December matchup.
On the other side of the bracket, No. 2 Ohio State, the East Region champion, meets No. 2 Kansas, the Midwest Region's winner. The Buckeyes and Jayhawks both downed diminished No. 1 seeds -- Fab Melo-less Syracuse and North Carolina sans Kendall Marshall, respectively -- in the Elite Eight, and have their own stars too. Ohio State's Jared Sullinger banging against Kansas' Thomas Robinson is possibly the best individual matchup of the Final Four, and it will take place at 8:49 p.m. on March 31.
Here’s the full Final Four television schedule for the games that will take place at the Superdome in New Orleans on March 31 and April 2.
First National Semifinal: No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats vs. No. 4 Louisville Cardinals (6:09 p.m., CBS)
Second National Semifinal: No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks vs. No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (8:49 p.m., CBS)
For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket, stick around SB Nation’s NCAA Tournament hub, and remember to pick up our printable NCAA Tournament bracket.
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