Pitt, UConn Advance

Popularity has sucked all the charm out of the tournament

(NEWSER) - In the '60s and '70s, the NCAA tournament was boring because UCLA seemingly always won. These days, "instead of UCLA winning it every year, there are now between five and nine UCLAs that can win it every year," Charles Pierce writes for Slate. "It's just as sterile and dynastic as it used to be." It’s oligarchy rather than monarchy, but it feels just as stale. More»

(AP) - Villanova beat Pitt, 78-76, in dramatic fashion to reach the Final Four for the first time since its surprise run to the championship in 1985. The Wildcats join UConn, which held off Missouri, 82-75. 'Nova's Scottie Reynolds made a driving layup with 0.5 seconds left for the win. Dwayne Anderson added 17 points for Villanova, which responded to Pittsburgh’s physical play by sinking 22 of 23 free throws. The Wildcats will play the winner of UNC-Oklahoma. More»

(NEWSER) - Along with the obligatory madness, March always brings along a slew of detestable teams and characters. This year, thankfully, Billy Packer is gone, but Josh Levin, writing for Slate, still has plenty to disparage. The list starts, as always, with:

• Duke: This isn’t the most deplorable squad ever, but Coach K’s “basketball as leadership seminar” style always evokes a bit of vitriol.
• Jim Calhoun: The Connecticut coach’s “classlessness and self-aggrandizing bring shame to a shameless profession.”

North Carolina joins Louisville, Pitt, UConn at top of bracket heap

(AP) - Big East powers Louisville, Pittsburgh, and UConn helped the league that was created for hoops become the first conference to earn three No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament in the field announced tonight. North Carolina, the regular-season ACC champ, was the other top seed. The coup comes 24 years after the Big East became the first league to get three teams in the Final Four (Georgetown, Villanova, and St. John's). More»

Conference hasn't lived up to its reputation in recent years

(NEWSER) - With March Madness upon us, the hype machine is cranking up again about the Big East, with powers like Louisville, Connecticut, and Pittsburgh. Mike Celizic covered the conference’s period of dominance in the 1980s, but he’s no longer convinced, he writes for NBC Sports. The league has won only two NCAA basketball championships this century, fewer than the Atlantic Coast Conference and tied with the Southeastern. More»