UConn Opens With Shaky W

Huskies take 3rd national title with 53-41 win

(AP) - Kemba Walker scored 16 points and Connecticut beat Butler 53-41 on Monday night to give Jim Calhoun his third national championship, something only four other coaches have done. The Huskies did it with defense holding the Bulldogs to a Final Four-record low 18.8 shooting percentage (12 for 64). Connecticut capped one of college basketball's best postseason runs, winning six games in the NCAA tournament after winning five games in as many days to win the Big East title. It was the second straight year Butler lost in the championship game. Last year they were beaten 61-59 by Duke. More»

Rick Pitino nearly loses it in win over protege Billy Donovan

(AP) - Hated to do that to ya, kid. Rick Pitino nearly came unhinged and his point guard watched the end of the game from the bench. When it was over, though, it was Pitino and Louisville making plans for the Final Four and his protege, Billy Donovan, and the Florida Gators wondering what the heck happened. Chane Behanan made the go-ahead basket with 1:04 left today and the fourth-seeded Cardinals finished the game on a 23-8 run for a 72-68 victory over Donovan's stunned Florida team in the West Regional final. More»

Lorenzo Brown sinks three free throws in final seconds

(AP) - It's been a long time since North Carolina State was mentioned in the same breath with the elite programs in the nation—let alone its own state. Now, a new coach and a new attitude have the Wolfpack faithful harkening back to the glory days of David Thompson and Jim Valvano. Lorenzo Brown hit three free throws in the final 10.6 seconds and North Carolina State returned to the round of 16 with a 66-63 upset of third-seeded Georgetown in the NCAA tournament today. More»

Loathing Duke's basketball team is just part of March Madness

(NEWSER) - Think the Yankees are despised? Now that March Madness is here, Duke-hating "is as much a rite ... as marking up your bracket with a red pen," write Josh Levin and Jim Pagels in Slate . They not-so-kindly run down 18 of the Blue Devils' most loathsome moments:

• 1986: Duke fans fall in love with themselves after setting up tents in so-called "Krzyzewskiville"—a makeshift camp named after six-year head coach Mike Krzyzewski. Soon a simple setup "devolved into a Byzantine three-color classification system with wait lists and line monitors."

Coach K passes Bob Knight's record

(NEWSER) - Duke Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski gave mentor Bob Knight a hug immediately after surpassing his record of 902 wins last night. The victory over Michigan State made the man known as Coach K, now in his 37th season, Division I's all-time winningest coach, and the season is just getting started. "Before Coach K decides to call it a career, he could very well be sitting on 1,000 career victories," writes Zachary Rymer at Bleacher Report . Click here for more. More»