2011 NCAA MEN'S FINAL FOUR

The 2011 NCAA men's Final Four will take at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. The semifinals will begin on Saturday, April 2nd at 6 pm ET and the national championship will be on Monday night, April 4th. This year's Final Four will be without a #1 or a #2 seed, which is rare in college basketball. Here are the semifinal matchups to take place this Saturday...




#8 BUTLER BULLDOGS (27-9) vs. #11 VCU RAMS (28-11)
Saturday, April 2, 2011 - 6 pm ET

BUTLER BULLDOGS - SOUTHEAST REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
FULL NAME: Butler University
LOCATION: Indianapolis, Indiana
CONFERENCE: Horizon League
NOTABLE PLAYER(S) IN THE NBA: Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz - rookie)
DISTANCE TO HOUSTON: 1,037 miles
JOURNEY TO THE FINAL FOUR:
- 60-58 vs. #9 Old Dominion (Second Round)
- 71-70 vs. #1 Pittsburgh (Third Round)
- 61-54 vs. #4 Wisconsin (Sweet 16)
- 74-71 (OT) vs. #2 Florida (Elite 8 )

Comments from the Horizon League Assistant Commissioner Wayne Burrow

VCU RAMS - SOUTHWEST REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
FULL NAME: Virginia Commonwealth University
LOCATION: Richmond, Virginia
CONFERENCE: Colonial Athletic Association
NOTABLE PLAYER(S) IN THE NBA: Eric Maynor (Oklahaom City Thunder - 1 year), Larry Sanders (Milwaukee Bucks - rookie), Gerald Henderson Sr. (3-time NBA Champion including 1990 with the Detroit Pistons)


Gerald Henderson, Sr. (#12) - far right, standing behind Pistons announcer George Blaha

DISTANCE TO HOUSTON: 1,335 miles
JOURNEY TO THE FINAL FOUR:
- 59-46 vs. USC (First Round)
- 74-56 vs. #6 Georgetown (Second Round)
- 94-76 vs. #3 Purdue (Third Round)
- 72-71 (OT) vs. #10 Florida State (Sweet 16)
- 71-61 vs. #1 Kansas (Elite 8 )




#3 CONNECTICUT HUSKIES (30-9) vs. #4 KENTUCKY WILDCATS (29-8 )
Saturday, April 2, 2011 - 8:45 pm ET

CONNECTICUT HUSKIES - WEST REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
FULL NAME: University of Connecticut
LOCATION: Storrs, Connecticut (east of Hartford)
CONFERENCE: Big East Conference
NOTABLE PLAYER(S) IN THE NBA: Detroit Pistons (Richard Hamilton - 11 yrs., Ben Gordon - 6 yrs., Charlie Villanueva - 5 yrs.), Boston Celtics (Ray Allen - 14 years)


Detroit Pistons (#7 Ben Gordon) vs. Boston Celtics (#20 Ray Allen)

DISTANCE TO HOUSTON: 1,783 miles
JOURNEY TO THE FINAL FOUR:
- 81-52 vs. #14 Bucknell (Second Round)
- 69-58 vs. #6 Cincinnati (Third Round)
- 74-67 vs. #2 San Diego State (Sweet 16)
- 65-63 vs. #5 Arizona (Elite 8 )

Comments from the Piston and former UConn players Ben Gordon & Charlie Villanueva

KENTUCKY WILDCATS - EAST REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
FULL NAME: University of Kentucky
LOCATION: Lexington, Kentucky
CONFERENCE: Southeastern Conference
NOTABLE PLAYER(S) IN THE NBA: Tayshaun Prince (Detroit Pistons - 8 years), Rajon Rondo (Boston Celtics - 4 years)
DISTANCE TO HOUSTON: 1,077 miles
JOURNEY TO THE FINAL FOUR:
- 59-57 vs. #13 Princeton (Second Round)
- 71-63 vs. #5 West Virginia (Third Round)
- 62-60 vs. #1 Ohio State (Sweet 16)
- 76-69 vs. #2 North Carolina (Elite 8 )


2004 NBA CHAMPIONS - Tayshaun Prince (Kentucky) & Richard Hamilton (Connecticut)