March 14, 2010

2010 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Bracket

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The NCAA announced on March 14 the eight teams participating in the First and Second rounds of the Division I Men's Basketball Championship held in Providence, R.I. The games will be held on Thursday, March 18 and Saturday, March 20 at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.

The field is highlighted by Villanova University, the No. 2 seed in the South Region. The Wildcats will take on the No. 15-seeded Robert Morris Colonials at 12:30 p.m. on March 18. The winner of that game will face the winner of the matchup between the No. 7-seeded Richmond Spiders and the No. 10-seeded Saint Mary's (Calif.) Gaels. The Richmond vs. Saint Mary's game will tip-off 30 minutes after the end of the Villanova vs. Robert Morris game on March 18.

The Dunkin' Donuts Center also will host four teams from the Midwest Region of the bracket. The No. 3-seeded Georgetown Hoyas will take on the No. 14-seeded Ohio Bobcats at 7:25 p.m. on March 18, while the No. 6-seeded Tennessee Volunteers will battle the No. 11-seeded San Diego State Aztecs approximately 30 minutes after the end of Georgetown vs. Ohio.

Team Capsules

South Region

No. 2 Villanova (24-7, 13-5 BIG EAST) The Villanova Wildcats will make their 31st appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the ninth most in NCAA history. The Wildcats, with a 48-30 all-time record in the Tournament, have made four Final Fours and were the 1985 National Champions. This season, the 10th-ranked Wildcats finished fourth in the BIG EAST and advanced to the BIG EAST Championship Quarterfinals. The team is led by All-BIG EAST First Team selection Scottie Reynolds, who paces the squad with 18.5 points per game. Third-Team All-Conference selection Corey Fisher ranks first on the team with 4.0 assists per game and is third on the squad with 13.7 points per game.

No. 15 Robert Morris (23-11, 15-3 Northeast) Robert Morris is appearing in its second-straight NCAA Tournament and seventh overall. The Colonials have posted a 1-6 all-time mark in the event. This season, Robert Morris finished second in the Northeast Conference and won the NEC Tournament with a 52-50 victory at top-seeded Quinnipiac. The team is led offensively by Karon Abraham, who has recorded 13.4 points per game this season. NEC Defensive Player of the Year Mezie Nwigwe leads the team in assists (86) and is second in steals (44).

No. 7 Richmond (26-8, 13-3 A-10) The Spiders earned their eighth NCAA Tournament berth in school history and the first for the team since 2004. Richmond has posted a 6-7 record all-time in the event and advanced to the Sweet 16 in 1984. The Spiders are one of only four schools to win a first round game as a No. 15 seed, defeating No. 2 Syracuse, 73-69, in 1991. This season, Richmond finished third in the Atlantic 10 and earned a berth in the A-10 Tournament Championship Game. The team is led by Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Kevin Anderson. The 6-0 junior ranks first on the Spiders with 17.8 points and 2.6 assists per contest.

No. 10 Saint Mary's (Calif.) (26-5, 14-2 WCC) Saint Mary's will make its sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and its third in the past six seasons. The Gaels have posted a 1-6 mark all time in the event. This season, Saint Mary's finished second in the West Coast Conference and won the league's tournament, defeating top-seeded Gonzaga, 81-62, in Las Vegas. The team is led by a pair of All-WCC First Team selections. Senior Omar Sahan ranks first on the team with 20.9 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, and also garnered WCC Defensive Player of the Year honors. Mickey McConnell is second on the team with 13.7 points per game and ranks first on the Gaels with 5.3 assists per game.

Midwest Region

No. 3 Georgetown (23-10, 10-8 BIG EAST) Georgetown advances to its 26th NCAA Tournament in school history and its fourth in the last five seasons. The Hoyas, with a 45-24 all-time record in the tournament, have made five Final Fours and were the 1984 National Champions. This season, the 22nd-ranked Hoyas finished in eighth place in the BIG EAST. Georgetown entered the BIG EAST Championship as the No. 8 seed and advanced to the final game where the team was defeated by West Virginia, 60-58, on March 13. Sophomore center Greg Monroe, who received First Team All-BIG EAST accolades, leads the team in rebounding (9.5 rpg) and is second on the squad in scoring (16.1 ppg). The Hoyas are led offensively by 6-3 junior guard Austin Freeman. Freeman earned Second Team All-BIG EAST honors after averaging a team-best 16.7 points per game.

No. 14 Ohio (21-14, 7-9 MAC) The Bobcats are appearing in their 12th NCAA Tournament and first since 2005. Ohio has posted a 4-12 all-time mark in the event and advanced to the Sweet 16 in 1960 and 1964. This season, the team finished fifth in the MAC East Division, but earned a NCAA berth by winning the Mid-American Tournament. The Bobcats defeated top-seeded Akron, 81-75, in overtime on March 13 to capture the program's fifth MAC Tournament title. Junior guard Armon Bassett leads the team in scoring (16.7 ppg) and was named the MAC Tournament MVP. Bassett also earned Honorable Mention All-MAC honors. Freshman guard DJ Cooper, who is first on the team in rebounding (5.4 rpg) and second on the team in scoring (12.8 ppg), was named to the MAC All-Freshman squad.

No. 6 Tennessee (25-8, 15-3 SEC) Tennessee, which will make its 18th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, earned its fifth-consecutive berth. The Volunteers have posted a 13-18 all-time mark in the event and have advanced to three Sweet Sixteens in school history, including two in the past three NCAA Tournaments. This season, 15th-ranked Tennessee finished third in the SEC East Division and advanced to the SEC Tournament semifinals. The team also owns victories over Kansas and Kentucky, both No. 1 seeds in the 2010 NCAA Tournament. Tennessee is led by First Team All-SEC selection Wayne Chism. The 6-9 senior ranks first on the team with 12.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.

No. 11 San Diego State (26-10, 11-5 MWC) The Aztecs earned their sixth NCAA Tournament berth in school history and their first since 2006. San Diego State has posted a 0-5 all-time mark in the event. This season, the team finished third in the Mountain West Conference and earned an automatic berth to the Big Dance after winning the MWC Tournament with a 55-45 victory over No. 3 seed UNLV. The team is led by MWC Freshman of the Year and First Team selection Kawhi Leonard. Leonard paces the Aztecs with 12.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per game this season.