Basketball Regional: The Sweet Sixteen,
The Elite Eight and the Final Four

Going to the regional’s rings sweet in any basketball player’s ears and for the NCAA basketball leaguers, it means a shot at victory.  In order to make it to the Regional’s, the players and teams have to be the best of the best.  Fans alike gather in flocks during the regional playoffs.  Tickets sell out as soon as they hit the streets.  It is Sweet Sixteen Time, then on to the Elite Eight, to close in on the Final Four. 

The Regional 2008 NCAA Tournament rocked the stadiums.  The Sweet Sixteen posted up with three double-digit seeds; Davidson, Villanova and Western Kentucky.  Memphis went in strong and Michigan had a strong defense, the Longhorns went in like bulls and the Tigers roared.  All teams entered with the intent of taking the win moving on to the Elite Eight.  Some walked away with victory, but with every victory, there is a loss.  The Sweet Sixteen Basketball Regional’s was sweet indeed, as it was the beginning of a quite impressive Elite Eight roster set up.

The 2008 Elite Eight hit the courts with the Eastern Regional’s Louisville versus UNC with UNC Tar Heels taking it 83 to 73.  The Midwest Regional brought Davidson to their knees when Kansas took the win 59 to 57.  The South Region danced in with Memphis defeating the Texas Longhorns 85 to 67.  The West rode in with UCLA for the third year in a row taking the courts against Xavier, ending with UCLA riding off into the sunset with a win of 76 to 57.

This brought the 2008 basketball regional tournaments down to the Final Four with a history-making tournament.  For the first time since the current seeding system, all four first seeds (Memphis, UCLA, Kansas, and North Carolina) hit the courts for the Final Four.  Typically, only three of the four first seeds would even make it to the Elite Eight.  Memphis made history becoming the first team ever to have 38 wins under their belt in one season taking UCLA to the cleaners 78 to 63.  Kansas Jayhawks took on the UNC Tar Heels securing the win 84 to 66.  The National Championship game was up next with Memphis at one end of the court facing down Kansas.  Kansas took the win 75 to 68.  Kansas was no stranger to the National Championship game making this the fifth time the Wildcats walked off in victory.

Basketball Regional’s surprise, make history, have upsets and victories, all in the name of sportsmanship and great entertainment.  It is no wonder why basketball regionals are such a hit with Americans.  The 2009 Basketball Regional’s should prove to be just as exciting.  †