Seth Udinski, FISM News

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College basketball’s biggest event has reached the coveted Final Four round, the four-team playoff between the champions of each region in the NCCA Division I March Madness Men’s Basketball Tournament.  The Final Four features three powerhouse teams and one dramatic Cinderella story.

In the Elite Eight round, 2nd-seed Houston conquered 12th-seed Oregon State 67-61, while the top-seed Baylor University beat 3rd-seed Arkansas 81-72.  Gonzaga, the tournament’s lone undefeated team and the number one-ranked school in the nation, pounded USC 85-66.

In one of the most dramatic upsets of the tournament, the 11th-seed UCLA Bruins shocked the 1st-seed Michigan Wolverines 51-49.  UCLA, once a powerhouse in the NCAA, becomes just the 5th 11-seed to reach the Big Dance.  UCLA owns the all-time record for national championships in the Division 1 Men’s Basketball Tournament with 11, many of them under legendary head coach John Wooden in 1970s.  However, the school has not won a national championship since 1995.  UCLA looks to add a 12th championship to its trophy case, this time as the national underdog.

The Final Four round commences this coming Saturday, as Houston and Baylor tip off at 5:15 pm EST.  UCLA and Gonzaga will follow at 8:34.  Both games, as well as the National Championship game on Monday night, will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the NFL’s Indianapolic Colts, before a socially-distanced crowd of roughly 15,000 fans.