2010 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament

2010 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
source
Year	2010
Teams	65
Final Four Arena	Lucas Oil Stadium
Final Four City	Indianapolis, Indiana
Championship	Duke Blue Devils
Runner-Up	Butler Bulldogs
MOP	Kyle Singler

2010 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was the 72nd edition of the single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of NCAA Division I men's basketball. It began on March 16, 2010, and concluded with the championship game on April 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, where the Duke Blue Devils defeated the Butler Bulldogs 61–59. The tournament, often referred to as March Madness, featured 65 teams and was highlighted by the Cinderella run of Butler to the final game.

Tournament procedure

The tournament field consisted of 31 automatic bids, awarded to conference tournament champions from leagues such as the ACC, Big Ten, and Big East, and 34 at-large bids selected by the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee. The selection process utilized tools like the NET and the RPI to evaluate team resumes. The four top-seeded teams were the Kansas Jayhawks, Kentucky Wildcats, Duke Blue Devils, and Syracuse Orange. All games followed a single-elimination format, with the "First Four" opening-round games played at University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio.

Participating teams

Automatic qualifiers included champions from major conferences like the Kansas Jayhawks (Big 12), Duke Blue Devils (ACC), and Ohio State Buckeyes (Big Ten). Notable mid-major champions were the Butler Bulldogs (Horizon League) and the Northern Iowa Panthers (Missouri Valley Conference). Prominent at-large selections featured the Kentucky Wildcats under coach John Calipari, the Syracuse Orange led by Jim Boeheim, and the West Virginia Mountaineers. The field also included the Ivy League champion Cornell Big Red.

Tournament schedule and venues

The "First Four" games were held at the University of Dayton Arena. First and second-round games were played across eight sites: Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, Washington, HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana, Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island, HSBC Arena in Buffalo, New York, Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Regionals were hosted at the EnergySolutions Arena (West Regional), Carrier Dome (East Regional), Reliant Stadium (South Regional), and Edward Jones Dome (Midwest Regional). The Final Four and national championship were contested at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Tournament bracket

In the West Regional, the Syracuse Orange advanced to the Sweet Sixteen but fell to the Butler Bulldogs. The Midwest Regional saw the Kansas Jayhawks suffer a stunning upset to the Northern Iowa Panthers, with Ali Farokhmanesh hitting a crucial three-pointer. Butler then defeated the Michigan State Spartans to reach the Final Four. In the South Regional, the Duke Blue Devils overcame the Baylor Bears to advance. The East Regional was won by the West Virginia Mountaineers, who defeated the Kentucky Wildcats. At the Final Four in Indianapolis, Duke beat West Virginia, and Butler defeated the Michigan State to set up the championship game.

Tournament notes

The championship game between Duke and Butler became an instant classic, featuring a last-second half-court shot attempt by Gordon Hayward that nearly won the game for Butler. Kyle Singler was named the Most Outstanding Player. The upset of top-seeded Kansas by Northern Iowa was a major storyline, as was the Cornell Big Red's run to the Sweet Sixteen. The tournament was the last to feature 65 teams before expanding to 68 in 2011. Lucas Oil Stadium set an attendance record for a championship game. Bob Knight served as a studio analyst for CBS and Turner's coverage. Category:NCAA Division I men's basketball tournaments Category:2010 in sports in the United States