Steve C. Wilson / AP

Kansas State's Denis Clemente celebrates his team's 101-96 double-overtime win over Xavier on Thursday.

OPINION

By Mike DeCourcy

updated 3:00 a.m. ET March 26, 2010

The raucous 2010 NCAA tournament did not lose any of its unpredictability on the first night of the Sweet 16. We witnessed double overtime, a dome full of Ivy League basketball fans — and yet another No. 1 seed making an early exit.

Syracuse, widely considered a favorite to win the title before center Arinze Onuaku was lost to injury, was overtaken by No. 5 seed Butler, 63-59, in the final stages of a West Region semifinal in Salt Lake City.

"Whenever you lose a game like this, it's very difficult for players to think about what happened for a long time," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. "That's as it should be. It should hurt when you lose at this stage."

It can feel pretty good when you win, though — ask these teams standing so close to the Final Four:

Butler is one game from going home. Last year, Michigan State played 90 miles from its campus. If the Bulldogs can win once more, in the West Region final against Kansas State, they can walk from campus to Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium.

Frank Martin is one game from the ultimate retort. After legions of columnists and analysts blasted Kansas State for promoting Martin when Bob Huggins left for West Virginia, K-State's double-OT escape of Xavier got them to the Elite Eight.

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Kentucky is one game from a resurrection. A year after the Wildcats floundered into the NIT, UK handled Cornell and would reach its 14th Final Four—and first in a dozen years—by beating West Virginia in the East final.

West Virginia is one game from saving the Big East's rep. After pulling away from Washington, the Mountaineers are the final team from their conference standing — after eight teams began.

Huggins isn't moved by the plight of his conference brethren. "We want to be the last ones standing, period," he said.

Coming up Friday
Midwest — No. 6 Tennessee (27-8) vs. No. 2 Ohio State (29-7). Watch for UT's J.P. Prince to take on Evan Turner. Prince could be a bother.

South — No. 10 Saint Mary's (28-5) vs. No. 3 Baylor (27-7). Baylor likes to play zone. Do the Bears play it well enough to bother the Gaels' excellent shooters?

Midwest — No. 9 Northern Iowa (30-4) vs. No. 5 Michigan State (26-8). It all comes down to Korie Lucious handling MSU's point guard duties.

South — No. 4 Purdue (29-5) vs. No. 1 Duke (31-5). Duke has been held under 60 points once. And that might be what it will take for Purdue to win.

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