The Ohio State Buckeyes came up painfully short in the NCAA Tournament semifinals on Saturday night, losing a late lead and the game to the Kansas Jayhawks. The loss ended the Buckeyes march through the NCAA Tournament bracket, as Kansas and Kentucky advanced leaving one more open slot to fill in on tournament brackets around the country.
With 62 slots filled in, that one blank in the middle will soon be inked in as either Kentucky or Kansas cuts down the nets on Monday night in New Orleans. You can take a look back at how the Wildcats and Jayhawks made their way to the championship game, as well as how where other teams fell short in the tournament with SB Nation's printable 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket.
As tough as it will be to watch for Ohio State fans, the championship matchup should be plenty entertaining. Back in November, Kentucky beat Kansas on a neutral court in New York which should have little bearing on the championship matchup. Regardless of the familiarity from the earlier matchup, Kentucky will remain the favorite heading into Monday thanks to their strong play throughout the tournament and the variety of ways they can beat an opponent.
For more NCAA tournament coverage, head to SB Nation's 2012 tourney hub page. Stay with SB Nation for an updated 2012 printable bracket. More on the Louisville Cardinals can be found at Card Chronicle, check out A Sea Of Blue for more on the Kentucky Wildcats.
