CARSON & CERRITOS, CA (smt) - #5W-Butler blew a late 10-point when #2W-Kansas St. took their first lead at 52-51 but the Bulldogs fought back to advance to their first-ever Final Four with a 63-56 victory.  The Final Four is being hosted by Butler and the Horizon League so the Bulldogs were going back to Indy regardless of the result.  Now they get to play at home in the Final Four, the first time a host made it in 38 years.  There was a bizarre 43 second sequence after Butler went ahead by 6 with 1:01 left that included a failed timeout call that cost the Wildcats almost ten seconds, almost two steals by Butler that resulted in the Wildcats going into the backcourt twice, and ended with a steal.  After all that, just 18 seconds remained and the Bulldogs sensed victory.  A win despite 20 turnovers.

In the East, the game was just weird.  How does #2-West Virginia miss all 16 two-point shots in the first half and still have a 2-point lead at the half against top seeded Kentucky?  By getting your first 24 points on 8 3-pointers (they hit only 9 in the last two games combined) and having Kentucky miss all 8 three-point attempts.  How does West Virginia nearly blow a 16-point lead with 4:25 left in the game with Kentucky at one time just 11-for-23 at the free throw line and 0-for-20 from 3-point land?  By missing nine of their own (including the front end of a one-and-one that could've made the lead 18) and allowing five offensive rebounds (the Wildcats had a mind-boggling 22 offensive rebounds).  But the Mountaineers held on, 73-66, to advance to the Final Four for the first time since 1959.   

Thirty-one entries went 1-1 for the day (meaning 86 went 0-2) and this allowed Larzby to regain the lead with 106 points.  But he can't get any more points.  The Pride of Troy! is second with 104 points and has a 87.5% chance of winning money and an even 50-50 for winning 1st.  Six others are evenly split (12.5%) in winning 1st.  Larzby and Cnollfan (42nd-Tied, 87 pts) were the only ones to pick Butler in the Final Four while 29 picked West Virginia.  Just 17 entries remain in the running (including four past champs) for the top 5 prizes.

In the Bonus1 race, only Besst (19th-T, 92) could win this.  If Baylor loses to either Butler or Tennessee in the Final, then she will win the Bonus with the Big 12 with 11 wins.  If anything else, then the Bonus2 will take effect and most people will be back in the hunt.