As Stephen Curry dribbled around the three-point line desperately trying to find an opening in Kansas impenetrable perimeter defense to get a game-tying shot for Davidson, the dynamic sophomore couldn’t find an avenue, so he kicked the ball to Jason Richards. The Jayhawks, Brandon Rush, Sherron Collins and Russell Robinson each sprinted at the nation’s leader in assists, putting up a hand. As Richards released the 26 foot-prayer, it drifted to the right, caroming of the backboard, and Davidson’s magical March run had officially come to an end.
 
 For the first time since the NCAA implemented seeding in 1979, all four number one seeds advanced to the Final Four. After years of getting ganked and top seeds being the victims of premature dismissals, the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee finally, as Ray Charles would say, “got the right one baby!” The Tourney Committee got the unprecedented affirmation they sought, as Memphis, North Carolina, UCLA and Kansas proved they’re nation’s best teams.
 
 The underdogs might have been sent back the kennel, but the suspense is far from over for the big dawgs. This is where the Big Dance really gets cracking. There’s still plenty of drama left to unfold. Together UNC, UCLA, Memphis and Kansas have combined for a 144-9 record. That’s the most combined wins ever in Final Four history. This has the potential to be one of the greatest Final Four’s ever. Despite all four teams reaching the coveted Final Four each squad still has unfinished business to handle.

North Carolina Tar Heels- Ever since their 96-84 overtime loss to Georgetown last year when they suffered a meltdown and blew a 10 point with 5 minutes left in regulation, UNC has been on warpath to reach the Final Four. After the Tar Heels held a 12 point second half lead, Louisville came back to tie the game at 59, but fortunately for UNC there would be no repeat of last year’s debacle. The Heels were able to regain their composure and secure an 83-73 victory, on the strength of who else, but All-World Tyler Hansbrough.
 
 Hansbrough led UNC with a ferocious 28 points and 13 rebounds in a performance that showcased both raw power and finesse. The East Region Most Outstanding Player took over the game as expected, but what was most surprising was the manner in which the blazing occurred. Rather than sheer inside brutalization, Hansbrough exhibited his full arsenal, drilling two 19-foot jumpers, including one off the dribble. If Psycho T starts consistently busting jumpers, you can give the Heels the national championship right now, cause no one get with Carolina in that situation.
 
 UNC has been the tourney’s most dominant team. They lambasted Mt. St. Mary’s and Arkansas by 30 plus points, dropping over a Benjamin in both and the Heels smacked Washington St. by 21. If UNC is going to win national championship the time is now. Word is sophomore guards, Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson will be testing the draft waters at season’s end, and there isn’t anything left for Hansbrough to do to enhance his legacy other than capturing a national title. A second gold and wooden plaque in four years could also put Roy Williams in the same category as Jim Calhoun and Mike Krzyzewski in the pantheon of college coaches with multiple national titles.
 
 Kansas Jayhawks- After guiding his Kansas Jayhawks back to the Elite Eight for a second consecutive year, no one was happier than head coach Bill Self to see his team survive a heart-pounding last-second scare against Davidson. It’s unknown if Self is a fan of Brooklyn rapper Fabolous or Whitney Houston, but as the final buzzer sounded in the Midwest Regional Final Self, his players and the rest of the Jayhawk nation could stop “Waiting to Exhale” and finally “Breathe.”

 Self has been a good coach for some time now. He’s one of only a handful of coaches to ever lead three different schools to the Elite Eight. Self has taken a mid major in Tulsa (2000), Illinois (2001) and Kansas a game outside the Final Four, coming up short each time. With Self reaching the Final Four it gives him career validation, temporarily appeases the KU faithful and should get Self the media love he deserves.
 
 Kansas was taken to the limit, and didn’t look their best against Davidson, but that shouldn’t be held against them. The Jayhawks did what every team wants to do at this point in the season, survive and advance. Plus winning close games is the mark of a quality club, which Kansas is. The Jawhawks easily disposed of Portland St, UNLV and Villanova, granted not the toughest opponents, but still impressive nonetheless. They needed a test to prove they have the resolve to pull out tight wins. Kansas is the deepest team in country, so they don’t need a central go-to player. The Jayhawks epitomize balance. They have four players’ average double figures, with Brandon Rush leading the squad at 13.1 points per game.
 
 Kansas is another team whose time to capture a title is now. The perennial powerhouse program hasn’t won a national title since 1988, so the Kansas fans are starving for championship. The Jayhawks will also be losing a hefty chunk of their weaponry next year. Russell Robinson and Darnell Jackson are both seniors, and with Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur sure-shot first round picks, they’re almost certain to bounce for the beefy dollo of the NBA. Reaching the Final Four is great, but taking a national title would elevate Self to the highly esteemed category of championship coaches.

 UCLA Bruins- They’re the precedent for all of men’s college basketball. The Bruins set the standard for everyone else, and they’re the most storied and successful D-1 basketball program of all-time. After enduring a hard-fought battle against Texas A&M in the second round, UCLA got their swagger back and convincingly whooped Western Kentucky and Xavier. But UCLA has much bigger goals in mind than reaching the Final Four.
 
 Head coach Ben Howland has restored the Bruin tradition of excellence John Wooden originated in Westwood. Since 1995, UCLA always had good teams. Steve Lavin coached the Bruins to five Sweet 16’s in a seven year span. Great for great virtually every other school, but completely unacceptable by UCLA standards. Howland has led the Bruins to three straight Final Four’s and instilled the east coast gulliness he brought from Pittsburgh predicated on tenacious, ball-hawking half-court defense.
 
 Yet, for the incredible success Howland has enjoyed, he and his squad know hanging Final Four banners at Pauley Pavilion isn’t enough. The measure of success for UCLA basketball is championship bling. UCLA has been denied the last two years, getting throttled by Florida both times. The Bruins had strong teams both times, but their primary weakness was exploited both times against the bigger, more athletic front line of the Gators. That was until they got Kevin Love.
 
 The game’s premiere center has more than filled UCLA’s most glaring weakness. Love has been a stabilizing force and strong interior, racking up double-doubles on the regular and helping diversify a sometimes stagnant offense with his incredible passing skills. He’s the perfect complement to speed-demon Darren Collison and trampoline bouncing Russell Westbrook. Collison, Westbrook, Love and even Luc Richard Mbah a Moute could all head for the league, so if Howland wants to add a 12th championship banner and pop some bubbly they better get it done now.

Memphis Tigers- After making back-to-back Elite Eight’s and suffering demoralizing losses in both, the third time truly was the charm for John Calipari’s Memphis Tigers. Memphis was finally able to get their breakthrough like Mary J. Blige and reach the Final Four.

 Other than UNC, Memphis has been the second most impressive team in the tourney. They really haven’t been challenged at all, with the exception of a 77-74 win over Mississippi State in the second round, but they had the game in hand until their free-throw shooting went south, as it has all season. Besides that, the Tigers smashed both Michigan State and Texas, whom almost every analyst picked to win the South Region by 18 points. Memphis has become the Rodney Dangerfield of the tourney. Everyone knows they’re good, yet for some reason “they get no respect.” After reaching the Final Four you gotta give Memphis their big ups now, whether you want to or not.

 Calipari has done a sensational job revitalizing Memphis once proud basketball tradition. Prior to Calipari’s arrival, Memphis hadn’t been a legitimate threat since Penny Hardaway carried the Tigers to the Elite Eight in 1993. Memphis is not only relevant, they’re annually one of the top basketball programs in the nation. Calipari has now reached the Final Four with two teams (UMass in 1996). Winning a national title would cement his position in the exclusive club of truly elite coaches, even though he’s buggin trying to minimize the importance of his squad’s horrendous 59 percent free-throw shooting.

 The last two years Memphis was loaded, but their lack of point guard play did them in. Super freshman point guard Derek Rose was the missing piece the Tigers lacked in previous years. Rose was rented on a one year lease to get the Tigers a championship, and he’s well on his way to cashing in. The Chicago native is the most complete point guard in the game. Rose ignites Memphis lethal fast break with his Nascar speed, puts teammates in positions to score with his hawk-like, dime-dropping court vision (4.7 assists), snatches boards (4.4 rips a night) and he’s proven he can take over a game, as he did against Michigan State and Texas putting up 27 and 21 points respectively.

 Combine Rose with All-American Chris Douglas-Roberts prolific, improbable shot making, Robert’s Dozier’s versatility and Joey Dorsey’s bruising glasswork and Memphis could Gangsta Walk their way to the school’s first national title.