College Basketball Blog

Twenty six cities have had the pleasure of hosting the Final Four.  But what are the three best locations?  It might seem like a hard task to try to label the top 3.  But after a little research I think that you will see that it is relatively easy to come up with the best 3.

First let us take a look at the cities who have hosted the most amount of times.

Kansas City - 10
New York City - 7
Indianapolis - 6
Louisville - 6
New Orleans - 5

College basketball has officially started so lets look ahead the 2014 NCAA Tournament & Final Four schedule.

It may be a bit early but the heavy dose of college basketball this week has me already thinking of the tournament.  We practically got a preview of the Final Four on Tuesday when 4 of the top 5 teams in the country played on the same court on the same night in Chicago.  The United Center was hoppin' with 4-5 projected lottery picks being featured in an early season showcase.  Watching made me very excited for college basketball and the potential for madness this March and April.

The madness will officially begin the week of conference tournaments but it all comes down to who's in and who's out.  The nation will find out on March 16, 2014 when the selection show is complete.  After that, the real fun begins.

This current century is still relatively young but I think it is time to look back on the NCAA Tournament since the millennium changed over.  It was hard to narrow the list down to 10 so the Top 10 essentially becomes the most memorable for me.  A lot happens from year to year and sometimes it can be hard to remember a buzzer-beater or crazy comeback.  But then again, if it is hard to remember then perhaps it wasn't that great.

*I apologize in advance if I have done a disservice to an outstanding NCAA Tournament moment by leaving it off of this list.

The Tournament is my favorite postseason for any sport at any level.  It just does not get any better.  So many games.... So much on the line....  This is what sports fans live for.

Holy cow folks!  The First Four games last night provided the sports world with the best possible start to the NCAA tournament.  When they first added the play-in game, I found it somewhat meaningless and never cared to watch two teams battle for the right to lose in the NCAA tournament.  Even after the field was expanded to 68  teams in 2011 and thus a total of 4 play-in games.....  Still didn't care too much.  The talent level and potential for good games increased but I still assumed these were teams that were destined for a first round exit anyways.  Plus most brackets don't have you fill out the play-in games so interest level is naturally limited.

Fast forward to the conclusion of last year's tourney and one of those teams (VCU) made it to the Final Four.  And naturally my interest dramatically increased this year when thinking about the success of the Rams last year.  It could have just been a lucky run but when you win 5 games in the NCAA tournament it is clear that skill, preparation, and coaching played a much larger part than luck.  Although I think any coach will tell you that luck is warmly welcomed at any time.

Pundits can argue all day about how the NCAA chose the teams in this year's NCAA Tournament, but they nailed it when they chose the host city. Houston may be the perfect place to host a large event like the Final Four. It is, after all, the fourth largest city in the United States and has all the entertainment and dining opportunities a hoops traveler could ask for.

H-town has really stepped it up for this year's edition of what is arguably the best sporting event of the year. Some big names are already committed to play during the three-night concert series creatively dubbed "The Big Dance" in the city's Discovery Green area. Here's a schedule with a look at who's headlining on each particular day:

• Friday ,April 1 (4:00-10:30): Sublime with Rome (basically the 90's-band Sublime with new lead singer Rome Ramirez)
• Saturday, April 2 (6:00 to midnight): Kings of Leon
• Sunday, April 3 (2:00-10:30): Kenny Chesney(Pat Greene is also reportedly playing this day)

Besides the music, abundant food

Congratulations to Duke and Butler for an incredible finale to the 2010 Final Four. Next year the Final Four heads to Houston, Texas and the fantastic Reliant Stadium.

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Congratulations to Duke, West Virginia, Butler, and Michigan State on clinching their spots into the 2010 Final Four in Indianapolis.

Final Four Hotel Packages are available with lodging options in downtown Indianapolis, guaranteed tickets to the semi-finals and finals, admission to Bracket Town, and much more.

If you need hotel accommodations, Sports Traveler is offering Final Four Hotel Rooms in Indianapolis at various locations.  Hotel rooms are selling out quickly. Place your order soon!

Final Four Tickets are available at all areas of Lucas Oil Stadium.  All tickets are guaranteed and can be purchased securely online or by calling our office.

The College Basketball Final Four is heading back to Indianapolis for the first time since 2006. On April 5, all eyes will be on Lucas Oil Stadium as the champions of college basketball will be determined. This is your opportunity to see this great event live with fully assembled Final Four Packages. Sports Traveler is also offering hotel rooms in Indianapolis for the weekend of the Final Four.

Reserve your Final Four Packagetoday with Sports Traveler. All packages include hotel accommodations in Indianapolis, tickets to both Semi-Final Games and the Championship, Admission to Hoop City, on site staff to assist, all taxes, and more. Options are also available for an exclusive cocktail party with a Division 1 Head Coach.

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Sports Traveler is offering a low priced option for the 2009 Final Four.  This Final Four Package is a great budget option for any college student or true fan. Our package includes the following great amenities:

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Hampton Inn Detroit/Dearborn
The Hampton Inn® hotel in Detroit/Dearborn (at Greenfield Village) sits a mere half-mile from Ford World Headquarters and just a mile from Ford's masterwork of American history and ingenuity, Greenfield Village. If you have time to see just one attraction when you're staying at our hotel in Dearborn, this has to be it. The Village is full of historic homes and buildings, artifacts from the birth

For the fourth straight week, there is a new number 1 team in college basketball.  Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, Duke, and now.....UCONN.  The ACC and Big East are looking very strong, but don't forget about the Big 10.  Michigan State, Illinois, Minnesota, and Purdue are looking good.  Even Northwestern has a chance on making their first ever tournament bid.  GO WILDCATS!!

There is only one month away before the conference tournaments begin.  These tournaments are crucial to all teams, especically the ones who are on the bubble.  Sports Traveler is offering tickets and customized packages for all the major conferences including the ACC, Big 10, SEC, Big 12, Big East, and Pac 10.

The city of Detroit will be hosting their first ever Final Four.  The semi-final will be held on April 4 and the championship on April 6. Ford Field is a brand new facility in downtown Detroit that can't be missed.  With an estimated capacity of 78,000, this will be a great place to watch the