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The Non-BCS Top 25 is a weekly follow-up to the popular CHN Top 50 ranking. Using the power-conference teams ranked in the CHN Top 50 as a base, an in-depth look at the world of "mid-major" basketball is pieced together. The Non-BCS Top 25 will be released early Monday morning following the Top 50..

Two tickets to next weekend's Final Four were punched on Saturday, with both games living up to the thrilling form of Thursday night's contests. In the Southeast final Butler made a bit of history, becoming the first team to make consecutive trips to the Final Four when being seeded three or lower with a 74-71 overtime win over Florida. Shelvin Mack scored a game-high 27 points, Matt Howard added 14 and freshman Khyle Marshall scored 10 off the bench. Also, Butler's three-point defense was a factor in the win as they limited the Gators to 3-for-14 on the afternoon.

The first two tickets to the Final Four will be punched on Saturday, and one can make a good argument that three of the four teams slated to play were not supposed to have reached this point. But what's expected beforehand means nothing when compared to actual achievement, which is why Butler, Arizona and Connecticut all find themselves 40 minutes away from a trip to Houston. Two of the best players in the nation will be on display in the West final in Arizona's Derrick Williams and Connecticut's Kemba Walker.

Of the four games played on Thursday night the matchup between West top-seed Duke and five-seed Arizona was the game people thought could provide a double-digit margin. The defending national champions were a solid favorite going in and they played as such in the first half, taking a 44-38 lead into the locker room thanks to a 16-6 edge in points in the paint and 12-5 in points off turnovers. Kyle Singler and Kyrie Irving scored 14 points apiece to lead the Blue Devils, who were far more balanced than an Arizona team that featured a lot of Derrick Williams and little of much else.

The Southeast region moves on to New Orleans but without the top seed, with Pittsburgh falling to Butler in a wild finish last Saturday night. Seeds two through four are present, led by the SEC regular season champion Florida. The odds-on favorite to win the majority of the national Player of the Year awards, BYU guard Jimmer Fredette, will also be on display with a team that's played far better than many expected going into the tournament.

To say the least this subject of CHN writer Jon Teitel's "Big Dance" interview series had a good opening weekend. Butler forward Matt Howard scored the game-winning points in both of Butler's win, scoring on a offensive rebound in the second round win over Old Dominion and following that up with a free throw with 0.8 seconds remaining in their win over top-seed Pittsburgh. Howard's had quite the career in Indianapolis, and he and his teammates aren't done yet. Butler takes on Wisconsin in a Southeast Region semifinal on Thursday night.

The true fun that is the NCAA Tournament tips off on Thursday, beginning with Clemson taking on West Virginia in Tampa (no disrespect to the "First Four"). Sixteen games across the nation will captivate the country with thrilling finishes and routine blowouts being the order of the day. Below is the schedule breakdown by region by tip time, with one game from each quadrant being featured.

By the time Thursday's schedule is finished millions of brackets will be ruined, which should come as no surprise given the regular season.

(8) Butler vs. (9) Old Dominion

Southeast Region - Washington, D.C.

March 17 - 12:40 truTV

 

Washington, D.C. (March 17)
(1) Pittsburgh vs. (16) UNC Asheville/Arkansas-Little Rock

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