The 2012 NCAA Tournament got back into action on Thursday, with the first four games to decide the Elite Eight. Here is how those games played out.
The first game of the night was Wisconsin and Syracuse, and despite the Badgers best effort to slow the game down and limit the amount of possessions, the Orange were able to hold on for a 64-63 win. The Badgers had a shot to win the game in the end, but couldn't get a better shot than a contested three-pointer that went awry.
The second game was much more of a blowout than most my have expected. Michigan State was the higher seed, but Louisville was in control from the opening tip and cruised to a 57-44 win.
Next up was Ohio St. and Cincinnati. A very strong run to open the second half gave the Bearcats a brief lead, but the Buckeyes were just too much for them to handle. Ohio State wound up cruising to a 81-66 victory.
Finally, the No. 7 seed Florida Gators were able to upend the No. 3 seed Marquette Golden Eagles 68-58.
The final four games to decide the elite 8 will be played on Friday.
For up-to-the-minute scores on all NCAA Tournament games, please check out SI.com's complete scoreboard.
For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket, stay with SB Nation's Selection Sunday StoryStream, and stick around SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on who was snubbed, who got the best bracket, and who will make it all the way to New Orleans and the Final Four.
