NCAA Basketball Final 4 - Picks, Predictions

The Final Four refers to the remaining 4 teams that won their first four games in the single-elimination NCAA men's basketball tournament, advancing to the national semifinals of the tournament, which is the fifth round.

The term Final 4 has evolved to describe the entire experience surrounding the national semifinals and the championship game of the NCAA Tournament, as well as the site at which the three games are played. The two national semifinal games are played on a Saturday at the Final Four, while the national championship game is played on a Monday, typically the Monday after the first Sunday in April.

The NCAA selects the Final Four sites several years in advance of the games, and Final Four games have been played exclusively in large, domed stadiums (typically used for football) for several years. Future Final Four sites are:

2010, Indianapolis, Lucas Oil Stadium (April 3, 5) --2011, Houston, Reliant Stadium (April 2, 4) --2012, New Orleans, Louisiana Superdome (March 31, April 2) --2013, Atlanta, Georgia Dome (April 6, 8) --2014, Dallas, Cowboys Stadium (April 5, 7) --2015, Indianapolis, Lucas Oil Stadium (April 4, 6) --2016, Houston, Reliant Stadium (April 2, 4)

According to the NCAA, the term Final Four originated in 1975 with sportswriter Ed Chay of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The NCAA officially began using the term Final Four in 1978.