Connecticut, Villanova Advance to the Final Four

The Big East will have at least half the Final Four.

Connecticut, the No. 1 seed in the West Regional, beat Missouri 82-75 on Saturday for the first team to qualify of the Big East's four that reached the regional finals.

The second berth was assured as soon as the East Regional semifinals were over on Thursday. Villanova earned the trip to Detroit with a 78-76 victory over top-seeded Pittsburgh in the final.

The Big East, which set records in this tournament with three No. 1 seeds, five teams in the round of 16 and the four in the regional finals, can match its own record with three in the Final Four if top-seeded Louisville can beat Michigan State in the Midwest Regional on Sunday.

Villanova beat Georgetown in the all-Big East 1985 championship game and St. John's also reached the Final Four that year, the only time one conference has had three teams in the national semifinals.