The Elite Eight refers to the final eight teams in the annual NCAA tournament, also known as March Madness, which determines the champion in college basketball. The final eight teams are the regional finalists in each of the tournament's four regions. The winner of the four Elite Eight games advances to the Final Four, as the national semifinals are known. The Elite Eight games are played on the second weekend of the three-weekend tournament, which is held every March and April in the United States. At the end of the Elite Eight contests, the winning team, having secured a coveted trip to the Final Four, typically cuts the nets down from the baskets as a souvenir.

The first NCAA tournament was held in 1939, and was open to only eight teams. Over the years the tournament periodically grew, and today it is open to 65, with 64 squads compiling the main body of the tournament. The basic format of today's tournament has been in place since 1985. The Elite Eight has been a regularly used term since the 1980s, when the phrase March Madness also began to gain currency. http://hoopstournament.net/StandardReports/By_Year.pdf

The team with the most Elite Eight appearances is Kentucky with 31, followed by UCLA with 24, North Carolina with 22, and Kansas with 19. http://hoopstournament.net/StandardReports/App_By_Round.pdf

The Elite Eight has witnessed some of college basketball's signature moments. Perhaps the most famous was Christian Laettner's game-winning shot against Kentucky in 1992. The shot followed a full-court pass from Grant Hill, and capped off a night of perfect shooting for Laettner. The game is often referred to as the greatest game in college hoops history. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/sioncampus/03/10/greatest_games0311/

The 2009 Elite Eight featured the following games. North Carolina defeated Oklahoma 72-60 in the South Region; Michigan State beat Louisville 64-52 in the Midwest Region; Connecticut topped Missouri 82-75 in the West Region; and Villanova slipped by Pittsburgh 78-76 in the East Region. http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/mayhem/brackets/viewable_men Some of the notable players were Tyler Hansbrough, Wayne Ellington, and Hasheem Thabeet.

• The 2008 Elite Eight consisted of these schools: North Carolina and Louisville in the East, UCLA and Xavier in the West, Kansas and Davidson in the Midwest, and Memphis and Texas in the South.

• The 2007 Elite Eight featured of these teams: Ohio State and Memphis in the East, UCLA and Kansas in the West, Georgetown and North Carolina in the Midwest, and Florida and Oregon in the South.

• The 2006 Elite Eight had the following schools: Louisiana State and Texas in the East, UCLA and Memphis in the West, George Mason and Connecticut in the Midwest, and Florida and Villanova in the South.

• The 2005 Elite Eight consisted of these programs: Illinois and Arizona in the East, Louisville and West Virginia in the West, North Carolina and Wisconsin in the Midwest, and Michigan State and Kentucky in the South.

• The 2004 Elite Eight featured the following teams: Oklahoma State and St. Joseph's in the East, Connecticut and Alabama in the West, Georgia Tech and Kansas in the Midwest, and Duke and Xavier in the South. http://hoopstournament.net/StandardReports/By_Year.pdf