STORRS, Conn. (AP) _ Connecticut is back in the NCAA tournament a year after failing to qualify for the postseason.

The Huskies (24-8) have been slotted as the fourth seed in the NCAA's West regional. They will play Friday against San Diego in Tampa, Fla.

UConn finished the year fourth in the Big East with a 13-5 conference record before losing to West Virginia 78-72 in the second round of the conference tournament last Thursday in New York.

In 2007, the Huskies were 17-14 and failed to qualify for either the NCAA or NIT tournament for the first time since 1987.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
^By EDDIE PELLS
AP National Writer

North Carolina, Memphis, Kansas and UCLA earned the top seeds in the NCAA tournament Sunday, and the top-ranked Tar Heels got the best deal of all: Their road to the Final Four won't veer more than two hours outside their campus in Chapel Hill.

The Tar Heels (32-2) are the top seed in the East, with their first- and second-round games scheduled for Raleigh and the next two rounds in Charlotte.

``It's an advantage if you play well,'' said Carolina coach Roy Williams, trying to lead the Tar Heels to their second title in four years. ``Just because the crowd's cheering for you, I've never had a crowd win a game. I know it sounds wacko.''

Like North Carolina, Kansas, UCLA and Memphis won their conference tournaments to seal their top spots _ Memphis in the South, Kansas in the Midwest and UCLA in the West.

The Final Four is set for April 5-7 in San Antonio.

March Madness officially begins Tuesday with an opening-round game between Coppin State and Mount St. Mary's, then with first-round games Thursday and Friday. The real festivities, however, are already under way, with the brackets out, the pencils sharpened and office pools getting in full swing.

In the East region, North Carolina will open against the winner of the Coppin State-Mount St. Mary's game, while No. 2 seed Tennessee will open against No. 15 American.

Other games in the region are: No. 7 Butler vs. No. 10 South Alabama; No. 3 Louisville vs. No. 14 Boise State; No. 6 Oklahoma vs. No. 11 St. Josephs; No. 8 Indiana vs. No. 9 Arkansas; No. 4 Washington State vs. No. 13 Winthrop; and No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 12 George Mason, which will try to repeat its surprising trip to the Final Four two years ago.

By defeating Texas in the Big 12 title game, Kansas earned its top seed, a short trip to Omaha, Neb., and a first-round game against Big Sky champion Portland State.

The marquee matchup in that region, however, will be between No. 6 Southern California and No. 11 Kansas State _ a meeting of top freshmen O.J. Mayo and Michael Beasley.

Other Midwest games pit No. 8 UNLV against No. 9 Kent State; No. 4 Vanderbilt against No. 12 Villanova, a bubble team; No. 2 Georgetown vs. 15 Maryland-Baltimore County; No. 7 Gonzaga vs. No. 10 Davidson; and No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 14 Cal State Fullerton.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)