The Butler Bulldogs had made it back to the national championship for the second year in a row after losing their best player and eventual NBA star Gordon Hayward of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

After defeating the Wisconsin Badgers in the Sweet Sixteen 61–54, they took the Florida Gators into overtime, emerging victorious 74–71 to earn a spot in the Final Four.

[3] After failing to make the NCAA tournament the previous year, UConn got off to a hot start, winning their first 10 games of the 2010–11 season – including victories over #2 Michigan State and #8 Kentucky in the Maui Invitational – and climbing as high as #4 in the AP poll.

After coasting to an easy victory over Bucknell 81–52 in the first round, the Huskies defeated the Cincinnati Bearcats 69–58 to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

After fighting past a dangerous San Diego State team that had entered the game with a 34–2 record 74–67, UConn faced off against Arizona in the Elite Eight.