GLENDALE, Ariz. -- One, two, three, Final Four.
The last curtain call for a season that began with Duke as the presumed favorite now ends with a South Carolina squad that entered the NCAA tournament 3-6 in its previous nine games before dismissing the Blue Devils and soaring here.
Gonzaga went from cute and cuddly mid-major team to: Oh my goodness! They're all 8-feet tall and dunking!
Oregon launched its first Final Four run in 78 years without the services of injured big man Chris Boucher. And North Carolina is back to avenge last season's buzzer-beating loss in the national title game.
Whether you're new to the game or watching your 30th Final Four, here's what you need to know, courtesy of our Final Four Viewer's Guide:
1. Best defensive team in Glendale (and America)? Gonzaga
Don't ever say coach Mark Few can't coach. He's not here because the Bulldogs have shot the lights out in the NCAA tournament. They've connected on a sloppy 43.2 percent of their field goal attempts over the past four games, a 7 percent drop from their season average.
They've rallied to this point because they're ranked first in adjusted defensive efficiency, and they've held their NCAA tournament opponents below 30 percent on their contested shots. The Bulldogs are arctic wolves on defense. That's why ESPN's BPI gives them a 55 percent chance to win it all this weekend.
2. Yes, that's money falling from Sindarius Thornwell's pockets
Don't be alarmed. That's what happens when you're a 6-foot-5, 210-pound guard leading your team to the Final Four, a first in school history, averaging 24.5 points in the NCAA tournament and playing your best basketball on both ends of the floor.
Thornwell is dazzling any NBA team interested in a durable scorer with the size and talent to guard three positions at the next level. He has helped himself on a financial level in the past three weeks by possibly securing a spot in the NBA draft. And if that league doesn't want him, European execs would love to have an American tourney star.
3. Jordan Bell's shot-blocking technique is Bill Russell-like right now
Although blocks were not an official stat in Russell's collegiate and pro careers, he swatted shots with a rare grace. He did so by tracking the ball, deflecting it at its highest point and avoiding contact with the shooter.
Oregon is in the Final Four in part because of Bell's defense. And Bell has developed a Russell-like, foul-proof shot-blocking technique. In the NCAA tournament, he has blocked 12 shots and committed only three fouls. Many shot-blockers are equally adept at finding a seat on the bench in the first half because of foul trouble. Not Bell, who is using old-school tactics to his advantage.
4. Frank Martin might be the coolest coach in Final Four history
Martin is one of two Hispanic-American coaches in the country (both he and Jim Larranaga have been to the Final Four), and he has trumpeted diversity throughout his entire career.
He's also a grinder, the product of a single mother who worked odd jobs as Martin pursued his dream. He has earned this.
Plus, his suits have reached Jay Wright/Rick Pitino levels. And his career includes a stint as a bouncer at Miami nightclubs in the 1980s.
If you can identify a coach with a more eclectic journey to the Final Four, we'd love to know.
5. Come for the basketball, stay for the history
We have two teams here for the first time (Gonzaga and South Carolina), Oregon is here for the first time since World War II, and North Carolina's Roy Williams is chasing a third national title (only John Wooden, Mike Krzyzewski and Adolph Rupp have more), which would match Jim Calhoun and Bob Knight and send Williams past UNC legend Dean Smith (two national titles). Whoever wins on Monday night will make history.
6. Yes, we'll help you with Przemek Karnowski's name
It's SHEM-ick CAR-now-SKI. You're welcome because you'll probably say his name throughout the weekend. The agile, 7-foot-1 Polish force is a critical element of Gonzaga's success.
7. Don't say, "Carolina"
We don't know what you're talking about. South Carolina or North Carolina? We're confused. So make sure you're specific this weekend.
8. No, you didn't have South Carolina in the Final Four
Unless you were an ambitious Gamecocks fan. And listing South Carolina as a Final Four team in one of your 26 brackets doesn't count. Just 0.6 percent of ESPN Tournament Challenge's 18,797,085 brackets had the Gamecocks coming out of the East Region.
That South Carolina bandwagon had to add an upper deck to fit all the new supporters who've tiptoed into the fold in recent weeks.
But you're not fooling us. The Gamecocks looked terrible entering the NCAA tournament. They lost to Alabama twice in a month. They've made just 33.3 percent of their 3-pointers this season (ranking 245th nationally).
This is a miracle. A fabulous miracle we should all celebrate.
Just make sure you call out the new, "loyal" South Carolina supporters who "called it" on Selection Sunday.
9. Tyler Dorsey is the hottest thing in the Phoenix area right now
The Oregon star has scored more than 20 points in each of his team's first four NCAA tournament games. But that's not the mark that justifies this claim.
This is: Dorsey has made 57.6 percent of his 3-point attempts since the start of the Pac-12 tournament. Whoa.
10. Momentous feats for each coach
By reaching this stage, Few, Williams, Martin and Oregon's Dana Altman have all achieved something significant.
At Gonzaga, Few's critics often cited his team's postseason struggles, although many exaggerate how many times he actually had a real chance to pursue a national title. Well, now he's in the Final Four, where his team is favored.
Martin left Kansas State and took the South Carolina job. Huh? Then, he talked that talk early about building something. Yeah, right. Yeah. ... He was right.
Altman has been one of the better coaches in the country in recent years without much to show for it until now.
And many wondered if last season would be Williams' final shot at a national title after losing Marcus Paige and Brice Johnson. But Williams is back.
Amazing how three weeks in March can affect a coach's legacy.