The term Final Four refers to the last four teams remaining the playoff tournament. These are the champions of the tournament's four regional brackets, and the only teams remaining on the tournament's final weekend. (The term has been applied retroactively to include the last four teams in tournaments from earlier years, when only two brackets existed.)

Some claim that the phrase Final Four was first used to describe the final games of Indiana's annual high school basketball tournament. But the NCAA, which has a trademark on the term, says Final Four was originated by a Cleveland Plain Dealer sportswriter, Ed Chay, in a 1975 article that appeared in the Official Collegiate Basketball Guide. The article stated that Marquette University “was one of the final four” in the 1974 tournament. The NCAA started capitalizing the term in 1978.

Currently, the men's tournament begins with 65 teams. The two teams deemed weakest by the NCAA Selection Committee play the first game (the "play-in game") in Dayton, Ohio, and the field is narrowed down to 64 teams. The women's tournament starts with 64 teams, with no play-in game. The tournament proceeds by means of single elimination play on consecutive weekends in March at preselected sites in the United States.

In the men's tournament, all sites are nominally neutral: teams are prohibited from playing tournament games on their home courts (though in some cases, a team may be fortunate enough to play in or near its home state or city). Under current NCAA rules, any court on which a team hosts more than three regular-season games is considered a "home court" (conference tournament games are not counted for this purpose). In the 2006 tournament, Villanova was able to play its first two games at the Wachovia Center in nearby Philadelphia, a venue where it had played three regular-season home games. A fourth home game at that facility would have disqualified them from playing there.

On the third weekend, traditionally a Saturday and Monday for the men's tournament and a Sunday and Tuesday for the women's tournament, the final four teams meet in semifinals on the first day and the championship on the second. For several years in the men's tournament, the teams eliminated in the semifinals met in a consolation game prior to the championship; this was discontinued in 1981.

When Avery Johnson was informed after Friday's 103-90 victory over the Miami Heat that the Dallas Mavericks have beaten all four conference finalists from a year ago, he cut the reporter off in the middle of the question.

"It doesn't mean anything," the Mavs' coach said. "Not yet."

Maybe not, but the Mavs are marching through the NBA like a hot knife through butter. After humbling the Heat, the Mavs (9-2) have carved out seven straight wins, and flew home in first place in the Southwest Division after the Chicago Bulls upset the San Antonio Spurs 106-99.

Josh Howard registered his fourth double-double of the season with 25 points and 11 rebounds, and the Mavs added the Heat to a list of wins over last season's conference finalists that also includes the Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns and Spurs.

"We just want to give ourselves a chance to win, hopefully against anybody that we play," Johnson said. "So if we don't beat the top teams, then that really means in some people's eyes that we're not good enough."

Howard scored seven consecutive points early in the fourth quarter to squash a Heat rally and turned a four-point lead into an 11-point cushion. He also helped hold All-Star guard Dwyane Wade to 7-of-19 shooting.

"It was difficult," said Howard, who has a sore groin and had his sore left thumb wrapped. "You've got to be ready for guys like that night in and night out, because he's a superstar and he's going to always get the ball in his hands."

Dirk Nowitzki aided Howard with 23 points and eight rebounds, and hit a pair of key 3-pointers after the Heat cut a 15-point deficit to two. In addition, Erick Dampier took advantage of Shaquille O'Neal's absence and worked Alonzo Mourning for a season-high 17 points.

Also, Marquis Daniels poured in 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Jason Terry contributed 10 points and became the first Mavs player this season with double-digit assists with 10.

"I knew it was a matter of time, but those guys knocked down shots," Terry said. "We got out in transition, which helps.

"Any time you can get out in transition you've got a chance for assists, because guys are running the lanes and finishing strong at the basket."

Former Mavs forward Antoine Walker had a difficult time finishing anything. Walker missed his first seven shots, was only 1-of-13 from the field and wound up with only two points.

The Mavs, who host Memphis tonight at 7:30, took the lead for good midway through the first quarter and kept the pressure on the Heat all night. Afterward, the players followed Johnson's lead and claimed that knocking off the NBA's version of the Final Four has very little significance.

"At this point it doesn't even matter," said Dampier, who added six rebounds and two blocks. "Our main focus every night is to just go out and focus on the task at hand, and that's to try and win.

"We know we're capable of playing good basketball against a lot of teams in the league. So it's going to be up to us to go out and be focused and prepared."

A Southeastern Conference - Big 12 showdown will take place Sunday, when four Top 15 teams face-off for the 15th Annual State Farm Women's Tip-Off Classic at the United Spirit Arena.

Jack North, executive vice president of financial services for State Farm, said the event showcases a possible Final Four preview every year for women's basketball, and this year is nothing short of that.

He said the event has been part of an overall women's support strategy the company started back in the early '90s. State Farm representatives said it will continue to be a sponsor for women's sports throughout the season, including the presentation of the State Farm Wade Trophy, which is given to the nation's top women's basketball player every year.

"From the front end to the back end of women's basketball, State Farm is a major presence," he said. "We're going to have four great teams and four terrific coaches this weekend and we're happy to be involved with this prestigious event."

Lubbock was chosen based on venues supportive of women's sports and the attention it draws. Texas Tech was third in the nation for the 2004-05 season in its average attendance for Lady Raider basketball. In 16 games, Tech had a total of 201,621 fans last year, according to Tech media relations, with an average of 12,601 at each game.

Coach Marsha Sharp said it means a great deal for Tech to host the event this year and there should be a tremendous atmosphere for the two games on Sunday.

"I think because it is the premiere event and the way women's basketball starts the season, it's so great for us to be involved in the perspective of hosting it," she said.

Sharp said it is a little different in preparing for the opening game than in recent years because Tech will be facing such a strong team like LSU.

The No. 3-ranked Tigers will take the court against the No. 13 Lady Raiders Sunday, as Tech will be trying to keep its home-opening record intact under Sharp. Tech has only lost one home opener since Sharp's first year in West Texas.

Summer teammates Erin Grant and LSU's Seimone Augustus will be reunited on the court at the USA when they face each other as competitors instead of friends. The two Wade Trophy finalists spent the summer playing on the U.S. Women's World University Team in Turkey, where they won a gold medal together.

Grant said she is excited to play against Augustus and learned a great deal from her this summer while they were competing together.

"It was really exciting to play with a talented group of athletes, like Seimone, under one roof," she said.

National champion No. 7 Baylor will begin its title defense against coach Andy Landers' No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs in the first of Sunday's double-header. Baylor coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson said she is excited about the matchup because of the lessons her team took from last year's classic.

"I think we will learn a lot about our team again this year," she said.

The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame will make the 2006 class announcement during the halftime of one of the two games. Several former players and coaches will be announced for this year's class, including Connecticut women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma.

Connecticut would join Tech as the two schools to have active men's and women's basketball coaches in their respective hall of fames.

College basketball's ultimate trip has eluded Oklahoma forward Kevin Bookout in his career with the Sooners.

"Since I've been here, we've won the Big 12 tournament, we've won a Big 12 championship," Bookout said. "We've gone to the Elite Eight and were so close when I was a freshman that I still have a bad taste in my mouth. I think about it every day. I want to go to the Final Four."

The Sooners are a consistent top-10 pick in every national preseason poll and are expected to battle Texas for the Big 12 championship. With the returning talent, it might be the best nucleus OU coach Kelvin Sampson has ever assembled.

"Going into this year, you can tell we're going to be good," said Sampson, who made one previous Final Four trip in 2002. "I like where our program is. But there are no guarantees — look at Texas last year losing (forward P.J.) Tucker and (center LaMarcus) Aldridge. How do you know it won't happen to us this year? But if this team stays healthy, we're going to be hard to play against."

Bookout, Big 12 preseason player of the year Taj Gray and versatile guard Terrell Everett give the Sooners as good a threesome as any other team in college basketball to build around.

Their March hopes will depend on the development of a consistent perimeter threat and staying away from injuries. With only 10 scholarship players on the roster, the Sooners won't be as deep as many teams in their own conference, much less most national championship contenders.

But even after starting guard Drew Lavender and key contributor Lawrence McKenzie transferred after last season, the Sooners figure to be much better.

OU posted a 25-8 record to claim a share of its first regular-season Big 12 title, punctuating the late run with a six-game winning streak capped by victories at UT and Texas Tech.

Nate Carter, the Big West's freshman of the year in 2003, will provide shooting and muscle inside after transferring from California-Riverside. Despite his 6-foot-6 size, Sampson foresees using him like former Sooners standout Eduardo Najera, as an inside and outside threat.

"He just shoots so well," Sampson said. "If you have a post guy who can shoot the three, that's a feather in your cap. Nate will swing back and forth."

Junior college transfer Chris Walker, who averaged 11.7 points and 7.7 assists per game last year at San Joaquin Delta College, will have the first crack at point guard. Sampson could also use Everett there, although he prefers to keep his top defender away from on-ball defensive coverages.

"Terrell will be mainly on the floor," Sampson said. "That's his position — on the court. It won't matter where he's playing. He'll still be out there getting after people."

Bookout is healthy after struggling most of last season with a nerve injury in his right elbow. And he can detect an attitude change among his teammates that shows they are as hungry for March success as he is.

"This is the most talent we've had since I've been here," Bookout said. "We're athletic, and a lot of teams won't be able to match up with us. I think this team has a high ceiling, and it's just a matter of us living up to that."

The Atlanta Hawks set everything up as if Jason Collier were there, carefully hanging his uniform in an empty locker and setting out a chair for him. They plan to do that at every game this year, home or away. But Collier’s absence was painfully obvious Monday when the Hawks lost an NBA pre-season game to the Charlotte Bobcats. The 28-year-old centre died suddenly early Saturday in his home. ‘‘We have his stuff hanging up and I have an armband and put him on my shoes,’’ Hawks forward Al Harrington said, pointing to the RIP JC 40 written on his sneakers, ‘‘but then you look up and he’s not there. So it’s weird and something we’re going to have to deal with. ‘‘No matter what, though, we’re going to do our best to keep him with us this entire year.’’ The Hawks are just beginning the difficult healing process that comes with the loss of a popular teammate. Collier left behind a wife, young daughter and a lifetime of memories for his teammates. ‘‘I don’t think you guys realize sometimes how connected we really are in that locker-room,’’ said Harrington, who has dedicated his season to Collier. ‘‘We are a family. We lost a brother. The only consolation we have is that he left us making sure no one can ever say a bad thing about him, because Jason was such a good person.’’ The seven-foot Collier was a part-time starting centre the last two seasons for Atlanta. He spent three years in Houston, and began his college career at Indiana before transferring to Georgia Tech. Forsyth County Coroner Lauren McDonald III said his office is pulling Collier’s medical records from the Rockets and Hawks and forwarding that information to the pathologist, but foul play is not suspected. Collier’s family has asked that results of his autopsy be kept private until after Wednesday’s funeral. Moments after shootaround ended Monday morning, several players gathered in a circle with the team chaplain, arms interlocked and heads bowed in a prayer for Collier.