NCAA Bracket 2012: West Region Coverage And Updates

NCAA Tournament 2012, New Mexico Vs. Long Beach State: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The New Mexico Lobos will play the Long Beach State 49ers in their first game of the 2012 NCAA Tournament on Thursday afternoon.

BYU Vs. Iona Final Score: Cougars Pull Off Improbable 78-72 Comeback Win

The degree to which the Iona Gaels dominated the BYU Cougars early in their NCAA Tournament First Four game was staggering. They appeared to be on pace for well over 100 points and BYU did not appear to belong on the same floor as their opposition as Iona jumped out to a 24-point lead. With four minutes remaining in the first half, they had 55 points. They would finish the game with just 72. This screenshot sums things up nicely.

BYU scored the last nine points of the first half, then outscored Iona 38-17 in the second half in an improbable 78-72 comeback victory. Brandon Davies did a fantastic job down low with 18 points and 14 rebounds, while Noah Hartsock had a spectacular second half and finished with 23 points on 10-14 shooting.

The Cougars turned the ball over frequently in the first half while attempting to match Iona for pace and playing man-to-man defense. In the second half, BYU stopped turning the ball over, taking away Iona's opportunities to score in transition. They also switched to a zone in half-court defense, which Iona was unable to figure out.

Sean Armand scored 10 points in a fantastic first-half performance for Iona but did not score in the second half. After dishing out nine assists in the first half, Scott Machado had just one dime the rest of the way. The Gaels ended the game shooting just 44 percent from the floor and 6-25 from behind the arc, numbers that are almost unfathomable given how spectacularly they started the game.

BYU moves on to face the Marquette Golden Eagles on Thursday.

For more on Brigham Young, head over to BYU Cougars blog Vanquish The Foe. Stick around SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and more.

March Madness: Video Breakdown Of NCAA Tournament's West Region

NCAA Tournament 2012 Schedule: Game Times, TV Coverage For West Region

The West Region of the NCAA Tournament kicks off play on Tuesday, when the Iona Gaels face the BYU Cougars in a first round play-in game to get them into the final 64. The winner of that game will have to play the Marquette Golden Eagles in the second round of the tournament in an early game on Thursday. The West Region has its games split across Thursday and Friday for the second round, with games shown on all four networks that are broadcasting the tournament.

Tuesday, March 13 (All times ET)

No. 14 BYU vs. No. 14 Iona - 9 p.m., truTV

Thursday, March 15

No. 6 Murray State vs. No. 11 Colorado State - 12:15 p.m., CBS
No. 4 Louisville vs. No. 13 Davidson - 1:40 p.m., TBS
No. 3 Marquette vs. No. 14 BYU/Iona - 2:40 p.m., CBS
No. 5 New Mexico vs. No. 12 Long Beach State - 4:10 p.m. ET, TBS

Friday, March 16

No. 7 Florida vs. No. 10 Virginia - 2:10 p.m., TNT
No. 2 Missouri vs. No. 15 Norfolk State - 4:40 p.m., TNT
No. 8 Memphis vs. No. 9 Saint Louis - 6:50 p.m., TBS
No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 16 Long Island - 9:20 p.m., TBS

Join our 2012 NCAA Bracket pool to compete against the best and brightest from around the network.

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket, stay with SB Nation's Selection Sunday StoryStream, and stick around SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on who was snubbed, who got the best bracket, and who will make it all the way to New Orleans and the Final Four.

NCAA Bracket 2012: How Iona Basketball Got To March Madness

Iona scored tons of points, but fell to Fairfield in the MAAC tournament.

NCAA Bracket 2012: How Saint Louis Basketball Got To March Madness

The Saint Louis Billikens are in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 12 years. Here's how that happened.

NCAA Bracket 2012: How BYU Basketball Got To March Madness

The BYU Cougars are going dancing. Here's how they made that a reality.

NCAA Bracket 2012: How Norfolk State Got To March Madness

The Norfolk State Spartans are playing in their first ever NCAA Tournament after winning the MEAC tournament.

NCAA Bracket 2012: How Virginia Basketball Got To March Madness

Bennett Ball isn't everyone's cup of tea, but Mike Scott makes the Virginia Cavaliers dangerous.

NCAA Bracket 2012: How Murray State Basketball Got To March Madness

The Murray St. Racers have one blemish on their 2011-12 record. Just one: a 72-68 loss to the Tennessee St. Tigers on Feb. 9.

NCAA Bracket 2012: How New Mexico Basketball Got To March Madness

Drew Gordon leads the New Mexico Lobos, who won a share of the Mountain West regular season title.

NCAA Bracket 2012: How Missouri Basketball Got To March Madness

NCAA Bracket 2012: How Michigan State Basketball Got To March Madness

Michigan State enters the 2012 NCAA Tournament after sharing the Big Ten regular season title with Michigan and Ohio State.

NCAA Bracket 2012: How Memphis Basketball Got To March Madness

The Tigers entered the season with sky-high expectations, stumbled a bit but regained their footing.

NCAA Bracket 2012: How Marquette Basketball Got To March Madness

Jae Crowder and Darius Johnson-Odom are stars, but does Marquette have a complete enough team to make an NCAA tournament run?

NCAA Bracket 2012: How Long Beach State Basketball Got To March Madness

The 49ers played a brutal non-conference schedule but that only seemed to make them strong as they dominated the Big West.

NCAA Bracket 2012: How Louisville Basketball Got To March Madness

Louisville has the talent to make an NCAA tournament run, but they need to start closing out close games.

NCAA Bracket 2012: How LIU Brooklyn Basketball Got To March Madness

LIU Brooklyn had only two conference losses this season.

NCAA Bracket 2012: How Florida Basketball Got To March Madness

The Gators have the talent to make another deep run in the Tournament, but their inconsistent outside shooting may prove costly in March.

NCAA Bracket 2012: How Colorado State Basketball Got To March Madness

Colorado State returns to the NCAA Tournament after a nine-year absence.

NCAA Bracket 2012: How Davidson Basketball Got To March Madness

Following an appearance in the 2011 College Basketball Invitational, the 2012 Davidson Wildcats went 25-7 and won the Southern Conference Tournament to earn a spot in March Madness.

NCAA Bracket 2012: West Region Has Michigan State At No. 1

Michigan State earned the fourth No. 1 seed in the 2012 NCAA Tournament with a spectacular performance in the Big Ten Tournament. The Spartans got rewarded with a regional stocked with tournament champions.

No. 2 Missouri won the Big 12 Tournament, No. 4 Louisville ran through the Big East Tournament, No. 5 New Mexico took home the Mountain West title, and a slew of other tournament winners will join the Spartans in the West. The biggest surprise of Selection Sunday so far is in the West, too: Iona will play BYU in the First Four in Dayton for the right to earn a No. 14 seed and play No. 3 Marquette.

Here's the full West Region bracket for the 2012 NCAA Tournament:

No. 1 Michigan State
No. 16 Long Island

No. 8 Memphis
No. 9 Saint Louis

No. 5 New Mexico
No. 12 Long Beach State

No. 4 Louisville
No. 13 Davidson

No. 6 Murray State
No. 11 Colorado State

No. 3 Marquette
No. 14 BYU OR Iona

No. 7 Florida
No. 10 Virginia

No. 2 Missouri
No. 15 Norfolk State

Other NCAA Tournament Regions: East | Midwest | South

Who do you think will win this region? Let us know in the comments below.

For more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament bracket, stay with SB Nation's Selection Sunday StoryStream, and stick around SB Nation's NCAA Tournament hub for a complete printable NCAA Tournament bracket and tons of analysis on who was snubbed, who got the best bracket, and who will make it all the way to New Orleans and the Final Four.