Ashley Judd and the Hottest Fans of the Final Four Teams

The final four is set to tip off this weekend and Ashley Judd couldn't be more excited. 

The reason? She's an avid Kentucky Wildcats basketball fan, and after they upset Ohio State in the Elite Eight Wildcat fever is quickly spreading across the nation.

Shaka Smart (33) and Brad Stevens (34) are not as old as Jim Calhoun (68) combined, and that's just one of the more intriguing story lines as we draw closer to the action.

This promises to be one of the most unpredictable tournament finishes in recent memory with Cinderella squads Butler and VCU still dancing, and we'll take a look at some interesting facts from all four schools in the following order: VCU, Butler, UConn & Kentucky.

VCU Ties the Record

VCU and their 11th seed has tied the record for the lowest seeded team to ever reach a final four.

This is the school's first trip to the final four and their tenth overall appearance in the tournament. Most people think that it's a small university, but Virginia Commonwealth is actually comprised of approximately 32,000 students and there's nothing minute about that.

Shaka Smart Is for Real

Given their incredible run from play-in team to final four berth and the simultaneous rise of head coach Shaka Smart, it seems like only a matter of time before the basketball program sees marked improvement in the level of recruits.

Watch out for the Rams.

VCU Produces Ballers

Although nobody expected for this year's VCU team to make this type of impressive run, it's not like the basketball program sprung up overnight from nowhere.

They literally produce ballers: Eric Maynor (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Larry Sanders (Milwaukee Bucks) both came from Virginia's new basketball hub, and you can bet that there will be more future NBA studs to follow.

But the most distinguished alumnus from this school is undoubtedly Caressa Cameron, who took home the title of Miss America in 2010.

Butler Once Again in Similar Position

For the second straight season, Butler has managed to reach the final four and defy the odds stacked against them despite the loss of team-leader Gordon Hayward.

Despite Brad Stevens signing a massive extension after last year's near championship run, the Bulldogs will once again have to pull out all the stops if they hope to keep him on the sidelines into the future.

This is just the 11th appearance in the tourney all-time for the school, so the fact that Stevens has made back-to-back final four appearances is a major feat.

Butler Is Not Just a Basketball Powerhouse

While the title of this slide may be a bit of a hyperbole, it's hard to argue with Butler's prowess over the last couple of seasons in the tournament.

They also produce athletes in other sports as well, and Sarah Fisher (Indy Car) was cheering on the Bulldogs long before she was putting the pedal to the medal on the race track.

Butler Has a Great Support System

While the most gifted baller to come from their program is undoubtedly Gordon Hayward up to this point, there's little doubt that he'll certainly be surpassed by a future talent. And with the winning tradition in place, chances are better recruits will want to play here.

People Shouldn't Be Surprised by Kentucky's Run

Coach Cal's 2011 squad might not be as loaded with NBA talent as his 2010 one, but as long as he's got his point guard it doesn't seem to matter.

Brandon Knight was the most sought after recruit coming out of high school, so nobody should be surprised that he's leading the Wildcats squad to an exciting finish to the season.

Kentucky Is Seasoned for This

This is Kentucky's 51st tournament berth which is quite a contradiction from both VCU and Butler. Even more impressively, this is their 14th time in the Final Four.

Can Kentucky Contain Kemba?

That's the question on just about every fan's mind as the two teams prepare to do battle.

John Calipari said last week that other teams "want to be us", and although it was a bold statement to admit publicly, there's little doubt that he's right. The program is among the most storied in all of college basketball, and season after season they seem to enjoy prolific success.

They've produced NBA studs like Rajon Rondo and John Wall and it's increasingly likely that Brandon Knight will follow in their footsteps very soon.

Connecticut Keeps Riding Kemba

No player in recent memory has electrified the UCONN fan base as Kemba Walker has done this season.

With 29 trips to the tournament which includes four final appearances, there has been a lot of excitement in the hoops history of the school. But they've never had Kemba.

There's an Energy in the Building

The fans will be out in full force to support their pack of Huskies, and Walker absolutely thrives off of the momentum and energy that the crowd brings to the building.

Can UCONN Win It All?

If UCONN can advance past Kentucky and reach the championship game, Walker will firmly cement himself among the impressive basketball alumni that have come from the school.

Ray Allen, Caron Butler and Emeka Okafor are some of the more impressive names to have come through the university's ranks, and with Walker's NBA-ready skill set, he shouldn't have much problem ascertaining status in that circle.

But one look at Tanisha Brito tells you everything that you need to know about why she's one of the school's most polished products.

Looks Like a Winning Combination

If Jeremy Lamb and Kemba Walker can have as much chemistry as these young ladies, I'm thinking the Huskies might be well on their way to cutting down the nets.

Predictions

VCU Advances to Championship

Butler has been mighty impressive, but there's just no way that I can pick against VCU and the momentum that they've got going right now. Shaka Smart has his boys playing too well to lose at this critical juncture.

UCONN Beats Kentucky

As the previous slides alluded to, the Kemba train is riding hot into the station and Connecticut seems destined for a shot at the championship. There's something special between he and Coach Calhoun.

UCONN WINS IT ALL

Kemba Walker gains serious support as a top-tier pick in the NBA lottery as a result as there's just nobody on the VCU team that can hope to guard him effectively.