Electronic Arts Inc. announced that EA SPORTS NCAA March Madness 08 has shipped to retailers in North America, delivering a college basketball experience that captures the emotion, intensity and atmosphere of a real college basketball game. This game features former University of Texas star Kevin Durant of the Seattle Sonics, the first college freshman to receive the Wooden Award and AT&T Naismith Player of the Year Award as the collegiate men’s basketball player of the year, within the game and on its cover. NCAA March Madness 08 creates new ways to play by challenging you to master the strategy and skills required to dominate down low, and replicates classic teams in college basketball history that make dream match-ups a reality.

NCAA March Madness 08 has created a strategic new gameplay experience called Dynamic Post Control that enables you to take complete control over running your offense through the post, and defending your opponent in the paint. For the first time, you have complete control over dozens of new offensive post moves, including finesse ones like an up-and-under, drop step, hook spin, jump hook, and pump fake, and the ability to combine moves together. Take command of the post on defense with strategic positioning to dominate down low -- guard your opponent man-to-man, front him to deny the entry pass or read the offense and go for the steal!

Finally, dream match-ups are a reality as NCAA March Madness 08 enables you to replay classic games in college basketball history. Featuring 74 classic teams, players can take the court and compete against teams that span decades like the 1972 UCLA Bruins against any of the great North Carolina Tar Heels teams of the 1980s, the Duke Blue Devils of the 1990s or the two-time defending NCAA national champion University of Florida Gators to determine the best team in the history of college basketball.

Experience the electricity of game night with the band playing fight songs, the student section leading the cheers and ESPN college basketball broadcasters Dick Vitale, Brad Nessler and Erin Andrews providing the commentary. NCAA March Madness 08 captures the intensity and atmosphere found in authentic college basketball arenas and your players will rise to the occasion or wilt under the pressure. The crowd atmosphere impacts the composure ratings of the players on the floor -- seniors and freshmen will handle the pressure differently – enabling you to fill up your Intensity Control Meter and change the momentum of the game.

The game features custom playbooks for each team through the Floor General Playcalling system, the EA SPORTS Lockdown Stick that enables your players to pressure the ball and force turnovers and a deeper Dynasty Mode that lets you build your school into a national powerhouse.

Developed at EA Canada in Burnaby, B.C., NCAA March Madness 08 will be available for the Xbox 360, the PLAYSTATION 3 and the PlayStation 2. The game is rated “E” for everyone by the ESRB.

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