EA SPORTS today named the University of Memphis Tigers, an NCAA Tournament Elite Eight finisher a year ago, the top rated team in NCAA March Madness 08. EA SPORTS named the Tigers No. 1 based on a computer-generated preseason poll from the NCAA March Madness 08 game engine that ranked the Tigers as the top team in NCAA Division I men’s basketball, followed by UCLA (2), Georgetown (3), North Carolina (4) and Kansas (5).

This year the development team at EA SPORTS worked with ESPN college basketball analyst Doug Gottlieb, research staff at ESPN and consulted college basketball coaches across the country to determine detailed ratings for every team in the game in order to create accurate ratings that deliver an authentic experience while playing NCAA March Madness 08.

“We worked more closely with Doug Gottlieb and ESPN this year to create ratings that we believe accurately reflect the college basketball landscape,” said NCAA March Madness 08 producer Sean O’Brien. “Combining our resources with the expertise of ESPN has helped us to deliver a more authentic experience while playing NCAA March Madness 08.”

The EA SPORTS Top 25 ignores current injuries to players and projects all players on all teams to be healthy and performing up to the expectations of the experts consulted when NCAA March Madness 08 ships to stores across the country December 11, 2007.

Fans will have the opportunity to download a demo of NCAA March Madness 08 for the PS3 at the PLAYSTATION Store and for the Xbox 360 from Xbox Live Marketplace November 19. This demo will feature No. 6 ranked Louisville against the No. 8 ranked Kentucky.

NCAA March Madness 08 has created a strategic new gameplay experience called Dynamic Post Play that enables you to take complete control over running your offense through the post, and defending your opponent in the paint. Experience the intensity of a strategic match-up on each possession, outwit your opponent by creating a favorable mismatch, and then make a move that scores the bucket to lift your team and your fans to victory. 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. Animations can be interrupted at any time to transition into a new move, enabling you to read and respond to the defense, just like real life. 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!

NCAA March Madness 08 finally makes dream match-ups a reality, enabling you to replay classic games in college basketball history. Featuring more than 70 classic teams, take the court as 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 national champion University of Florida Gators. In addition, the ultimate teams for dozens of Division I programs have been created enabling you to go head-to-head 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 popular ESPN college basketball broadcasters Dick Vitale and Brad Nessler providing the play by play commentary courtside. ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews makes her videogame debut in NCAA March Madness 08, joining the broadcast team to provide real-time injury updates, insight and strategic observations throughout the course of each game.

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.

NCAA March Madness 08 has added a plethora of rich new details that brings the college game to life, including new authentic arenas, new player models with form-fitting uniforms, breakaway basketball hoop rims, and the ability of players to slap the backboard on layups. The game also 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, force turnovers and harass opponents on the court, a deeper Dynasty Mode™ that lets you build your school into a national powerhouse, the Pre and Post season NIT and the McDonald’s High School All American game and an online feature set that includes customized leagues and ESPN on Demand.

NCAA March Madness 08, not yet rated by the ESRB, is in development at EA Canada in Burnaby, B.C., and will be available for the PS3, PS2 and the Xbox 360.