LSJ March Madness 2013

MARCH MADNESS
LOUISVILLE
(1) Midwest Region vs. winner of (16) NC A&T/Liberty Lexington, Ky.
Lansing State Journal LSJ.com March 18, 2013
GONZAGA
(1) West Region vs. (16) Southern Salt Lake City, Utah
KANSAS
(1) South Region vs. (16) Western Kentucky Kansas City, Mo.
INDIANA
(1) East Region vs. winner of (16) LIU Brooklyn/James Madison Dayton, Ohio
Tourney path is familiar, brutal

Early sites, matchups are kind, but Duke and Louisville loom
EAST LANSING With each potential matchup and venue, a memory stirs. Michigans States NCAA tournament road is awfully familiar. Simply awful, one could argue, too, but at least traveled and, as Adreian Payne put it, down the street, basically. Auburn Hills, then Indianapolis. GRAHAM On the docket: Valparaiso, then COUCH maybe Memphis, MSU Duke and Louiscolumnist ville. gcouch@lsj.com All of it is in Tom Izzos historical wheelhouse. The Spartans landed a place in the most difficult of regions Sunday night. But its their region. MSU is the No. 3 seed in the Midwest, beginning its trek at 12:15 p.m. Thursday against Valparaiso that little Indiana school the Spartans beat in the first round of their national championship run 13 years ago. MSUs next opponent could be sixth-seeded Memphis, which it nearly played in the same round last year. Then it gets real. Duke is the No. 2 seed in that half of the draw. Louisville the top seed in the region and for the entire tournament. The Spartans undoubtedly would be better off in the South or West, seeing Georgetown and INSIDE Kansas or Ohio State and Gonzaga. U-M to But they face South wouldnt be better Dakota served in Dallas or State. Louisville is Los Angeles. And the weight of geogtop overall raphy may win seed. here. Page 3K I love being at Nix coming The Palace. I love off huge Indy, Izzo said offensive Sunday night. game vs. He should. Hes OSU. won plenty and MSU memorably at both women places and, in projected as 2000, went through No. 8 seed. both stops en route Page 4K to a national championship. Location made a difference, Izzo will tell you. Especially being in Auburn Hills against Syracuse and Iowa State in the regionals that year. MSU might need it to again now. The opposition at The Palace isnt the issue. Izzo spoke Sunday about there being no gimmes. But there are favorable matchups. And Valpo is one of those a quality mid-major squad whose Kryptonite is big-time athleticism. As in, MSU. If the next round is Memphis, the Josh Pastner vs. Izzo coaching duel projects Izzo by knockout. Early and savagely. From there, however, as Izzo said, the Spartans could essentially see two No. 1 seeds. Neither is an impossible task. No opponent in this field is for this MSU club. But Louisville is a more sea-
By Chris Solari
csolari@lsj.com
arlis Nixs emotions remained in check. Then she saw Tom Izzo crying. His tears unleashed hers. Their shared bond, her son Derrick, paid tribute to the job each did in helping mold him into an adult. Coach Izzo, Nix told the Breslin Center crowd, is probably like the closest thing I got to a father. At that moment, with a surrogate son speaking off the top of his head and from his heart, all of Izzos teaching came into focus. Its exactly how Izzo has tried to build his Michigan State basketball program over the past 18 years. Theres a reason MSU ends its practices by huddling up and shouting, Family. Izzo
serves the role of foster parent for his players during their four or five years on campus. Conversely, they often return the love and loyalty as if they were his own children when they leave. And his guiding hand goes well beyond his program. To Izzo, MSU athletics are his large and public extended family. Hes a Hall of Fame coach and hes the face of our university, said MSU womens basketball coach Suzy Merchant. The fact that hes so down to earth and cares about every sport is pretty amazing.
Top priority
On what could have been MSUs biggest recruiting day since landing Earvin Magic Johnson, Izzo didnt wait in front of the TV all
See FAMILY, Page 5K
(Photos clockwise from top) MSU coach Tom Izzo hugs Darlis Nix during the senior day ceremony for her son, Derrick Nix (left). Spartan legend Earvin Magic Johnson remains close to Izzo and the MSU program. Mateen Cleaves late mother, Fran Cleaves, has a hug for former Spartan Thomas Kelley during the 1999 NCAA run. Izzo talks with Draymond Green during a game last season. Players congratulate Izzo after he decided to turn down an offer from the NBAs Cleveland Cavaliers in June 2010. LSJ/AP FILE
MSU VS. VALPARAISO
Third-seeded MSU starts close to home

By Joe Rexrode
Detroit Free Press
third time ever, Michigan State will play NCAA tournament games in its home state. For the second time ever, the Spartans will be seeded No. 3. And their path to the Final Four could look similar to MSUs 2000 national championship run a first game against Valparaiso, with stops at The Palace of Auburn Hills and Indianapolis.
EAST LANSING For the
That path also includes a pair of familiar NCAA tournament combatants. Louisville is the No. 1 seed in the Midwest region, Duke is No. 2 and MSU is No. 3. That means it could be MSU vs. Duke in the Sweet Sixteen on March 29 at Indys Lucas Oil Stadium for the right to advance to the Midwest regional final. And it could be MSU against No. 1 overall seed Louisville for the right to advance to the Final Four in Atlanta just as it was in 2009 in
the same building, when the No. 2 seed Spartans upset the Cardinals to reach Detroits Ford Field. Louisville got its revenge last year, of course, with the No. 4 seed Cardinals upsetting No. 1 seed MSU in the West regional semifinals in Phoenix. It is hard to look ahead to any of that, MSU coach Tom Izzo said after he and his team watched the selection show Sunday at Breslin Center. In
See MSU, Page 4K
THURSDAYS GAME
No. 3 seed Michigan State (25-8, 13-5 Big Ten) vs. No. 14 seed Valparaiso (26-7, 13-3 Horizon). When: 12:15 p.m. Where: The Palace of Auburn Hills TV: CBS Tickets: Some tickets remain for Thursdays first session and for three-session passes at ticketmaster.com.
MIDWEST REGION
See COUCH, Page 4K
www.lsj.com/NCAA2013
For video of Graham Couch and Joe Rexrode talking about MSU's tourney path and other NCAA coverage
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2K Monday, March 18, 2013 Lansing State Journal
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College basketball
First Four: Dayton, Tuesday
1- Louisville (29-5)
Lexington, Thursday
16- NC A&T (19-6)/Liberty (15-20) 8- Colorado State (25-8)

Lexington, Thursday
Lexington, Saturday
Division I mens tournament

Indianapolis, March 29 North Texas, March 29
Kansas (29-5)
-1
Kansas City, Friday Kansas City, Sunday
Western Kentucky (20-15) - 16 North Carolina (24-10) Villanova (20-13)
-8 -9 -5
Kansas City, Friday
9- Missouri (23-10) 5- Oklahoma State (24-8)

San Jose, Thursday
Virginia Commonwealth (26-8)
Auburn Hills, Thursday
12- Oregon (26-8) 4- Saint Louis (27-6)

San Jose, Thursday
San Jose, Saturday
Auburn Hills, Saturday
Akron (26-6) - 12 Michigan (26-7)
-4
13- New Mexico State (24-10)

First Four: Dayton, Tuesday
6- Memphis (30-4)
Indianapolis, March 31
Midwest
South
North Texas, March 31
South Dakota State (25-9) - 13 UCLA (25-9) Minnesota (20-12)

Austin, Sunday
-6
- 11
Austin, Friday
11- Middle Tennessee State (28-5) /St. Marys (27-6) 3- Michigan State (25-8)
Auburn Hills, Thursday Auburn Hills, Saturday
Florida (26-7)
-3
14- Valparaiso (26-7) 7- Creighton (27-7)

Philadelphia, Friday Indianapolis, March 29
Championship Atlanta April 8
Austin, Friday North Texas, March 29
Northwestern State (23-8) - 14 San Diego State (22-10)
-7
Philadelphia, Friday Philadelphia, Sunday
10- Cincinnati (22-11) 2- Duke (20-14)

Philadelphia, Friday
Philadelphia, Sunday
Oklahoma (20-11) - 10 Georgetown (25-6)
-2
Philadelphia, Friday
15- Albany (N.Y.) (24-10) 1- Gonzaga (31-2)

Salt Lake City, Thursday
Semifinal Atlanta April 6
Semifinal Atlanta April 6
Florida Gulf Coast (24-10) - 15

First Four: Dayton, Wednesday
Indiana (27-6)
-1
Dayton, Friday
16- Southern (23-9) 8- Pittsburgh (24-8)

Salt Lake City, Saturday
LIU Brooklyn (20-13)/James Madison (20-14) - 16

Dayton, Sunday
North Carolina State (24-10)
-8 -9 -5
Dayton, Friday
95-
Wichita State (26-8) Wisconsin (23-11)

Los Angeles, March 28 Washington, D. C., March 28
Temple (23-9) UNLV (25-9)
Kansas City, Friday
San Jose, Thursday San Jose, Saturday
12-Mississippi (26-8)
First Four: Dayton, Wednesday
4-
Kansas State (27-7)
Kansas City, Sunday
California (20-11) - 12 Syracuse (26-9)
-4
Kansas City, Friday
San Jose, Thursday
13-Boise State (21-10)/La Salle (21-9) 6Arizona (25-7)

Los Angeles, March 30
West
East
Montana (25-6) - 13 Butler (26-8)
Washington, D.C., March 30
-6
- 11
Lexington, Thursday
11- Belmont (26-6) 3New Mexico (29-5)

Salt Lake City, Saturday
Bucknell (28-5)
Lexington, Saturday
Marquette (23-8)
-3
Lexington, Thursday Los Angeles , March 28
14-Harvard (19-9) 7Notre Dame (25-9)

Dayton, Friday
Washington, D.C., March 28
Davidson (26-7) - 14 Illinois (22-12)
-7
Austin, Friday
10-Iowa State (22-11) 2Dayton, Sunday
TV: CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV

(check local listings)
Austin, Sunday
Colorado (21-11) - 10 Miami (Fla.) (27-6)
Ohio State (26-7)
-2
Dayton, Friday
Austin, Friday
15- Iona (20-13)
Pacific (22-12) - 15
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Lansing State Journal Monday, March 18, 2013 3K
Big Tens days of reckoning are here

CHICAGO From a United Center suite, as his guests sampled halftime fare, the commissioner of the Big Ten looked down upon a league living the best of basketball times this weekend, wondering MIKE what the LOPRESTI next three weeks will Gannett hold. mlopresti@ I fully gannett.com expect if we do well, that would be a capstone, Jim Delany said of the NCAA tournament to come, for a conference branded as the nations best. If we dont, the narrative will be, You overachieved during the regular season, youre
over-ranked and you really arent that good because you didnt advance teams to the Final Four and win the championship. Im prepared for the good, the bad and the middle. The story will write itself. And now, the story begins. Winter was wondrous and brutal in the Big Ten. It should have hardened its members for the most critical of moments. March, for instance. The Big Ten has four teams that were fixtures of the top 10 in the national polls this season Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State and another in Wisconsin who could join the group as a Final Four contender. Illinois and Minnesota also have been in and out of the polls and
have the talent and coaching to make a run. Michigan State coach Izzo brought up the timehonored adage that to be the best, you have to beat the best. The credo of the Big Ten, circa 2013. I think about that all the time, Izzo said. Some people are wondering, is it going to wear everybody down? It will wear the weak ones down. The strong ones are going to be able to sit in the locker room before a big game in the NCAA tournament and say, Weve played this team, this team, this team, this team. Youve been there before, youve done that. The players see it that way, too. They have competed in a league where, as Wisconsins Mike Bruesewitz said, If you dont become mentally tough, youre going to get
run over. And they believe that the ordeal will help them get where they want to go this month. That is one conviction they all shared in during their conference tournament. Said Ohio States Aaron Craft, whos Buckeyes beat Wisconsin in Sundays Big 10 championship: Hopefully, we havent beaten each other up too much. I love that, game in and game out, youve got to bring your best. Thats what you have to do to be successful in the tournament. But will that translate into a huge Big Ten wave washing over the bracket starting next weekend? It is surprisingly common for a conference to put two teams in the Final Four. Thats happened nine times in the past 14
years. But only the Big East has advanced three teams, nearly turning the 1985 Final Four into a conference tournament. To me its by far the best league in the country, said former NBA player Steve Kerr, now an analyst for CBS and Turner Sports. It wouldnt shock me to see two or three Big Ten teams in the Final Four. The difference this year is theres just a lot more talent. Its great coaching and great talent. To Delany, in his 24th season as the conferences commissioner, nothing is a given. Its been fun to watch, he said. It was maybe as good a January and February race as weve had during my time here. But the tournament is one and done. The
teams that typically win have three pros. I dont know if any of our teams have three pros. Ohio State coach Thad Matta called this regular season as brutal as Ive ever gone through. When we finished, I was exhausted after 18 games. But you walk out of here Sunday, you take a deep breath, and its a new season. Michigan coach John Beilein stood in his locker room after a game this weekend and listed all the Big Ten teams he thought were capable of making NCAA runs. He got up to six, then seven, then had an earnest look on his face. He was sure there was an eighth. Who am I missing here? Oh, OK. Us. Hard to keep track. But its been that kind of season.
NCAA TOURNAMENT
Louisville earns top overall No. 1 seed

Last years champion, Kentucky, not in the field
By Paul Newberry
Associated Press
NCAA TOURNAMENT
High-scoring Wolters to test Wolverines defense

Tourney game a guards showdown
By Noah Trister
Associated Press
Louisville is the top seed in the NCAA tournament after a topsy-turvy season in college basketball, capped by another round of upsets over the weekend. That other team from the Bluegrass State wont even get a chance to defend its national title. While the Big East champion Cardinals surged to the top of the 68-team bracket released Sunday, joined by fellow No. 1 seeds Kansas, Indiana and Gonzaga, the school that won it Rick Pitino all a year ago was left out of the field. Kentucky was hoping the committee would overlook a dismal performance in the Southeastern Conference tournament, but the Wildcats had to settle for a spot in the second-tier National Invitation Tournament. Youve got to earn it each and every year, said Mike Bobinski, the Xavier athletic director who chaired the selection committee. As if thats not bad enough for Kentucky fans, Louisville (29-5) gets to rub a little more salt in its rivals wounds by opening the tournament about 75 miles from campus on Kentuckys home court, Rupp Arena in Lexington. The Cardinals will face either Liberty or North Carolina State in a second-round game Thursday. Kentucky plays an NIT game Tuesday on the road because Rupp is taken for the NCAAs at Robert Morris. The selection committee had its work cut out after five teams swapped the top ranking in the Associated Press poll, capped by West Coast Conference champion Gonzaga (30-2) moving to the lead spot for the first time in school history. Bobinski said six teams were in the running for No. 1 seeds on the final weekend, the result of a season in which no school established itself as a clear-cut favorite. Of course, only four spots were available at the head of each bracket. The top one went to fourth-ranked Louisville, which stumbled through a three-game losing streak in January after rising to No. 1 in the poll, and came up short in an epic five-overtime loss at Notre Dame a few weeks later. The Cardinals have ripped off 10 straight wins since, capped by a stunning turnaround in the championship game of the Big East tournament. They trailed Syracuse by16 points in the second half, but put on the full-court pressure and won in a romp, 78-61. The Big East, in its final year before the basketball-only schools break away to form their own league, led the way with eight teams in the NCAA. We are ecstatic to be the No. 1 seed, particularly after finishing off one of the greatest conferences in the history of college basketball with a Big East championship, Louisville coach Rick Pitino said. Our players showed incredible grit to come back from 16 points down. We know we will be challenged right away in one of the toughest brackets that Ive seen in quite some time. I think our guys are up for the challenge.
ANN ARBOR Even Trey Burke hasnt scored 53 points in a game this season, so the Michigan star will be tested right away in the NCAA tournament when the Wolverines take on Nate Wolters and South Dakota State. Burke is the Big Ten player of the year. Wolters is one of the nations leading scorers. Two of the NCAA tournaments top point guards face each other Thursday when the fourth-seeded Wolverines play the 13th-seeded Jackrabbits in Auburn Hills. I know they have a really good point guard in Nate Wolters, but I dont know anything else really, Burke said Sunday. Well scout them tomorrow and obviously on Tuesday and Wednesday. Well look into them. We know that theyre a really good team. Any team thats playing in the NCAA tournament is good. Michigan (26-7) was once ranked No. 1 in the country, but the Wolverines took a few lumps during a tough Big Ten schedule. Michigan ended up with the same seed as last season, when the Wolverines were upset in their NCAA tournament opener by Ohio. Michigan will have one potential advantage this year. It will start the tournament in Auburn Hills, which is only about 50 miles from the schools Ann Arbor campus. Its a neutral site, but well definitely have a lot of fans there, Burke said. Its very close to home. Michigan is in the South Regional. Rival Michigan State is in the Midwest and the Spartans will open in Auburn Hills, too. South Dakota State (25-9) won the Summit League tour-
Big Ten player of the year Trey Burke (right) guides Michigan into the NCAA tournament on Thursday against South Dakota State in Auburn Hills. JOHN DIXON/AP
nament to earn the conferences automatic NCAA bid for the second straight year. The Jackrabbits won at New Mexico in December, and Wolters scored 53 points in a Feb. 7 win over IPFW. The 6foot-4 senior averages 22.7 points per game. Now Wolters and the Jackrabbits will try to contain Burke, who has emerged as one of the nations best players. Hes a good player. Ive watched them a couple times. Theyre really talented and
have good guards, Wolters said. I think they like to get up and down a little bit, so it should be faster pace. Michigan has gone 6-6 in its last 12 games after a 20-1 start. Of course, that was against a schedule that included a steady diet of Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan State down the stretch. I feel great about our team, I feel great about our season, Michigan coach John Beilein said. Weve got some things to shore up, obviously, but with the roster that
we put out there, this is a heck of a year. When the Wolverines have struggled, the main culprit has been their defense. When Michigan lost to Ohio a year ago, the Wolverines let the Bobcats shoot 51 percent from the field. D.J. Cooper scored 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Thats the type of output Wolters is eminently capable of, so the Wolverines are on notice: Theyll need to come up with a plan to contain the experienced him.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP
Hurricanes capture first ACC title

Associated Press
GREENSBORO, N.C. After helping North Carolina turn its season around, P.J. Hairston nearly carried the Tar Heels to an Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championship. Hairston scored 28 points with six 3-pointers in Sundays 87-77 loss to No. 9 Miami in the final. That capped a weekend of big performances in his hometown despite a cut on his non-shooting hand that required him to wear a padded bandage for the last two games. The 6-foot-5 sophomore scored 21 points with five 3pointers in Fridays quarterfinal win against Florida State, though he suffered the cut to the webbing between
Miami's Rion Brown reacts during the second half Sunday against North Carolina in the ACC title game. GERRY BROOME/AP
his left middle and ring fingers a wound that required eight stitches. He returned for Saturdays semifinal against Maryland and fin-
ished with 13 points. Hairston finished 9 for 17 from the field and 6 for 13 from 3-point range against the Hurricanes. He made the
all-tournament team. It was like a video game at first, senior Dexter Strickland said. He played amazing this whole week. MISSISSIPPI 66, NO. 13 FLORIDA 63: Murphy Holloway scored 23 points and Marshall Henderson had 21 as the Mississippi Rebels gave coach Andy Kennedy his first NCAA tournament berth by upsetting Florida for the Southeastern Conference tournament championship. NO. 16 SAINT LOUIS 62, NO. 25 VCU 56: Kwamain Mitchell scored 19 points, including a huge 3-pointer with the shot clock winding down, and tournament MVP Dwayne Evans added 16 to lead Saint Louis to its first Atlantic 10 tourney title.
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MSU MEN
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Ohio State takes the fifth, beats Wisconsin

Buckeyes Craft is named MVP
By Jay Cohen
Associated Press
MSU senior center Derrick Nix drives to the basket against against Ohio States Amir Williams during the Big Ten semifinals in Chicago on Saturday. ROD SANFORD/LSJ
As MSU career winds down, Nix finds urgency

Senior scored 17 but struggled on D
By Joe Rexrode
Detroit Free Press
snarled and showed the urgency of a senior at least on the offensive end of the floor. Lost in Michigan States 61-58 loss to Ohio State in Saturdays Big Ten Tournament semifinals was senior center Derrick Nixs best offensive game in more than a month. We didnt stop him, OSU coach Thad Matta said after Nix went 6-fot-8 from the floor and 5-for-7 from the line to score 17 points, tied for his secondbest output of the season. Nix had averaged just 7.3 points in his previous four games, but he finished inside against the Buckeyes and played with emotion from start to finish. Thats the Nix the Spartans will need as they look toward the NCAA Tournament. Im giving it all I got, I aint saving nothing, said
CHICAGO He scored,
Nix, the teams lone senior, who wants a second Final Four after experiencing one as a freshman. Its kind of scary, Nix said of the fact that this is his last run. Youve got to cherish the moment because we wont get it back. Defensively, Nix struggled at times against the pick and roll, an on-andoff issue this season. He took blame after the game for a flagrant foul on Ohio States Aaron Craft that helped the Buckeyes ice the game at the end. Nix yanked Craft down because he wasnt able to recover fast enough to cut off his driving lane. He has been strong against ball screens before, especially in a Feb. 12 rout of Michigan, and thats the Nix the Spartans need on the defensive end. Its a shame that Nix had such a productive game in some ways, MSU coach Tom Izzo said after Saturdays game, and yet not in others. also the sort of team that, from a matchup perspective, defeats some of MSUs usual advantages. The Spartans showed no emotion Sunday night when their draw was announced. Not even an initial flinch before realizing their exact road. I think were very focused right now, Payne explained. We see where were at and who weve got to play. Nothing has been easy for this group this year. Theres been little time or reason to celebrate. Theres none now, either. Unless youre the guy arranging the travel.
CHICAGO Deshaun Thomas and Ohio State were tired, worn down by a grueling Big Ten tournament. Traevon Jackson and Wisconsin had little left as well in the third game in three days for each team. Locked in a battle of wills, the Buckeyes found a way. Thomas scored 17 points and No. 10 Ohio State used its stout defense to beat No. 22 Wisconsin 50-43 on Sunday for its Big Ten-best fifth tournament title. We were challenging our guys every timeout, telling them Youve got one more gear. Youve got one more gear, Ohio State coach Thad Matta said. Fortunately for us, we made some big plays and then finally knocked a couple shots down. Thomas was 6 for 19 from the field, but made some big free throws down the stretch as Ohio State won the championship for the third time in the last four years. Aaron Craft, who was voted the most outstanding player of the tournament, had nine points and six rebounds, and LaQuinton Ross delivered a couple of huge plays. The Buckeyes (26-7) were rewarded with a No. 2 seed in the West Region for the NCAA tournament and a secondround game in Dayton, Ohio, against Iona. Wisconsin is in the same region, with the fifth-seeded Badgers to play Ole Miss in their first game in Kansas City, Mo. Playing in Dayton, you cant get anything better, Craft said.
Ohio State forward Deshaun Thomas holds up the Big Ten Championship trophy after Sundays victory over Wisconsin in Chicago. Ohio State won 50-43. NAM Y. HUH/AP
Buckeye Nation travels very well, especially when its an hour down the road. Jackson scored 10 points for the Badgers (23-11), who shot 38.3 percent from the field. None of his teammates reached double figures, with Sam Dekker next up at eight points. Its a disappointment, senior Ryan Evans said. We definitely wanted to leave here with some hardware, but mov-
ing forward, weve got the NCAA tournament. Its a bigger thing, and Im looking forward to that. Wisconsin and Ohio State were close for most of the second half, but the Buckeyes seized on a cold spell by the Badgers to move in front down the stretch. After Dekker scored on a reverse layup with 7:01 remaining, Wisconsin went scoreless for the next 4 minutes while
Ross stepped up for Ohio State. He had a strong offensive rebound and putback, then converted a layup to make it 47-41 with 2:39 to go. I thought Q was tremendous, Matta said. He did have a couple of timely field goals for us, a couple big rebounds. Thats what we need from LaQuinton at that spot. Sam Thompson added eight points for the Buckeyes.
WOMENS NCAA TOURNAMENT
MSU women projected to be No. 8 seed

By Brian Calloway
bcalloway@lsj.com
Couch
Continued from Page 1K
soned version of the crew that kicked the Spartans from the tournament a year ago in Phoenix, more so than it resembles the disheveled-but-talented Cardinals of 2009, which Izzo, Goran Suton and friends ran out of Indys Lucas Oil Stadium. And, before the Spartans get to the Cardinals, theres Duke. Imperfect, but with size and shooters. Different than Louisville, but
EAST LANSING Michigan State boosted its NCAA tournament resume with a pair of victories over ranked teams down the stretch. ESPN bracketologist Charlie Crme believes those wins over Penn State and Purdue might not make much of a difference in the Spartans seed for the Womens NCAA Tournament when pairings are announced at 7 tonight on ESPN. Crme has had MSU (24-8) pegged as a No. 8 seed in his bracket predictions the past few weeks, and said thats because of bracketing procedures such as the hostschool sites in the womens tournament. Its not anything that they did or didnt do, Crme said. Its just certain other schools cant be placed in certain spots because theyd be in conflict with a conference opponent theyd be playing too early in the tournament. You
couldnt put two host teams obviously in the same sub-region. You have to separate those so it kind of eliminates where you can put other people. It looks like theyre under seeded but there are reasons why it had to be that way. Suzy The rules accomMerchant modate for teams to be adjusted a seed line for those purposes and thats what Crme did with the Spartans in his projection. MSU coach Suzy Merchant has experienced being bumped up and down slots for the tournament throughout her coaching career. I hope with a 21RPI that theres no way we should be an eight or nine, but stranger things have happened, Merchant said. One thing about this group is that we are prepared and ready, and weve had so much adversity that wherever they send us, wherever they put us,
well be ready to fight and compete. MSU, which is slated to be in the NCAA tournament for the fifth straight season and the postseason for the 12th straight year, has strong wins over Penn State, Purdue, Texas Tech and Michigan. With their resume, Crme believes the Spartans could be a No. 6 seed at best. Six would I believe be the ceiling, but eight would definitely be the basement, Crme said. I cant see why they would be considered being any lower than an eight. Potential destinations for the Spartans in the opening rounds are Columbus, Ohio, Waco, Texas, Durham, N.C. and College Park, Md. Crmes projection Sunday had MSU playing in Columbus. I think were ready for anything that they give us, Merchant said. Obviously, selfishly, I hope that were not playing in somebodys home court just because thats tough.
MSU
coach speak, you never do any of that. But in human being speak, you do do that. Heres who youve got to play to get there and heres what youve got to do. I love Indy. If we get past the first weekend, I think that would be great. For starters, MSU (25-8) must beat No. 14 seed Valparaiso (26-7) at a time to be determined Thursday at The Palace. The Crusaders won the Horizon League championship. MSU and Valpo have met five times in their history, including a 6538 win for No. 1 seed MSU over No. 16 seed Valparaiso to start the 2000 NCAA Tournament. If the Spartans can avoid the upset, they will play Saturday at The Palace against No. 6 seed Memphis (30-4), No. 11 seed Saint Marys (27-6) or No. 11 seed Middle Tennessee State
(28-5). Memphis won Conference USA, and Saint Marys and MTSU are at-large teams that will play each other in a firstround game Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio for the right to play Memphis on Thursday. This is MSUs 16th straight NCAA Tournament appearance, the third-longest streak in the nation, trailing Kansas (24) and Duke (18). All 16 of those appearances have come under Izzo, for a program that now has 27 NCAA appearances overall. Izzo is looking for his seventh Final Four and second national title. He and his players, staffers and family members watched the selection show in the team lounge, and there was little reaction when MSU popped up on the screen. We were excited, MSU junior forward Adreian Payne insisted. You may not have seen it, but I was very excited. The Spartans returned home Saturday night after a disap-
pointing 61-58 loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. The Buckeyes beat Wisconsin on Sunday for the tournament crown as MSU picked through tape of its loss and came away unimpressed with its defensive communication. If we can improve in that area, junior guard Keith Appling said, well have a great run in the tournament. Izzo expressed further concern over the health of freshman guard Gary Harris left shoulder, which popped out again during the OSU loss. Harris, as usual, downplayed it Sunday and said he feels pretty good. The Spartans were placed in what may be the toughest of the four regions, but they got a break on travel. Izzo and MSU players like the chance to play near home and will be interested to see how fans react with rival Michigan also playing at The Palace.
MSU-VALPARAISO FACTS
MSUs NCAA history: 26 appearances, 54-25 record, eight Final Fours, two NCAA titles (1979 and 2000). Valparaisos NCAA history: Seven appearances, 2-7 record, Sweet Sixteen appearance in 1998 when current head coach Bryce Drew playing for father Homer Drew beat Mississippi in the first round with a famed buzzer beater. Past meetings: MSU is 4-1, including a 65-38 win as a No. 1 seed over No. 16 seed Valpo in the first round of the 2000 tournament. Valparaisos win was a 21-17 decision in 1922. The winner plays: No. 6 Memphis (30-4), No. 11 seed Saint Marys (27-6) or No. 11 seed Middle Tennessee State (28-5) on Saturday at The Palace. Saint Marys and MTSU will play Tuesday in Dayton in the first round for the right to play Memphis on Thursday.
For the most part you try pull for your league, Izzo said of the fans, but its kind of hard when your rivals there. When the Midwest bracket was unveiled, CBS analyst Seth Davis pointed to a possible MSU-Duke Sweet 16 game and called it a bad matchup for Duke. He picked the Spartans to win that game. MSU has NCAA history with Duke as well, losing to the Blue Devils in the 1999 Final Four
and beating them in the Sweet Sixteen in 2005. MSUs NCAA past in Indianapolis includes a regional final win over Notre Dame in 1979, the 2000 NCAA title game win over Florida and a 2010 Final Four loss to Butler. And the Spartans have a brief, unhappy history as a No. 3 seed. MSU was a No. 3 once before, in 1995, losing to No. 14 seed Weber State in the first round in Jud Heathcotes last game as head coach.
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Family
day for the college decision of Jabari Parker the Chicago star labeled by many to be the top recruit in the nation for the 2013 class. Instead, he drove to Flint that December morning to visit Mateen Cleaves father, Herb, who had just undergone a major surgery to have his leg amputated. Hes been here for me whenever I needed him, Izzo said of the elder Cleaves the day before Parkers announcement. Mateen Cleaves, who is a CBS Sports Network college basketball analyst, said he didnt even tell Izzo about his fathers surgery because he didnt want him to worry. As soon as he found out about my dad, he came down and hung out with him in the hospital, Mateen said. Thats just the family we have at Michigan State. You look at that he went to see my dad with all that big-time stuff going on. That afternoon Parker announced he would attend Duke. Life and recruiting moved onward. Izzos principles stayed intact. When youre deciding where youre going to spend the next four years, kids are going to feel like theyre wanted and comfortable, said Sexton High coach Carlton Valentine, who played at MSU and whose son, Denzel, is a Spartan freshman. You can go anywhere to play basketball and have someone yell at you and scream at you and coach you. But its different when you can go to an environment where people care about you. And thats what coach Izzo has created. A.W. Canada, who coached both Nix and Keith Appling at Detroits Pershing High, said Izzo doesnt need to bring up that family atmosphere in the recruiting process. Its visible as soon as players get around the program. I dont think anything was necessarily told, Canada said. I think its shown with the graduation rate and how all the guys come back. You see that still on a consistent basis. Its definitely important that you can go somewhere and
MSU coach Tom Izzo (center) poses for a photo with former players (from left) Andre Hutson, Mateen Cleaves, Jason Richardson, Tim Bograkos and David Thomas at the Night of Champions event last July. The players are all still close to the Spartan program. KEVIN W. FOWLER/FOR THE LSJ
youre going to have an extended family thats going to last the rest of your life. On the court is great, but off the court is even better.
Cleaves effect
Cleaves legacy began on the Breslin Center court and now floats in its rafters, but that of his late mother sits just outside the locker room. MSU dedicated the Frances Cleaves Family Center in the basement of Breslin in 2009. Its a place for players and their relatives to meet and greet each other. They celebrate after wins, console one another after losses and most importantly, they get to know one another. Every parent, when you came out, you hugged them. And everyone genuinely rooted for everyone else to have success, Mateen Cleaves said of his MSU days from 1996-2000. Thats what separated us from
FAMILY CENTER HONORS FRANCES CLEAVES

The room just outside Michigan States basketball locker room is every bit as unique as the woman its named after. The Frances Cleaves Family Center serves as a reception room for Spartans mens basketball team families and recruits. The lobby in the Breslin Centers arena level features a mural of photos of former players and their families on senior days over the years, a big-screen TV, padded benches and tables. Its a gathering place after the final horn sounds and players complete their postgame obligations. Most of all, there is a big mural celebrating the Cleaves family, with a central portrait of Mateens late mother, Frances. By many, she is considered the MSU programs matriarch to coach Tom Izzos father figure. Sophomore Branden Dawson said Spartans of today still watch video of Frances Cleaves and the other Flintstones parents, seeing how closely they interacted and learning the history of what they meant to fostering the current environment. He said he appreciates a place where his family and others can build the same bonds . When I was getting recruited and I went on all my visits, nobody else had anything like that, Dawson said of the family center. Frances Cleaves died in August 2007 after a swimming pool accident. Izzo then spent the next year and a half designing and configuring the space, and he and his wife, Lupe, funded the entire project. The center and murals were unveiled in March 2009, after MSU wrapped up a Big Ten championship with a win over Purdue. It has become exactly what Izzo had envisioned the embodiment of what Frances Cleaves brought to his program. That has nothing to do with the success I had at Michigan State, Mateen Cleaves said. That family center was the impact that my mom had while she was at Michigan State. And thats one thing I love about it and appreciate, that shell be remembered for that.
Chris Solari
a lot of programs. And to this day, its the same thing. Carlton Valentine, who played under Jud Heathcote, said that sort of kinship was there during his college days. He credits Izzo, as well as Cleaves and his former teammates and their parents, for moving that to another level. They really show love and family togetherness there, Darlis Nix said. We have other parents phone numbers and we keep in contact with each other. A real loving family. Few former Spartans are held in as high of regard as Cleaves. Izzo named his son, Steven Mateen, after the guard who helped him win MSUs national title in 2000. And Cleaves still returns to campus for practices and games, talking with current players and recruits on his own or whenever Izzo wants. He came and saw me and Steve Smith go into the (Michigan Sports) Hall of Fame when he had No. 1 Indiana to worry about coming in the next night, Cleaves said of Izzo. Its family first. Its blood in, blood out. Thats what makes it so special.
drawn the most attention. He was arrested in the spring and his coach then suspended him all summer and set down a long string of guidelines to regain his spot. Izzo sat him out part of one game for skipping class and tutoring sessions after his reinstatement, then got angry with Nix for comments he made before the Spartans loss to Indiana. Yet Izzo paid him high praise on senior day, saying he may have learned as much from Nix as Nix has learned from him. Its like a father-son relationship, Nix said. We had disagreements, we bump heads. But at the end of the day, its all out of love, and I know hes doing it for the best for me. Said his mom, Darlis: He took my boy and turned him into a man. Real tough love.
scheduled meeting with Merchant. Izzo hid the 6-foot-7 Williams and her parents in a conference room in the mens office. When Merchant arrived, Izzo and Williams greeted her with the news. It was a pretty cool moment, Merchant said. She obviously was a really big recruit for us.
Present meets past
Big man on campus
Real tough love
Like many family units, turbulent times arise occasionally. This is when Izzo brings exhibits tough love. Hes benched players for skipping class, left them at home for road trips, suspended them for running afoul of the law and kicked them off the team for repeat offenses. And those are just the items of public consumption in the past four years. Were brothers. We all fight, we have our ups and downs, sophomore Branden Dawson said. But were all still a family. In January at Penn State, Dawson and roommate Adreian Payne had a argument-turnedaltercation in a hotel lobby. News reports filtered out immediately and neither player started that game. Over the past year, Nix has
Over the years, Izzo has brought his patriarchal presence to MSUs other programs. And coaches and athletes in those sports often talk about how much theyve benefited from Izzos support. Take late last May for instance, when MSUs baseball team had earned its first NCAA Tournament berth since 1979. Izzo walked from his office to send the team off to California, standing at the bus door and giving each player and coach a handshake before they boarded. I think our guys really thought it was a neat experience to have him excited about their success, baseball coach Jake Boss said. You dont see that type of stuff a whole lot out of guys in his position. Merchant, whose office is across the hallway in the Berkowitz Basketball Complex, picks Izzos brain for a number of coaching-related ideas. When McDonalds All-American Madison Williams committed to MSUs womens program in May 2009, she called Izzo to help her surprise Merchant. He was in the middle of rehearsing for the Izzo on Broadway musical and set up a rare
Perhaps the encapsulation of all Izzo has built came last December, when MSU hosted a reunion basketball game at a packed Jenison Fieldhouse. All five starters from his only national title team got to play together one more time. A number of Heathcotes former players, including those from the 1979 championship squad, joined them. It was fun at times, it was serious at others. And Izzo took it all in as a spectator, wearing one of Juds old blazers while sitting alongside wife Lupe and beaming like a proud papa. I saw the Tom Izzo of today 30 years ago, Heathcote said. He identifies with the past players and rallies them together. And the kids that play for him, hes kind of like a dad away from home. I dont think anyone could do a better job than that. Past players are like uncles to todays players, dispensing advice of what to do, what not to do and what to expect once they move on in their basketball and personal lives. Its great seeing those guys coming back, giving us some advice and talking to us, because they care, Dawson said. Thats whats stood out to me the most. When I leave off for my journey, Im definitely gonna come back and talk to the younger guys. After the alumni game, as he does twice a year, Izzo held a party at his house for the former players, their wives and children. Food and drinks didnt mean nearly as much as the reminiscing and laughter. It was a true family reunion.
LJ-0100218883
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College basketball
NCAA Division I mens tournament - A look at the teams

Midwest region
1. Louisville
Nickname: Cardinals. Location: Louisville. Record: 29-5, 14-4. Bid: Big East champ. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Kentucky in Final Four. Coach: Rick Pitino, 42-16 in 17 appearances. Overview: The Cardinals were a preseason national title favorite and should be considered so now -- especially after battling from 16 down with 15.5 minutes to go in Saturday's conference championship game to beat Syracuse for back-to-back Big East crowns. Well positioned for a repeat Final Four appearance. Nickname: Blue Devils. Location: Durham, N.C. Record: 27-5, 14-4. Bid: Atlantic Coast atlarge. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Lehigh in second round. Coach: Mike Krzyzewski, 79-24 in 28 appearances. Overview: The Blue Devils built up their rsum in non-conference play, piling up wins against VCU, Louisville and Ohio State . The injury bug hit when forward Ryan Kelly (foot) missed 13 games in January/February. He returned giving Duke its confidence back and adding versatility to its offense . featuring a number of seasoned upperclassmen in the starting lineup, Missouri has not gotten past the second round of the tournament since their Elite Eight run in 2009.
West region
Nickname: Bulldogs. Location: Spokane, Wash. Record: 31-2, 16-0. Bid: West Coast champ. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Ohio State in third round. Coach: Mark Few, 14-13 in 13 appearances. Overview: Cinderella no more, an end to the season anywhere other than Atlanta would be a major disappointment. The talent is there to follow up the first No. 1 ranking with an initial Final Four appearance. C Kelly Olynyk is the difference-maker, but there's quality depth at all positions and size to match up with anyone.
10. Cincinnati
1. Gonzaga
2. Duke
Nickname: Bearcats. Location: Cincinnati. Record: 22-11, 9-9. Bid: Big East at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Ohio State in Sweet 16. Coach: Mick Cronin, 3-4 in four appearances. Overview: The Bearcats are ranked seventh nationally in blocked shots and 15th in rebound margin during the regular season. But they were one of the nation's worst free throw shooting teams (64.7%), and ranked among the nation's worst 50 teams in field goal percentage.
By Charlie Riedel, AP
Iowa States Tyrus McGee this team made up of junior college transfers and inexperienced upperclassmen overachieved after losing four starters.
11. Middle Tennessee
Nickname: Blue Raiders. Location: Murfreesboro. Record: 28-5, 19-1. Bid: Sun Belt at-large. Last appearance: 1989, lost to Virginia in second round. Coach: Kermit Davis, 0-2 in two appearances. Overview: The Blue Raiders' win total and respectable RPI carried enough weight to get them in, despite a semifinal loss in the Sun Belt tournament. There's experience as well as solid depth with eight players averaging double-digit minutes. MTSU rebounds well despite its relative lack of size.
Nickname: Buckeyes. Location: Columbus. Record: 26-7, 13-5. Bid: Big Ten champ. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Kansas in Final Four. Coach: Thad Matta, 20-10 in 10 appearances. Overview: Thad Matta has Ohio State in the NCAA tournament for the fifth straight year. The Buckeyes won their final eight games of the season en route to the Big Ten tournament championship. Deshaun Thomas led the Big Ten in scoring and Aaron Craft finished second in assists.
2. Ohio State
10. Iowa State
Nickname: Cyclones. Location: Ames. Record: 22-11, 11-7. Bid: Big 12 at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Kentucky in third round. Coach: Fred Hoiberg, 1-1 in one appearance. Overview: Iowa State is one of the highestscoring teams in college basketball, averaging 80.1 points in the regular season and a Division-I-best 10 three-pointers a game. Big 12 sixth man of the year Tyrus McGee (13.5 ppg, 47.0 3FG%) bolsters a starting lineup that has four double-figure scorer. Melvin Ejim led the Big 12 in rebounds in the regular season.
Nickname: Gaels. Location: Moraga, Calif. Nickname: Spartans. Location: East Lansing. Record: 27-6, 14-2. Bid: West Coast at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Purdue in Record: 25-8, 13-5. Bid: Big Ten at-large. second round. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Louisville in Coach: Randy Bennett, 2-4 in four appearSweet 16. ances. Coach: Tom Izzo, 37-14 in 15 appearances. Overview: After an anxious week on the Overview: The Spartans are in for the 16th bubble, the Gaels have back-to-back NCAA consecutive season under Izzo and have bids. G Matthew Dellavedova will be the key, made the Elite Eight four of the last five seasons. Gary Harris was Big Ten freshman of the as he has been through his career. But this squad might not be able to give him enough year despite battling shoulder and back inhelp against a physical perimeter defensive juries, and Izzo said Harris might have susteam, one reason they fell to Gonzaga three tained another shoulder injury Saturday. times. Nickname: Billikens. Location: St. Louis. Record: 27-6, 13-3. Bid: Atlantic 10 champ. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Michigan State in third round. Coach: Jim Crews, 1-4 in four appearances. Overview: Five players average at least nine points a game. The balance continues onto the bench, led by senior forward Cody Ellis (10.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg), the A-10 Sixth Man of the Year. After the passing of coach Rick Majerus in early December, the Billikens lost only three games the rest of the regular season. Nickname: Cowboys. Location: Stillwater. Record: 24-8, 13-5. Bid: Big 12 at-large. Last appearance: 2010, lost to Georgia Tech in first round. Coach: Travis Ford, 1-3 in three appearances. Overview: The Cowboys, along with Kansas, led the conference in turnover margin with +2.5. Big 12 Player of the Year Marcus Smart needs nine steals to break the conference season record of 102. Sixth-man Phil Forte adds 10.4 points and shotts 90.5% from the free throw line. Nickname: Tigers. Location: Memphis. Record: 30-4, 16-0. Bid: Conference USA champ. Last appearance: 2012, lost in first round to Saint Louis. Coach: Josh Pastner, 0-2 in two appearances. Overview: The Tigers were unbeaten in C-USA play for the fourth time in seven seasons. Joe Jackson tops the team in scoring and assists, and has vastly his improved his three-point shooting over last season. The Tigers also boast the league's sixth man of the year in junior Chris Crawford (9.3 ppg). Nickname: Bluejays. Location: Omaha. Record: 27-7, 13-5. Bid: Missouri Valley champ. Last appearance: 2012, lost to North Carolina in second round. Coach: Greg McDermott, 1-4 in four appearances. Overview: Bluejays held off Wichita State for the conference regular-season and tournament titles. Have been nationally ranked for much of the season. National player of the year candidate Doug McDermott, son of the head coach, is among the top scorers in the country for a team that shoots 51%. Nickname: Rams. Location: Fort Collins. Record: 25-8, 11-5. Bid: Mountain West at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Murray State in second round. Coach: Larry Eustachy, 3-4 in four appearances. Overview: The Rams are a rarity with five senior starters. The transition to first-year coach Eustachy went seamlessly. CSU's success comes from its physical style, and it leads the nation in rebound margin. The Rams also have four starters averaging double figures. They, however, lack scoring punch off the bench and a consistent outside threat. Nickname: Tigers. Location: Columbia. Record: 23-10, 11-7. Bid: Southeastern atlarge. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Norfolk State in second round. Coach: Frank Haith, 1-2 in two appearances. Overview: Missouri's Achilles heel has been playing away from Columbia, with all seven of their SEC losses on the road. Phil Pressey has had another impressive season, ranking among the nation's best in assists . Despite
3. Michigan State
11. St. Mary's
Nickname: Lobos. Location: Albuquerque. Record: 29-5, 13-3. Bid: Mountain West champ. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Louisville in third round. Coach: Steve Alford, 5-6 in six appearances. Overview: The Lobos lost some key pieces from last year but still repeated as conference regular-season and tournament champions. Kendall Williams emerged as the league's player of the year. New Mexico makes up for a lack of great shooting with an efficient offense and outstanding defense.
3. New Mexico
11. Belmont
Nickname: Bruins. Location: Nashville. Record: 26-6, 14-2.Bid: Ohio Valley champ. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Georgetown in first round. Coach: Rick Byrd, 0-5 in five appearances. Overview: Bruins were in last year as Atlantic Sun champs but didn't miss a beat in their first season in the Ohio Valley. Ian Clark, who shared OVC player-of-the-year honors, leads a tournament-tested and veteran group that has four starters scoring in double figures.
4. Saint Louis
12. Oregon
5. Oklahoma State
Nickname: Ducks. Location: Eugene. Record: 26-8, 12-6. Bid: Pac-12 champ. Last appearance: 2008, lost to Mississippi State in first round. Coach: Dana Altman, 2-8 in eight appearances. Overview: The Ducks lost three of their final five regular-season games but won the Pac-12 tournament for the first time since 2007. Point guard Dominic Artis missed all of February with a foot injury and has been eased into the rotation. No Oregon player ranks among the Pac-12's top 20 scorers, but six average more than nine points.
Nickname: Wildcats. Location: Manhattan. Record: 27-7, 14-4. Bid: Big 12 at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Syracuse in third round. Coach: Bruce Weber, 11-8 in eight appearances. Overview: Under first-year coach Weber, the Wildcats haven't missed a beat, winning their first conference regular-season title since 1977. F Jordan Henriquez and G Will Spradling, have been limited by injuries, but both were healthy enough to start the Big 12 final loss to Kansas. Kansas State had the Big 12's stingiest defense at 60.5 points a game.
4. Kansas State
12. Mississippi
Nickname: Rebels. Location: Oxford. Record: 26-8, 12-6. Bid: Southeastern champ. Last appearance: 2002, lost to UCLA in first round. Coach: Andy Kennedy, first appearance. Overview: . After struggling through a 2-5 stretch in the middle of conference play, Kennedy's squad responded nicely, winning seven of its final eight. Despite featuring one of the nation's top scoring offenses, shot selection will be key .
13. Boise State
13. New Mexico State
6. Memphis
Nickname: Aggies. Location: Las Cruces. Record: 24-10, 14-4. Bid: WAC champ. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Indiana in second round. Coach: Marvin Menzies, 0-2 in two appearances. Overview: The Aggies' repeat run through the WAC tournament was anything but smooth. NMSU made it through the weekend without senior starting F Tyrone Watson. He'd rejoined the team after a suspension stemming from an arrest, then sustained an ankle injury.
Nickname: Badgers. Location: Madison. Record: 23-11, 12-6. Bid: Big Ten at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Syracuse in Sweet 16. Coach: Bo Ryan, 16-11 in 11 appearances Overview: The Badgers are 12-for-12 in making the tournament under Ryan. Wisconsin once again leaned on its stingy defense, which finished No. 10 in the country. The Badgers were the only team to beat Indiana and Michigan twice.
5. Wisconsin
Nickname: Broncos. Location: Boise. Record: 21-10, 9-7. Bid: Mountain West at-large. Last appearance: 2008, lost to Louisville in first round. Coach: Leon Rice, first appearance. Overview: Rice, a former Gonzaga assistant in his third year with the program, has a young team that does most of its damage from outside, hitting almost 40% of its threepoint shots. Boise also makes 75% of its free throw attempts. One concern is a lack of size; just one member of its regular rotation is taller than 6-7.
14. Valparaiso
7. Creighton
Nickname: Crusaders. Location: Valparaiso, Ind. Record: 26-7, 13-3. Bid: Horizon champ. Last appearance: 2004, lost to Gonzaga in first round. Coach: Bryce Drew, first appearance. Overview: Drew, the school's career scoring and assists leader and author in 1998 of one of the more famous shots in NCAA tournament history, has a group of accomplished shooters who have set a school season record for wins. Aussie import Ryan Broekhoff tops the team in scoring and rebounding.
Nickname: Wildcats. Location: Tucson. Record: 25-7, 12-6. Bid: Pac-12 at-large. Last appearance: 2011, lost to Connecticut in Elite Eight. Coach: Sean Miller, 9-5 in five appearances. Overview: The Wildcats were 12-0 in nonconference play but finished in a three-way tie for second in the Pac-12. Arizona was 0-5 against tournament-bound UCLA, Oregon and California, including 0-3 against the Bruins. Xavier transfer Mark Lyons made a smooth transition , leading the Wildcats in points per game.
6. Arizona
13. La Salle
Nickname: Explorers. Location: Philadelphia. Record: 21-9, 11-5. Bid: Atlantic 10 at-large. Last appearance: 1992, lost to Seton Hall in first round. Coach: John Giannini, first appearance. Overview: The Explorers never managed to pull off a win streak of more than five games. If they want to make the most of their March experience, theyll have to ramp up their defensive effort. Gianninis team allowed their opponents to net 65.9 ppg on a leagueworst 45.4 FG%. The Explorers were among the leagues best in assists (14.9 apg).
14. Harvard
15. Albany
8. Colorado State
Nickname: Great Danes. Location: Albany, N.Y. Record: 24-10, 9-7. Bid: America East champ. Last appearance: 2007, lost to Virginia in first round. Coach: Will Brown, 0-2 in two appearances. Overview: The Great Danes set a school season record for wins away from home (11) by winning at Vermont to claim the conference bid. Guards Jacob Iati and Mike Black are the only double-figure scorers and account for three-fifths of all three-point attempts. Eight other players average 10 or more minutes a game.
Nickname: Fighting Irish. Location: South Bend, Ind. Record: 25-9, 11-7. Bid: Big East at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Xavier in second round. Coach: Mike Brey, 6-10 in 10 appearances. Overview: The Fighting Irish played one of the weaker non-league schedules, so they were not particularly challenged until Big East play. They ranked 12th nationally in offensive efficiency and rely less on the bench than most in the tournament. Notre Dame ranked second nationally in assists per game and fourth in fewest personal fouls per game.
7. Notre Dame
Nickname: Crimson. Location: Cambridge, Mass. Record: 19-9, 11-3.Bid: Ivy League champ. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Vanderbilt in second round. Coach: Tommy Amaker, 2-2 in two appearances. Overview: After missing the tournament for 56 years, the Crimson are in for the second year in a row. This time they did it without senior co-captains Brandyn Curry and Kyle Casey, who withdrew from school before the season for eligibility reasons. Freshman Siyani Chambers, playing nearly 38 minutes a game, has been a key figure.
16. North Carolina A&T
Nickname: Aggies. Location: Greensboro. Record:19-16, 8-8. Bid: MEAC champ. Last appearance: 1995, lost to Wake Forest in first round Coach: Cy Alexander, 0-5 in five appearances. Overview: The Aggies were just 15-16 at the close of the regular season, but they won four games in a row in the MEAC tournament, including a win vs. third seed Savannah State. The tournament was the first time the Aggies put together a stretch of more than two consecutive wins the entire season.
Nickname: Panthers. Location: Pittsburgh. Record: 24-8, 12-6. Bid: Big East at-large. Last appearance: 2011, lost to Butler in third round. Coach: Jamie Dixon, 11-8 in eight appearances. Overview: The Panthers rebound 40.5% of their missed shots, fourth-highest in the nation. Only 21.6% of their points are off three-pointers. C Steven Adams made the all-Big East rookie team; G Tray Woodall (11 double-figure scoring games in a row) made the league's third team. Pitt has flown under the radar all year.
8. Pittsburgh
15. Iona
Nickname: Gaels. Location: New Rochelle, N.Y. Record: 20-13, 11-7. Bid: Metro Atlantic champ. Last appearance: 2012, lost in opening round to BYU. Coach: Tim Cluess, 0-1 in one appearance. Overview: After losing six of their last seven heading into March, the Gaels caught fire, winning their next five en route to a second consecutive bid. Iona finished fourth in the regular season but was able to defeat regular season-champ Niagara in the league semis. Lamont Jones was named conference player of the year after leading the MAAC in scoring.
9. Missouri
16. Liberty
Nickname: Flames. Location: Lynchburg, Va. Record:15-20, 6-10. Bid: Big South champ. Last appearance: 2004, lost to Saint Joseph's in first round. Coach: Dale Layer, 0-1 in one appearance. Overview: Flames are just the second 20-loss team to make the tournament, joining Coppin State in 2008. Liberty opened 0-8 but closed with four wins in six days, taking down the top three in the Big South on its way . Solid team at the line, converting about 72%, and defending the three-point arc (30%).
Nickname: Shockers. Location: Wichita. Record: 26-8, 12-6. Bid: Missouri Valley at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Virginia Commonwealth in the second round. Coach: Gregg Marshall, 1-8 in eight appearances. Overview: The Shockers don't have momentum in their favor, having lost three of their last five two to Creighton. Marshall was coach of the year in the Valley because
9. Wichita State
16. Southern
Nickname: Jaguars. Location: Baton Rouge. Record: 23-9, 15-3. Bid: SWAC champ. Last appearance: 2006, lost to Duke in first round. Coach: Roman Banks, first appearance. Overview: In a rarity, the leading scorer for second-year coach Banks never starts. Malcolm Miller, a junior, averaged 16 points and shot 45.8% on threes in the regular season. The team's other double-figure scorer is G Derek Beltran leads in minutes played.
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College basketball
NCAA Division I mens tournament - A look at the teams

South region
Nickname: Jayhawks. Location: Lawrence. Record: 29-5, 14-4. Bid: Big 12 champ. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Kentucky in NCAA title game. Coach: Bill Self, 33-13 in 14 appearances. Overview: With a formidable lineup of four seniors - including Big 12 defensive player of the year Jeff Withey - and freshman standout Ben McLemore, the Jayhawks stayed in the coaches' poll top 10 for virtually the entire season. Kansas is 10-1 since a three-game skid, including a loss at lowly TCU.
East region
Nickname: Hoosiers. Location: Bloomington. Record: 27-6, 14-4. Bid: Big Ten at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Kentucky in Sweet 16. Coach: Tom Crean, 7-6 in six appearances. Overview: The Preseason No. 1 Hoosiers had two separate stretches atop the USA TODAY Coaches' Poll but dropped to as low as No. 8 during the season. Victor Oladipo joined Cody Zeller as a Player of the Year candidate and first-team All-Big Ten selection.
By Charlie Riedel, AP
1. Kansas
1. Indiana
success, they will need to step up on defense. The Owls have allowed opponents 67.7 ppg and they shoot only 43%, averages that rank toward the A-10 basement.
10. Colorado
Nickname: Hoyas. Location: Washington, D.C. Record: 25-6, 14-4. Bid: Big East at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to North Carolina State in third round. Coach: John Thompson III, 8-8 in eight appearances. Overview: Otto Porter, a strong national player of the year candidate, is one of the few who can single-handedly dominate offensively. He had 33 of the Hoyas' 57 points in a win at Syracuse. GU allowed 56.1 points a game in the regular season, 10th in the nation, and 37.7% shooting from the field, seventh-lowest.
2. Georgetown
Kansas Jeff Withey cats also rank 310th nationally in turnovers a game. Another issue is that these Wildcats are extremely erratic. Are they the team that beat several of the Big East's best? Or the ones who lost to Columbia and Seton Hall?
10. Oklahoma
Nickname: Gators. Location: Gainesville. Record: 26-7, 14-4. Bid: Southeastern atlarge. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Louisville in Elite Eight. Coach: Billy Donovan, 28-10 in 12 appearances. Overview: Florida features a suffocating defense, allowing a league-low 53.2 ppg in the regular season and leading the SEC in nearly every defensive category. Headed by an experienced backcourt trio of Mike Rosario, Scottie Wilbekin and Kenny Boynton, the Gators boasted the league's top assists-toturnover ratio (1.4).
3. Florida
Nickname: Sooners. Location: Norman. Record: 20-11, 11-7. Bid: Big 12 at-large. Last appearance: 2009, lost to North Carolina in Elite Eight. Coach: Lon Kruger, 14-13 in 13 appearances. Overview: The Sooners are in a bit of a slump, coming off a defeat at lowly TCU and a conference tournament loss to Iowa State. A recent switch at starting point guard to senior Sam Grooms has been an offensive boost. Freshman Buddy Hield is still easing back into form after missing a month with a broken foot.
Nickname: Hurricanes. Location: Coral Gables, Fla. Record: 27-6, 15-3. Bid: Atlantic Coast champ. Last appearance: 2008, lost to Texas in second round. Coach: Jim Larranaga, 5-5 in five appearances. Overview: No one expected Miami to be the best team in the ACC entering this season except maybe coach Jim Larranaga. But this veteran roster proved old dogs can learn new tricks. In Larranaga's second season, Miami players have bought into his coaching style and his emphasis on defense.
2. Miami
Nickname: Buffaloes. Location: Boulder. Record: 21-11, 10-8. Bid: Pac-12 at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Baylor in third round. Coach: Tad Boyle, 1-1 in one appearance. Overview: The Buffaloes are in the tournament for the second year in a row, which they had not done since 1963. Andre Roberson, Pac-12 defensive player of the year, missed the final two games of the regular season with a viral illness but returned in the conference tournament.
11. Bucknell
11. Minnesota
Nickname: Wolverines. Location: Ann Arbor. Record: 26-7, 12-6. Bid: Big Ten at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Ohio in second round. Coach: John Beilein, 8-7 in seven appearances. Overview: Michigan's 26 wins were the program's most since 1992-93, when the Wolverines reached the Final Four. Trey Burke beat out Indiana's Cody Zeller and Victor Oladipo to be named Big Ten Player of the Year.
4. Michigan
Nickname: Golden Gophers. Location: Minneapolis. Record: 20-12, 8-10. Bid: Big Ten at-large. Last appearance: 2010, lost to Duke in first round. Coach: Tubby Smith, 29-15 in 16 appearances. Overview: Minnesota won 15 of its first 16 games. Though the Golden Gophers went just 5-11 after that, they scored key upsets in the conference to boost their tournament profile. Forward Trevor Mbakwe, a rare sixthyear senior, helped them secure the Big Ten's best rebounding margin (+8.1 a game).
Nickname: Golden Eagles. Location: Milwaukee. Record: 23-8, 14-4. Bid: Big East at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Florida in Sweet 16. Coach: Buzz Williams, 5-4 in four appearances. Overview: Marquette won't beat you behind the three-point line, where it shoots just 29.9%. On the other hand, it is one of the nation's best shooting inside the line. Junior forward Davante Gardner (11.5) is the second-leading scorer and comes off the bench.
3. Marquette
Nickname: Bison. Location: Lewisburg, Pa. Record: 28-5, 12-2.Bid: Patriot League champ. Last appearance: 2011, lost to Connecticut in second round. Coach: Dave Paulsen, 0-1 in one appearance. Overview: The Bison set school and league records for wins. The seniors, headlined by Mike Muscala, marked themselves as the winningest bunch in school history. Muscala is the school's career scoring leader and the league's player of the year, defensive player of the year and scholar-athlete of the year.
12. California
12. Akron
Nickname: Rams. Location: Richmond. Record: 26-8, 12-4. Bid: Atlantic 10 at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Indiana in third round. Coach: Shaka Smart, 6-2 in two appearances. Overview: With a starting lineup featuring four guards and their patented "havoc" defense, Rams were tops in the A-10 in steals (11.9) and turnover margin (+8.0). Sophomore Briante Weber was A-10 defensive player of the year. The Rams ranked in the top 10 nationally in scoring offense (78.1 ppg) and led the league in assists (15.0).
5. Virginia Commonwealth
Nickname: Zips. Location: Akron, Ohio. Record: 26-6, 14-2. Bid: Mid-American champ. Last appearance: 2011, lost to Notre Dame in second round. Coach: Keith Dambrot, 0-2 in two appearances. Overview: The Zips entered March on a 19-game winning streak. But point guard Alex Abreu (10.3 ppg, 6.0 apg) was suspended after being arrested on drug-related charges. Akron lost twice before the conference tournament, but steadied itself with Carmelo Betancourt running things. 7-footer Zeke Marshall is the MAC's career leader in blocks and two-time MAC defensive player of the year.
Nickname: Orange. Location: Syracuse, N.Y. Record: 26-9, 11-7. Bid: Big East at-large Last appearance: 2012, lost to Ohio State in Elite Eight. Coach: Jim Boeheim, 48-28 in 29 appearances Overview: The Orange entered the Big East tourney having lost four of five but looked to be back on track by making the championship game. Instead, the Orange blew a 16-point, second-half lead and lost to Louisville. Will the team that is one of the nation's leaders in field goal percentage defense, steals and blocked shots show up in the NCAAs?
4. Syracuse
Nickname: Golden Bears. Location: Berkeley. Record: 20-11, 12-6. Bid: Pac-12 at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to South Florida in first round. Coach: Mike Montgomery, 17-15 in 15 appearances. Overview: Cal is in the tournament for the fourth time in Montgomery's five seasons. Allen Crabbe finished with the Pac-12's top scoring average, and Cal led the conference in field-goal percentage defense. The Golden Bears had a seven-game win streak snapped by rival Stanford to end the regular season .
13. Montana
13. South Dakota State
Nickname: Bruins. Location: Los Angeles. Record: 25-9, 13-5. Bid: Pac-12 at-large. Last appearance: 2011, lost to Florida in the third round. Coach: Ben Howland, 19-9 in nine appearances. Overview: A trio of freshman starters energized UCLA after it missed the tournament last season. After being ruled ineligible by the NCAA and missing the first three games, forward Shabazz Muhammad was named Pac-12 freshman of the year. Jordan Adams, the No. 2 scorer, is out with a broken foot.
6. UCLA
Nickname: Jackrabbits. Location: Brookings. Record: 25-9, 13-3. Bid: Summit League champ. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Baylor in second round. Coach: Scott Nagy, 0-1 in one appearance. Overview: Nate Wolters is one of the topbut-little-known talents in the nation. The league player of the year leads the team in scoring and assists. His ability to penetrate and find open teammates is key, helping set up looks for three-point marksmen such as G Chad White, G Brayden Carlson and F Jordan Dykstra.
Nickname: Runnin' Rebels. Location: Las Vegas. Record: 25-9, 10-6. Bid: Mountain West at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Colorado in second round. Coach: Dave Rice, 0-1 in one appearance. Overview: The Rebels return for their fourth consecutive appearance, but are seeking their first NCAA victory since 2008. While the team is full of tournament experience, its top player, freshman standout Anthony Bennett, will be getting his first taste of the postseason.
5. UNLV
Nickname: Grizzlies. Location: Missoula. Record: 25-6, 19-1. Bid: Big Sky champ. Last appearance: 2012, lost in second round to Wisconsin. Coach: Wayne Tinkle, 0-2 in two appearances. Overview: Even missing senior leader Will Cherry (foot injury) for extended periods didn't slow the Griz. He returned for the conference tournament. They also have been without top scorer Mathias Ward (foot surgery) for nearly a month. Kareem Jamar, the Big Sky MVP, helped keep things on course.
14. Davidson
14. Northwestern State
Nickname: Aztecs. Location: San Diego. Record: 22-10, 9-7. Bid: Mountain West at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to N.C. State in second round. Coach: Steve Fisher, 22-11 in 12 appearances. Overview: This is the fourth consecutive trip for the Aztecs, who had an up-and-down year after being the preseason pick to the win the league. Jamaal Franklin leads in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. The strength is defense, allowing slightly more than 60 points a game and less than 39% shooting from field.
7. San Diego State
Nickname: Demons. Location: Natchitoches, La. Record: 23-8, 15-3. Bid: Southland champ. Last appearance: 2006, lost to West Virginia in second round. Coach: Mike McConathy, 2-2 in two appearances. Overview: The Demons (81.0 ppg) have been atop the national scoring chart most of the season. They beat Stephen F. Austin, which was leading the nation in scoring defense, to land the bid. Northwestern State goes 10 deep with No. 2 scorer James Hulbin (12.5 avg.) and assists leader Jalan West (5.4 avg.) normally reserves.
Nickname: Bulldogs. Location: Indianapolis. Record: 26-8, 11-5. Bid: Atlantic 10 at-large. Last appearance: 2011, lost to Connecticut in national final. Coach: Brad Stevens, 11-4 in four appearances. Overview: All five starters average 9.8 ppg or better. The Bulldogs have proved themselves against non-conference talent such as UNC, Indiana and Gonzaga. And while that Indiana win seems like a long time ago, the program has shown with two national title game appearances it knows how to play in March.
6. Butler
Nickname: Wildcats. Location: Davidson, N.C. Record: 26-7, 17-1. Bid: Southern champ. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Louisville in second round. Coach: Bob McKillop, 3-6 in six appearances. Overview: The Wildcats enter on a 17-game winning streak. Very balanced with six different players leading the team in scoring in a game, paced by two-time conference playerof-the-year Jake Cohen. Nik Cochran is the nation's top free throw shooter on a team that hits about 80%.
15. Pacific
15. Florida Gulf Coast
Nickname: Tar Heels. Location: Chapel Hill. Record: 24-10, 12-6. Bid: Atlantic Coast at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Kansas in the Elite Eight. Coach: Roy Williams, 61-20 in 22 appearances. Overview: The Tar Heels struggled starting 0-2 in ACC play . But before the situation got too bubbly and nerve-wracking, Williams righted the ship and started using a smaller lineup, which worked almost instantly. The Heels are one of the hottest teams in the nation heading into the NCAA tournament.
8. North Carolina
Nickname: Eagles. Location: Fort Myers. Record: 24-10, 13-5. Bid: Atlantic Sun champ. Last appearance: First appearance. Coach: Andy Enfield, first appearance. Overview: Eagles spoiled Mercer's unbeaten home season in the A-Sun title game to get into the field in just their second year of eligibility after moving up from Division II. The Eagles ended the season on a 15-4 run, including a stretch of seven consecutive wins in conference play, paced by G Sherwood Brown, A-Sun player of the year.
Nickname: Fighting Illini. Location: Champaign. Record: 22-12 , 8-10. Bid: Big Ten at-large. Last appearance: 2011, lost to Kansas in third round. Coach: John Groce, 3-2 in two appearances. Overview: Illinois' 12-0 start died down after the Illini's rocky 2-7 beginning to Big Ten play. The quick-triggered Illini had the thirdmost 3-point attempts of any team in the country but finished 244 in three-point percentage.
7. Illinois
Nickname: Tigers. Location: Stockton, Calif. Record: 22-12, 13-5. Bid: Big West champ. Last appearance: 2006, lost to Boston College in first round. Coach: Bob Thomason, 2-4 in four appearances. Overview: Thomason is retiring after 25 seasons at his alma mater, and his team has given him a great sendoff, riding a sevengame winning streak to the Big West title. Lorenzo McCloud is the lone double-figure scorer and is among eight regulars who have connected on at least 20 three-pointers.
16. LIU Brooklyn
16. Western Kentucky
Nickname: Wildcats. Location: Villanova, Pa. Record: 20-13, 10-8. Bid: Big East at-large Last appearance: 2011, lost to George Mason in second round. Coach: Jay Wright, 12-9 in nine appearances. Overview: Villanova relies on points from the free-throw line more than any other team (more than 28% of its points). But the Wild-
9. Villanova
Nickname: Hilltoppers. Location: Bowling Green. Record: 20-15, 10-10. Bid: Sun Belt champ. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Kentucky in second round. Coach: Ray Harper, 1-1 in one appearance. Overview: The Hilltoppers, seeded a place higher at No. 6 this season in the Sun Belt tournament, found a way to repeat their improbable four-game run to the title. George Fant, who had a double-double in the title game, is the main cog. It would help if T.J. Price can get hot from the arc, and Brandon Harris (8.3 ppg) can provide a bench spark.
Nickname: Wolfpack. Location: Raleigh. Record: 24-10, 11-7. Bid: Atlantic Coast at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Kansas in Sweet 16. Coach: Mark Gottfried, 7-8 in eight appearances. Overview: The Wolfpack entered the season as ACC favorites, but struggled against marquee teams in nonconference and conference play. The talent is there, but the play has been inconsistent. Still, any team with Lorenzo Brown, C.J. Leslie and Richard Howell could be a dangerous one in the NCAA tournament.
8. North Carolina State
Nickname: Blackbirds. Location: Brooklyn, N.Y. Record: 20-13, 12-6. Bid: Northeast Conference champ. Last appearance: 2012, lost to Michigan State in second round. Coach: Jack Perri, first appearance. Overview: After a 5-10 start under first-year coach Perri, the Blackbirds lost only three games the rest of the season to claim their third consecutive conference title, an NEC first. The crown came despite losing last season's NEC player of the year, Julian Boyd, to a knee injury in December. This season, Jamal Olasewere won NEC player of the year.
16. James Madison
Nickname: Owls. Location: Philadelphia. Record: 23-9, 11-5. Bid: Atlantic 10 at-large. Last appearance: 2012, lost to South Florida in second round. Coach: Fran Dunphy, 2-14 in 14 appearances. Overview: The Owls won their final seven regular-season games, including an 84-76 victory over VCU. They are led by A-10 player of the year Khalif Wyatt. Despite their recent
9. Temple
Nickname: Dukes. Location: Harrisonburg, Va. Record: 20-14, 11-7. Bid: Colonial Athletic champ. Last appearance: 1994, lost to Florida in first round. Coach: Matt Brady, first appearance. Overview: In the regular season, the Dukes dropped six games by four points or fewer. A very experienced crew with four fifth-year seniors starting, including Devon Moore, who owns the school career record for assists. Not a lot of size on the interior but can surround the perimeter with big guards.
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LSJ March Madness 2013

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LSJ March Madness 2013

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MARCH MADNESS

Lansing State Journal LSJ.com March 18, 2013

Tourney path is familiar, brutal

MSU VS. VALPARAISO

Third-seeded MSU starts close to home

EAST LANSING For the

See COUCH, Page 4K

1.866.MOBILITY | ATT.COM/WIRELESS | VISIT A STORE

2K Monday, March 18, 2013 Lansing State Journal

16- NC A&T (19-6)/Liberty (15-20) 8- Colorado State (25-8)

Division I mens tournament

Kansas City, Friday Kansas City, Sunday

Western Kentucky (20-15) - 16 North Carolina (24-10) Villanova (20-13)

Kansas City, Friday

9- Missouri (23-10) 5- Oklahoma State (24-8)

Virginia Commonwealth (26-8)

Auburn Hills, Thursday

12- Oregon (26-8) 4- Saint Louis (27-6)

San Jose, Saturday

Auburn Hills, Saturday

Akron (26-6) - 12 Michigan (26-7)

Auburn Hills, Thursday

13- New Mexico State (24-10)

South Dakota State (25-9) - 13 UCLA (25-9) Minnesota (20-12)

14- Valparaiso (26-7) 7- Creighton (27-7)

Championship Atlanta April 8

Austin, Friday North Texas, March 29

Northwestern State (23-8) - 14 San Diego State (22-10)

Philadelphia, Friday Philadelphia, Sunday

10- Cincinnati (22-11) 2- Duke (20-14)

Oklahoma (20-11) - 10 Georgetown (25-6)

15- Albany (N.Y.) (24-10) 1- Gonzaga (31-2)

Semifinal Atlanta April 6

Semifinal Atlanta April 6

Florida Gulf Coast (24-10) - 15

16- Southern (23-9) 8- Pittsburgh (24-8)

Salt Lake City, Saturday

LIU Brooklyn (20-13)/James Madison (20-14) - 16

North Carolina State (24-10)

Wichita State (26-8) Wisconsin (23-11)

Temple (23-9) UNLV (25-9)

Kansas City, Friday

San Jose, Thursday San Jose, Saturday

Kansas State (27-7)

Kansas City, Sunday

California (20-11) - 12 Syracuse (26-9)

Kansas City, Friday

San Jose, Thursday

13-Boise State (21-10)/La Salle (21-9) 6Arizona (25-7)

Los Angeles, March 30

Montana (25-6) - 13 Butler (26-8)

Washington, D.C., March 30

11- Belmont (26-6) 3New Mexico (29-5)

Salt Lake City, Saturday

Lexington, Thursday Los Angeles , March 28

14-Harvard (19-9) 7Notre Dame (25-9)

Washington, D.C., March 28

Davidson (26-7) - 14 Illinois (22-12)

10-Iowa State (22-11) 2Dayton, Sunday

TV: CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV

Colorado (21-11) - 10 Miami (Fla.) (27-6)

Ohio State (26-7)

15- Iona (20-13)

632 American Rd., Lansing 877-356-1471