71st NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament

*** 71st NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament ***
(Seeds and records in parenthesis - All Times Eastern)

From The Sports Network


OPENING ROUND - Tuesday, March 17th
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MIDWEST REGION
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University of Dayton Arena - Dayton, Ohio
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Morehead State 58, Alabama State (22-10) 43

FIRST ROUND - Thursday, March 19th
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EAST REGION
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Greensboro Coliseum - Greensboro, North Carolina
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Texas 76, (10) Minnesota (22-11) 62
Duke 86, (15) Binghamton (23-9) 62

Wachovia Center - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Villanova 80, (14) American University (24-8) 67
U-C-L-A 65, (11) Virginia Commonwealth (24-10) 64

SOUTH REGION
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Greensboro Coliseum - Greensboro, North Carolina
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L-S-U 75, (9) Butler (26-6) 71
North Carolina 101, (16) Radford (21-12) 58

Rose Garden - Portland, Oregon
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Gonzaga 77, (13) Akron (23-13) 64
Western Kentucky 76 (5) Illinois (24-10) 72

Sprint Center - Kansas City, Missouri
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Michigan 62, (7) Clemson (23-9) 59
Oklahoma 82, (15) Morgan State (23-12) 54

WEST REGION
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Rose Garden - Portland, Oregon
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Purdue 61, (12) Northern Iowa (23-11) 56
Washington 71, (13) Mississippi State (23-13) 58

Wachovia Center - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Texas A&M 79, (8) B-Y-U (25-8) 66
Connecticut 103, (16) Chattanooga (18-17) 47

Sprint Center - Kansas City, Missouri
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Memphis 81, (15) Cal State Northridge (17-14) 70
Maryland 84, (7) California (22-11) 71



Friday, March 20th
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EAST REGION
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University of Dayton Arena -- Dayton, Ohio
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Oklahoma State 77, (9) Tennessee (21-13) 75
Pittsburgh 72, (16) East Tennessee State (23-11) 62

Taco Bell Arena - Boise, Idaho
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Xavier 77, (13) Portland State (23-10) 59
Wisconsin 61, (5) Florida State (25-10) 59 (ot)

SOUTH REGION
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American Airlines Arena - Miami, Florida
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Syracuse 59, (14) Stephen F. Austin (24-8) 44
Arizona State 66, (11) Temple (22-12) 57

MIDWEST REGION
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American Airlines Arena - Miami, Florida
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Arizona 84, (5) Utah (24-10) 71
Cleveland State 84, (4) Wake Forest (24-7) 69

University of Dayton Arena - Dayton, Ohio
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Louisville 74, (16) Morehead State (20-16) 54
Siena 74, (8) Ohio State (22-11) 72 (2-ot)

HHH Metrodome - Minneapolis, Minnesota
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Kansas 84, (14) North Dakota State (26-7) 74
Dayton 68, (6) West Virginia (23-12) 60
U-S-C 72, (7) Boston College (22-12) 55
Michigan State 77, (15) Robert Morris (24-11) 62

WEST REGION
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Taco Bell Arena - Boise, Idaho
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Marquette 58, (11) Utah State (30-5) 57
Missouri 78, (14) Cornell (21-10) 59

Wolverines are done

What a boring tourney this year. All the #1,2, and 3 seeds make the sweet 16. 2 #4, a #5, and "Cinderella", #12 Arizona are all that is left.

This is the worst tourney I've ever seen. I don't care about anything left except Michigan State. Once they're gone I'm done with this tourney.

catbox_9 wrote:

What a boring tourney this year. All the #1,2, and 3 seeds make the sweet 16. 2 #4, a #5, and "Cinderella", #12 Arizona are all that is left.

This is the worst tourney I've ever seen. I don't care about anything left except Michigan State. Once they're gone I'm done with this tourney.

Go STATE!

They will earn it if they make the Final Four

March 26, 2009

Final	(5) CONNECTICUT	72	(17) Purdue	60	Preview | Lineup | Wrap | Box
Final	(4) PITTSBURGH	60	(20) Xavier	55	Preview | Lineup | Wrap | Box
Final	(9) Missouri	102	(3) MEMPHIS	91	Preview | Lineup | Wrap | Box
Final	(11) Villanova	77	(6) DUKE	54	Preview | Lineup | Wrap | Box

Friday, March 27, 2009
Midwest Regional: Michigan State 67, Kansas 62
Spartans prevail over Kansas in nail-biter
Eric Lacy / The Detroit News

INDIANAPOLIS -- Michigan State has plenty of work to do Friday night if it wants to stay alive in the NCAA Tournament.

The Spartans trailed Kansas 36-29 at halftime in the tournament's Midwest Regional semifinal at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Goran Suton led MSU with 13 first-half points, while the Jayhawks' Sherron Collins had 12.

Tom Izzo's squad missed 16 of its first 23 shots and had trouble taking care of the ball.

Kansas out-rebounded Michigan State in the first half and got a strong performance from 6-foot-11 center Cole Aldrich, who had 10 points by the break.

MSU entered the postseason leading the country in rebounding margin ( 10).

The winner plays Sunday against Louisville, the tournament's overall No. 1 seed. .

Rick Pitino's Cardinals destroyed Arizona 103-64 in Friday's first semifinal.

You can reach Eric Lacy at elacy@detnews.com.

catbox_9 wrote:

Spartans are through to the Final Four!!!!


Up Next: Connecticut.

That won't be easy. I predict a Huskies victory but the Spartans do have a chance. C'mon State - pull off three straight upsets

Midwest Regional
Round: 3

In-Depth >>> Final
12	Arizona Wildcats	64
1	Louisville Cardinals	103

In-Depth >>> Final
3	Kansas Jayhawks	62
2	Michigan State Spartans	67

REGIONAL FINALS - Saturday, March 28th
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WEST REGIONAL - University of Phoenix Stadium - Glendale, Arizona
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Connecticut 82, (3) Missouri (31-7) 75

EAST REGIONAL - TD Banknorth Garden - Boston, Massachusetts
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Villanova 78, (1) Pittsburgh (31-5) 76

Sunday, March 29th
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MIDWEST REGIONAL - Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, Indiana
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Michigan State 64 , (1) Louisville (31-6) 52

SOUTH REGIONAL - FedExForum - Memphis, Tennessee
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North Carolina 72 , (2) Oklahoma (30-5) 60

Local bars named for each Final Four team

By Sylvia Rector • Free Press Restaurant Writer • March 30, 2009

The NCAA has announced its Final Four Fan Gathering Restaurants — the venues fans and alumni of each school can use as their home-away-from-home restaurant and bar on Final Four weekend in Detroit.

The schools, regions and restaurants are:


•Michigan State, winner of the Midwest Regional, will be based at Cheli’s Chili Bar at 47 E. Adams (313-961-1700 and www.chelischilibar.com ).
•Villanova, winner of the East Regional, will use the new Bookies Bar & Grille at 2800 Cass, at Columbia. (313-962-0319 and www.bookiesdetroit.com)
•The University of North Carolina, winner of the South Regional, will use Detroit Beer Co. at 1529 Broadway, (313-962-1529 and www.detroitbeerco.com )
•The University of Connecticut, winner of the West Regional, will operate from Hockeytown Café at 2301 Woodward Avenue (313-965-9500 and www.hockeytowncafe.com ).

“The NCAA urges fans to make these establishments their headquarters to meet old friends, news friends and fellow alumni,” the organization said in making the selections.

'Michigan State poppin' their collars now'
Posted by Mike Trogan March 30, 2009 02:51AM

Apparently CBS announcer Gus Johnson thought that the Michigan State basketball team had transformed into the popular guy/villain from every 1980's teen movie during the second half of today's game.

Shortly after the buzzer sounded and the Spartans had secured a berth in the Final Four, ESPN analyst Digger Phelps was seen storming off the set.

He headed off to find a janitor closet to hide from facing the fact that a team he picked to lose in every round was now on their way to Detroit. Shouts of "they're still not a good team" and "I know what I am talking about, I've watched highlights" eventually deteriorated into incoherent ramblings containing something that sounded like "79" and "it should have been me."

Upon reaching the closet, Phelps found it already occupied by malnourished Memphis fans who had spent the last week in hiding rather than face the reality that their team was a fraud.

Reports from the Louisville locker room have senior forward Terrance Williams still staring into the crowd watching his second half block of Goran Suton's three point attempt. Teammates and coaches attempted to break him out of his trance like glare by reminding him that he had just failed to show up in the biggest game of his career but were unsuccessful.

In a related note attempts are being made to identify the individuals that constituted the 67 percent vote for Michigan in a Free Press poll back in December.

Quote :

Detroit Free Press, December 28: Last week's question: What is the best men's college basketball team in the state? (Results from more than 5,000 votes): 67.4% Michigan 24.6% Michigan State 7.2% Oakland 0.8%

Once identified those individuals will have their right to comment on college basketball revoked. Anything other than asking what time the game is on or what the score is will be strictly prohibited by said individuals.

Some of you will say win with class or take the high road, but sorry, that can be left to Coach Izzo and the players. Petty, shallow and vindictive is the way I roll. Firm subscriber to the theory that a major part of winning is the joy that comes from ramming down the naysayers' throats.

That is all for now. Make sure you check back tomorrow when I will have links to real news written by actual professionals.

Quote :

Shortly after the buzzer sounded and the Spartans had secured a berth in the Final Four, ESPN analyst Digger Phelps was seen storming off the set.

He headed off to find a janitor closet to hide from facing the fact that a team he picked to lose in every round was now on their way to Detroit. Shouts of "they're still not a good team" and "I know what I am talking about, I've watched highlights" eventually deteriorated into incoherent ramblings containing something that sounded like "79" and "it should have been me."

Digger Phelps sucks


GO STATE GO

Saturday, April 4, 2009
Final Four: Michigan State 82, Connecticut 73
Spartans stun Huskies, will play for national title
Eric Lacy and Tom Markowski / The Detroit News

Detroit-- Michiganians, the party isn't over yet.

Tom Izzo's Michigan State team embraced its underdog role and outmuscled top-seeded Connecticut, 82-73, on Saturday night before a Final Four-record -- and decidedly partial -- crowd of 72,456 fans at Ford Field.

"Detroit has been unbelievable to us and the best is yet to come. We'll see you Monday night," Spartans coach Tom Izzo yelled to the crowd in a postseason interview by CBS.

With key defensive stops, rebounds in traffic and balanced scoring, the Spartans began to pull away with less than four minutes left.

Kalin Lucas drilled a wide open 3-pointer and Raymar Morgan converted on a two-handed breakaway dunk two possessions later for an 11-point lead at the 3:20 mark.

Lucas led MSU with 21 points and five assists, Morgan had 18 and seven rebounds and Korie Lucas added 11 first-half points off the bench for the Spartans (31-6).

Freshman Draymond Green also was a spark with eight points, including a mid-range jumper with about five minutes left for a 62-54 advantage.

Down 11 with less than two minutes left, Connecticut cut its deficit to three after a two-handed Stanley Robinson putback slam.

Durrell Summers, however, became a hero in matter of seconds with a layup while fouled and free throw for a 77-71 lead and defensive rebound with about a minute left.

Lucas then buried one of two free throws before Morgan grabbed another rebound and drilled both of his free throws for a nine-point lead.

Hasheem Thabeet scored 17 to lead the Huskies (31-5), while Robinson and A.J. Price each scored 15. Robinson also had 13 rebounds.

Travis Walton said Thursday he thought this matchup with the Huskies would be "football without pads" and he was right. It was a spirited and aggressive affair.

Late in the first half, a minor scuffle broke out underneath the Huskies basket after Jeff Adrien drew a foul on Walton on a drive. While Walton was on the floor, 7-foot-3 center Hasheem Thabeet and MSU's Marquise Gray locked arms and jabbed at each other.

Morgan then jumped in the crowd before officials tried to break up the potential melee.

This tense moment appeared to set a tone Izzo loved.

"They executed very well," UConn coach Jim Calhoun said of the Spartans. It was Calhoun's first loss in the Final Four; he's now 4-1 with two national championships.

It was the second Big East giant the Spartans have knocked off in the last week. On Sunday, in the Midwest Regional championship game, MSU beat Louisville, another No. 1 seed.

Monday night's game will include a 30-year anniversary celebration of the 1979 championship game between MSU and Indiana State. Magic Johnson's Spartans beat Larry Bird's Sycamores that year in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Johnson and Bird are expected to present Monday's game ball in an on-court tribute.

MSU's other national championship came in 2000.

Man in the mask

Morgan's new mask definitely appeared to be making a difference against Connecticut.

A week after breaking his nose, Michigan State's junior forward exploded with a team-high 11 first half points.

Morgan was so active early on that he took three shots and recorded a steal less than four minutes into the game.

Morgan received a new, form-fitting protective mask because the first one he used -- in the Midwest Regional final against Louisville -- couldn't stay firmly on his face. He ditched that mask in the second half and finished the game scoreless in 10 minutes.

Morgan broke his nose in the first half of last week's victory over Kansas when he received an inadvertent elbow from teammate Delvon Roe underneath the basket.

Familiar face

Former Michigan men's basketball coach Bill Frieder got a nice hook-up from MSU coach Tom Izzo for Saturday's game.

Izzo gave Frieder a few tickets to sit in the stands for the semifinals.

"Bo said I'm not a 'Michigan Man' so I'm rooting for Michigan State," Frieder said about a half-hour before the start of the game.

Frieder, now a radio analyst for Westwood One, was making reference to the now famous line uttered by then-Michigan athletic director Bo Schembechler. In 1989, on the eve of the NCAA Tournament, Frieder, then the head coach at Michigan, accepted the same position at Arizona.

Schembechler said at the time that only a Michigan Man would coach Michigan and gave the job to Frieder assistant Steve Fisher.

Fisher and the Wolverines went on to win the 1989 national title.

Tense moment

A minor scuffle broke out with 1:55 left in the first half after Travis Walton was slapped with his second foul.

The exchange began after Huskies forward Jeff Adrien drew Walton's foul on a drive to the basket. UConn's 7-foot-3 center Thabeet and MSU's Marquise Gray both locked arms and jabbed at each other while Walton was on the floor.

Morgan also yelled at Thabeet while officials tried to break up the crowd.

Officials delayed the game briefly to watch a reply on a video monitor before play resumed. No technical fouls were called.

Walton banged up

Walton, a senior, went to the bench at 17:03 mark of the first half with what appeared to be a right leg injury. He appeared to get tangled up in the paint with Thabeet while Price attempted a successful 3-pointer.

The Big Ten defensive player of the year returned at the 12:06 mark and didn't appear to run or walk with a limp.

Connecticut comeback

The Spartans started the game with a 9-2 lead but trailed 19-16 midway through the first half. Thabeet capped a 7-2 scoring run with a layup while fouled by Idong Ibok. He mad the free throw.

UConn surged while MSU used an unexpected lineup of Ibok, Lucious, Green, Summers and Chris Allen.

Allen missed his first five shots.

School spirit

For the first time in Tournament history, the NCAA gave each Final Four represented school about 400 floor-seat tickets for students to purchase. Students began filling each section once Ford Field's doors opened at about 4 p.m.

Magic Johnson and MSU football coach Mark Dantonio attended Saturday's game and sat behind MSU's bench.

Bold greeting

About 16 minutes before tip-off, footage of Kalin Lucas was shown on Ford Field's video screens at each end of the venue.

Lucas, wearing a green away jersey, welcomed Spartans fans and confidently said, "We're going to get it done."

Slam dunks

* MSU players held an impromptu dunk contest about 40 minutes before tip-off. It included a 180-degree jam by Summers.

* Most of Ford Field was filled about 30 minutes before tip-off.

Angelique S. Chengelis contributed to this report.

State wins again!

I predict Carolina wins the championship in a landslide, but you never know.

Go Spartans!

catbox_9 wrote:

State wins again!

I predict Carolina wins the championship in a landslide, but you never know.

Go Spartans!

No Way


My Prediction


Spartans 74

North Carolina 70

Sorry gs, but I dont think State will win.
I really dont like NC, but Hansorough, Lawson, and Ellington? Thats insane, and they dont even need Hansborough, they've won with him as a non factor before.

One thing is for sure


My TV clicker gonna get a workout


Tigers on tonight


Red Wings



Basketball


Gonna check my batteries