LIVE BLOG - MSU vs Virginia hoops 2015 NCAA Tourney

Live Blog MSU v Virginia - 2015 NCAA Tourney

 

Time for MSU to be an elite. Beat Duke!

GO BIG GREEN!  Step up and deliver the knockout blow to the Dukies, as 95% of the country is asking us to do!!!  

This is an opportunity for another "program" statement.  OK, Tom Izzo has built an elite program... but one need this Michigan State has NOT completed is a defeat of Duke repeatedly, and repeatedly in an arena to take a step to the Promised Land.  This is the opportunity.  Michigan State can permanently stamp itself as the elite of the elite. 

GO SPARTANS, BEAT THE DEVIL OUT OF THE DEVILS!  God, I hate Duke.

B1G Ten = Basketball; ES in the Ca$h?

Well, it's official.  The Big Ten is a basketball conference.  Adding the men's and women's tourney, the Big Ten is 16-3 in hoops in the NCAA tournament. The men are 10-3, and the women are 6-0. Thanks to Wisconsin men, the only squad that did not win a tourney game.

ES IN THE $$$$
Give the ES some love.   In the Peanut Barrell pool, he's sitting pretty in the money, at 5th out of 60 entries; the top six are in the money... ES has 11 of 16 teams still remaining, but to win the whole deal he will need to root for... GULP... Miami, Duke, and Michigan.  Looks like a nice payday, but the ES will certainly be rooting to lose his money, as the hatred for the three runs deep.  And, in the ES own pool, he is sitting in second place out of 18 entries, with the top two returning an investment.  In the third pool, the ES hasn't earned squat, but that is based on final digits of scores instead of wisdom and proclivity.

Spartans favored by 5.5 over Memphis

Line for Saturday is Michigan State by 5-1/2 over Memphis, and scUM by 3-1/2 over VCU. Gametime is 2:45 pm from Auburn Hills on CBS-TV.  I'd let u know about the freaking temperature, but while the game is played inside making it comfortable, its just gonna be winter-cold outside, as it has all March.  The groundhog must be quartered, and shot.  Promptly.

ES feels a key to the Memphis game will be the bodies, particularly the athleticism of Payne and Dawson with the bulk of Nix.  The interior needs to pitch a tent and dominate defensively, negating much of the Tigers' ability to block shots -- something St. Mary's didn't respect. 

As for predictions, all the Detroit News pundits predict MSU from 8-15 point victors; WTAE (Pittsburgh) predicts MSU 68-62; Memphis Commercial Appeal has a preview that notes the ability for Memphis guards to dominate the glass... Chicago Tribune notes MSU ability to dictate pace...

GO BIG GREEN MACHINE!  SPARTANS... WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSION????!!!!!

ES bracket for Midwest

ES filled out his bracket... and filled one out at the Peanut Barrell, as well!   The perfect Midwest bracket is before your eyes:

Region of Doom: Pick Izzo and #3 MSU in the Midwest

It's March Madness... and the ES has been AWOL for travel across the country the last few days. Sorry for the delayed response, Spartan fans. 

But, it was nice to see MSU get a #3 seed in the Midwest, in the "Region of Doom."  When you think about how close MSU was in its two losses to Indiana, its loss at Michigan, and its loss to Ohio State in the tourney... well, the Spartans really had NO bad losses and are good enough to make a deep run. We'll see if Gary Harris' potential shoulder issue hampers Michigan State, but the bracket is a good one... let's take care of business in the first stanza, and potentially oust Duke and Louisville to advance to the Final Four.  That would be a nice capstone to a great season in an outstanding conference.

Nice to see the Spartans end the regular season polls in the top 10, at #9 - they certainly earned it.  And, the ES is enjoying the amount of publicity Tom Izzo and the Spartans are receiving, with Izzo being the dean of B1G coaches and having a great team.  Particularly loving this quote: "I'm looking forward to playing anybody [else]," Izzo said. "I'd play the Lakers tomorrow instead of some of the teams I've played recently."

Previews: a Mid-Major preview of MSU vs Valpo here; the Chicago Tribune preview picks MSU as a 72-58 winner.  A quick preview from Bracketologyexpert.com is here.

Here is the ESPN preview of the Midwest region.  And, Jay Bilas picks MSU to beat Duke, and for Michigan to bow out early.  The ES hates Pitino, and everything about him.  He is a poor ambassador for college basketball.  Thank goodness Kentucky didn't make it - Calipari is just as bad, if not worse.  In this tourney, the ES will be rooting for MSU and rooting against Michigan and Louisville.

Can't wait for tipoff -- for once, MSU gets the early game, this Thursday at 12:15 pm against little ole Valparaiso University... with the game right here in the state of Michigan.  The Palace will be crazy this weekend with Spartan Green and White.

ES has MSU picked in his bracket to the Final Four, and put down $20 in Vegas for the Spartans to win the whole damn thing.  NEVER PICK AGAINST IZZO IN THE TOURNAMENT.  Never.  And, is the Big Ten for real?  We should find out.  It was certainly interesting watching college hoops all year, and certainly Michigan  State, Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Indiana pass the eyeball test - they've looked GREAT all year long, even as they beat each other up. 

Here's the bracket. 

Spartans in the NCAA baseball tourney? ???

For the first time since Kirk Gibson roamed the Spartan Stadium sidelines and the dugouts at Kobs Field, the Michigan State Spartans have advanced to the NCAA championship baseball tourney!

The first game in the Stanford Regional is tomorrow, Friday, June 1, at 4 pm ET (1 pm PDT), where #3 seed MSU (37-21) will play #2 seed Pepperdine Waves (34-21) at Stanford Stadium. Will ES roving reporter Chock, or the ES' pal Smig, make it from their homestead around San Francisco down to Silicon Valley to make the game? Although baseball is boring to watch, it would be great if in the area to go down the road to catch the Spartans making the rare appearance (more rare than a football Rose Bowl appearance) in the NCAA tourney.

According to MSUSpartans.com, on Saturday and Sunday, game times are also scheduled for 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., and if necessary, Monday at 6 p.m. All of the games will be broadcast on ESPN3.com, while audio of Michigan State's games will be available on SpartanSportsNetwork.com and the Spartan Sports Network mobile app. The ES will tune into ESPN3 at home, fer sure... Stanford is the No. 1 seed in the regional with a 38-16 record and will play No. 4 Fresno State (30-26) at 9 p.m. EDT (6 p.m. PDT). Throughout its 128-year program history, Michigan State has never played either school.  The only other Big Ten team to make the Field is Purdue, which is No. 1 in the Gary Regional.  Check out the Bracket here.

Interesting note on Spartan baseball -- "Former Spartan Kirk Gibson launched the longest ball ever hit out of Kobs Field in 1978 when he smacked a 550-foot blast that cleared the trees in right-center and landed on Adams Field".

10 warm thoughts about MSU beating Ohio State and earning a #1 seed in the tourney

Top 10 list of Michigan State's dominating victory over Ohio State to claim the B1G Ten title OUTRIGHT. This is in order, from the 10th best to the ultimate best:

10. Watching OSU's Sullinger sulk, after once again stymied to his best effort against MSU, just a 7-19 shooting (37%) and 9 rebounds stint. Thanks to the Spartan BIG trio of Green-Payne-Nix
9. Beating the Buckeyes two of the last three, both away from the Breslin Center.
8. Eddie Hightower wasn't on the court.
7. Tom Izzo's technical foul at the end of the first half, sending a signal for defensive intensity.
6. Draymond Green three-pointer with 1:36 remaining to DEFINE HIS PLACE as Big Ten Player of the Year
5. Derrick Nix jumper in the post over Sullinger with 5:17 left, just showing that Sullinger is no wise-guy and that Sullinger's sh*t still stinks.
4. Brandon Wood, 21 pts. Thank you Valpo.
3. MSU wins the B1G Ten outright, first title since 2000, when we won the national title.
2. Big Green gets #1 seed, first since 2000, when we won the national title.
1. Knowing in every single time MSU has earned a #5 seed or better since 1998, Michigan State has reached the Final Four 6 of 7 times (the other time, we made the Elite 8 in 2008 as a #5 seed).  NICE. 

MSU a 2-pt favorite over UCLA

Spartans an early 2-point favorite over UCLA. Tipoff is 9:20 pm on TBS (that's Turner, not CBS). Love the commentary out of Pat Forde: "Michigan State (15). Why the Spartans are dangerous: They're always dangerous this time of year, and they showed it in routing Purdue at the Big Ten tournament. This has been the most inconsistent, dysfunctional and puzzling Tom Izzo team in quite a while, but it'sstill a Tom Izzo team. Pick against them at your peril."

Take the Spartans and then we're...

LOOKING AHEAD
A potential second round matchup against University of Florida? LOVING IT.? Back in 2003, Florida was a No. 2 seed and was sent to Tampa to play in its home state. That same year, Michigan State had a disappointing campaign and was a No. 10 seed. The Spartans beat Temple in their first-round game and then got the Gators in the second round. What did we do? Tom Izzo’s team dominated in a 68-46 blowout victory over UF. Sparty also bested Florida in the national-title game in 2000. That's right. We got them Gators.

#10 Michigan State to face #7 UCLA in Southeast on Thursday

Michigan State lands #10 seed in Southeast vs. #7 UCLA on Thursday. A victory moves onto the third round vs. #2 Florida or #15 UCSB on Saturday. Sweet 16 includes St Johns/Gonzaga, BYU/Wofford. Love the first two rounds. ES feels comfy about a Sweet 16 run...

Washington DC

1 PITT vs UNCA/UALR

8 BUT vs 9 ODU 3/17

Tucson

5 KSU vs 12 USU 3/17

4 WIS vs 13 BEL 3/17

Denver

6 SJU vs 11 GONZ 3/17

3 BYU vs 14 WOF 3/17

Tampa

7 UCLA vs 10 MSU 3/17

2 FLA vs 15 UCSB 3/17

Sunday Morning Bracketology: MSU #11 in SE

Following MSU's running out of gas in its 61-48 loss to Penn State in the Big Ten semifinals, the Big Green drop to a #11 in the SE region, per ESPN's Bracketology.

Interesting - Seven teams from the Big Ten now projected to make the dance. Michigan is a #11 seed in the West, and Penn State is now a #12 seed in the SouthWest. Purdue is #4 in the West, Wisconsin is #4 in SE, Ohio State is #1 in the East, and Illinois is #11 in the East.

The 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament will be announced at 6 pm tonight.

Playing to Dance: Michigan State at Michigan

Wow, when was the last time a Michigan State vs Michigan basketball game actually into MATTERED? MSU, annually a lock for the tournament, finds itself matching its wits against the dreaded scUM in Ann Arbor, where they are scraping to get into the tourney. Vegas has the Yellow Bellies favored by 1 at home. When was the last time scUM was favored in this rivalry? Back in the 1990s is my guess, in the years of the Scab Five, with Tractor Trailor & the Crooks.

Tipoff today: 2 pm EST, CBS television.

The Spartans already lost at home to the Yellow Bellies, so it is tough to imagine the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee selecting the Spartans over scUM if scUM wins today and sweeps the regular season series.... unless Mich State were to advance to the Big Ten title game. But, if scUM doesn't win today, they will likely need to win the Big Ten tourney to win.

Michigan State is 16-12 overall, 9-8 Big Ten. scUM is 17-12, 8-9 Big Ten.

Bracketology: Lunardi has Mich State as a #10 East seed while scUM is one of the last four in at #12 East.
Rpi Ratings: RealTime RPI has Michigan State at #43 and a #9 schedule strength, 3-10 vs Top 50 and 1-8 vs top 25, while scUM is 58 and a #24 schedule strength, 2-8 vs Top 50 and 0-7 vs Top 25.
Sagarin Ratings: Mr. MIT has Michigan State at #36 and a #4 schedule strength and scUM at #43 and a #10 schedule strength.

ES guess? MSU is out to avenge its earlier loss to the Yellow Bellies at home and should be inspired in a raucous environment. If Mich State doesn't win, it likely doesn't deserve the tourney... but the ES sees a tough battle with a little more offense out of the Spartans. MSU 68, scUM 62.

NCAA mens tournament to expand to 68 teams; new TV deal

Breaking news from NCAA (link here) - as it states below, the NCAA men's tournament will only expand to 68 teams and not 96; and the cost of the tourney, while it goes up, will be split between CBS and Turner Broadcasting. The people - college sports fans - have sounded loud and clear not to mess up the current structure.

NCAA signs new 14-year TV deal for DI men’s basketball
CBS and Turner join forces to pay $10.8 billion for tournament rights fee

The NCAA on Thursday announced a new 14-year television, Internet and wireless rights agreement with CBS Sports and Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., to present the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship beginning in 2011 and continuing through 2024 for more than $10.8 billion.

As part of the agreement, all games will be shown live across four national networks beginning in 2011 – a first for the championship.

CBS Sports and Turner Broadcasting also have been licensed and will collaborate on the NCAA’s corporate marketing program.

Late Wednesday, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee unanimously passed a recommendation to the Division I Board of Directors to increase the tournament field size to 68 teams beginning with the 2011 championship. The Division I Board of Directors will review the recommendation at its April 29 meeting.

The new agreement sustains the long-term financial stability of the Association. About 96 percent of all NCAA revenue, including money generated from this new agreement, is used to benefit student-athletes through either programs, services or direct distribution to member conferences and schools. The agreement also ensures student-athletes across all three NCAA divisions will continue to be supported through a broad range of championship opportunities, access to funds for personal and educational needs, and athletically related financial aid in Divisions I and II.

Beginning with the 2011 Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, opening- , first- and second-round games will be shown nationally on CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. CBS and Turner will split coverage of the regional semifinal games. CBS will provide coverage of the regional finals, as well as the Final Four (including the national championship game) through 2015. Beginning in 2016, CBS and Turner will split coverage of the regional finals with the Final Four and the national championship game alternating every year between CBS and TBS.

CBS Sports has broadcast the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship since 1982.

Under the new rights agreement, NCAA March Madness on Demand − the Emmy Award-winning video player that provides live streaming video of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship − will continue to be launched from NCAA.com and CBSSports.com. Turner also has secured the rights for any Time Warner digital property. The player will be operated and developed by Turner and have enhanced digital rights, allowing the NCAA to deliver content for multiple Turner and Time Warner platforms.

“This is an important day for intercollegiate athletics and the 400,000 student-athletes who compete in NCAA sports,” said NCAA Interim President Jim Isch. “This agreement will provide on average more than $740 million annually to our conferences and member schools to help student-athletes in 23 sports learn and compete.

“We’re excited this agreement continues our long-standing relationship with CBS, a partner company that has captured the unique spirit of the collegiate model of athletics, and brings a new partner in Turner Broadcasting to the championship and NCAA basketball.”

Sean McManus, president of CBS News and Sports said: “This agreement with our colleagues at Turner and the NCAA secures CBS’s standing as a year-round leader in sports television well into the next decade. In this agreement, we have created a new strategic partnership that not only makes this prestigious property an ongoing core asset in our stable of major television events but a profitable one as well. We look forward to working with our friends at Turner as together we combine our industry-leading media assets to maximize the value of this great NCAA championship.”

David Levy, president of sales, distribution and sports at Turner Broadcasting, also praised the new agreement.

“This is a landmark deal for Turner Broadcasting and we’re extremely pleased to begin a long-term relationship with the NCAA and our partners at CBS and to have a commitment that extends well into the next decade,” he said. “The NCAA men’s basketball tournament has a rich tradition and is one of the most talked about sporting events every year, highlighted by the Final Four and the national championship game.

“We are well-positioned to monetize our investment in NCAA programming across three nationally distributed networks. With the combined linear and digital assets of these two large media companies we’ll be able to maximize the exposure of the tournament, as well as provide incomparable access for viewers.”

An NCAA Division I committee headed by Harvey Perlman, chancellor of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, will study and recommend prospective revenue-distribution formulas to the Division I Board of Directors.

Currently, 96 percent of all NCAA revenue is returned to membership either in direct payments or in programs and services; 60 percent is distributed to directly to Division I members through a series of funds.

The committee will follow principles of the current formula that ensure access to funds by student-athletes for educational, personal and emergency needs; that favor a broad-based approach to sports sponsorship; that continue to encourage more grants-in-aid rather than less; and that promote enhanced academic support of student-athletes.

Additionally, the committee will examine the need to strike a balance between Division I Men’s Basketball Championship performance and academic achievement through either the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate or Graduation Success Rate metrics or both.

ESPN, the longstanding home for NCAA championships such as the Division I Women’s Basketball Championship, the College World Series, the Men’s Frozen Four and others, will continue to broadcast a full complement of events over the coming years.

“The economic challenges of the day are being felt on campuses across the country,” Isch said. “The amount of revenue from this agreement isn’t the focus of this moment; rather it is the long-term security it provides, as well as what is done with the money. We put our money where our mission is…supporting student-athletes so they can be successful in the classroom and in life.”

Michigan State hoops 2009 & 2010 - a collage

How good were the past two years? Michigan State finished in the final polls, #2 in 2009 and #4 in 2010. Chock, out in San Francisco, was kind enough to pull together a pair of collages from each of the past two years. Click on each of the images to enlarge. Thanks, C.

GO GREEN!

Butler & poor Spartan shooting ends MSU season

Oh, well. A 52-50 loss to Butler to finish the season.

Bottom line: 1) Raymar Morgan foul trouble made it more difficult for MSU to flex its muscles down low. 2) MSU really missed Kalin Lucas and his ability to slice & dice defenses; unfortunately, too many stupid turnovers, something that the Spartans corrected the rest of the NCAA tourney. And, 3) if you can't hit shots, you'll lose. MSU had plenty of open shots, but just couldn't hit the broadside of the barn in the second half.

Anyhow, congrats to MSU on a great season and congrats to Butler -- one helluva good defensive team. I hope they beat Duke. The ES hates Duke.

On to football season - a spring report will be posted this week.

Predictions & Previews: Michigan State to defeat Butler.

#5 Michigan State (28-8) vs #5 Butler (32-4)
NCAA Final Four
Saturday, 6:07 pm
CBS Sports

Odds: Butler is a 1 point favorite.

Weather: OK, the game is indoors... but, outside in Indy it will be 70 degrees with a good chance for thunderstorms.

Best preview: With all due respect to the Free Press, the Detroit News outdid them in today's paper leading up to the game... including using the Sparty "S" for the "s" in News on their website, and better articles about the whole state pulling for MSU, and Wojo's excellent 64-60 prediction of an MSU win.

Predictions: LSJ/Rexrode (MSU 64-59), Chicago Tribune (MSU) Lions Den (Butler), Associated Content (MSU), New York Post (Butler 74-72), Gottlieb/ESPN (MSU), Dick Vitale/ESPN (MSU), Bet Firms (Butler), Midwest Sports Fans (MSU 63-61), CollegeHoops.net (Butler), Cappers Picks (MSU 67-61), Bet US podcast (Butler), Bleacher Report/Kevin Berger (Butler by 6), Bleacher Report/Sam Kline (Butler 66-63), Raleigh News Observer (MSU), Freep (Albom: MSU 72-64, Rosenberg: MSU 68-62, Sharp: MSU 61-59, Snyder: MSU 65-60), DetNews/Wojo (MSU 64-60), NCAA preview

ES Prediction: Forward Gordon Hayward of Butler (18 ppg) has come alive in this tournament as one of the best players in the nation; guard Shelvin Mack is a steady ball handler and a top-notch defender at the point. Matt Howard is a foul-prone, yet solid center in the post. Unfortunately for Butler, after these three, the offense tails off rather considerably. Butler is a GREAT defensive team, as demonstrated by their shutting down Kansas State... but, that plays into Michigan State's preferred grinding style.

MSU is also a great defensive team, and they are the most physical team left in the field. MSU's bench is very deep, particularly with the bigs. Raymar Morgan and Draymond Green are having excellent tournaments, both extremely physical and shooting very well. But, it is their dominant rebounding that has MSU where they are today. Delvon Roe is having an awesome tournament defensively, despite playing 20+ minutes with bumb knees. Off the bench, Nix, Thornton, and Sherman have all given MSU quality minutes on defense. And, just wait until Butler gets a load of our rebounding... Korie Lucious and Durrell Summers are on fire offensively, and if they hit half as many shots today vs Butler it will likely be enough.

It is tough for the ES to see Butler hanging in as the game goes along, particularly with Izzo's style of throwing in waves of players at opponents to physically wear them down. Michigan State's athleticism and rebounding dominance will be too much to handle. This is honestly not the best matchup for Butler, and Tennessee was a more difficult opponent for MSU than the Bulldogs. The ES sees the Spartans pulling away in the second half and cruise to a 67-61 victory into the national title game.... and, yes, Morgan and Green will again be the game MVPs, as Butler doesn't have an answer for them.

ES sez: MSU 67, Butler 61.

NCAA Tournament Matchup Stats (over four games). Offensive stats favor MSU, Defensive stats favor Butler.

• Off rebouding margin: MSU +2.75, Butler -2.0.
• Turnover margin: MSU -2.75, Butler +4.5
• Off FG%: MSU 45.6%, Butler 42.3%
• FT%: MSU 74.5%, Butler 65.9%

• POMEROY STATS
• Offensive Efficiency (pts/100 poss): MSU 112.2, Butler 101.5
• Effective FG%: MSU 52.8%, Butler 50.4%
• Turnover% (TO/possessions): MSU 19.5%, Butler 16.9%
• Off Rebounding% (off rebounds/total rebounds): MSU 37%, Butler 26%
• FT rate (FT made/FG attempts): MSU 42.5%, Butler 44.5%
• Defensive Efficiency (opp pts/100 poss): MSU 106.9, Butler 89.6
• Effective Def FG%: MSU 50%, Butler 48.3%
• Def Turnover % (Opp TO/poss): MSU 15%, Butler 25.9%
• Opposing Rebounding%: MSU 29.6%, Butler 31%
• Opp FT rate: MSU 40.3%, Butler 24.5%

Game Stats:

MSU vs: NMSU, Md, NIU, Tenn
Butler vs: UTEP, Mur St, Syr , KSU

Butler Season Stats:

NAME	GM	MIN	PTS	REB	AST	TO	A/T	STL	BLK	PF	FG%	FT%	3P%	PPS
Gordon Hayward	35	33.1	15.5	8.2	1.7	2.3	1/1.3	1.1	0.8	2.1	.474	.827	.295	1.55
Shelvin Mack	36	31.0	14.2	3.8	3.1	2.1	1.5/1	1.4	0.1	1.9	.455	.736	.386	1.28
Matt Howard	36	25.7	11.8	5.3	0.8	1.6	1/1.9	0.6	0.6	3.5	.494	.792	.273	1.68
Willie Veasley	35	31.1	10.1	4.3	0.9	1.8	1/1.9	1.1	0.3	2.5	.498	.647	.369	1.39
Ronald Nored	36	29.9	6.0	2.9	3.7	2.0	1.8/1	1.8	0.1	2.6	.418	.612	.182	1.32
Zach Hahn	36	15.8	5.1	0.9	0.7	0.6	1.1/1	0.4	0.0	0.9	.439	.929	.420	1.31
Shawn Vanzant	36	14.5	2.8	1.7	1.2	0.9	1.4/1	0.4	0.2	1.1	.321	.735	.304	1.26
Avery Jukes	36	10.1	2.7	1.2	0.1	0.4	1/2.8	0.1	0.1	2.0	.392	.694	.379	1.24
Grant Leiendecker	14	2.5	1.1	0.2	0.1	0.2	1/3	0.3	0.0	0.4	.286	.800	.273	1.07
Andrew Smith	22	5.2	1.0	1.4	0.0	0.2	1/5	0.0	0.1	0.5	.364	.500	.000	1.05
Chase Stigall	14	3.1	0.7	0.3	0.1	0.2	1/3	0.0	0.0	0.3	.250	.500	.300	0.83
Nick Rodgers	11	1.2	0.5	0.0	0.1	0.1	1/1	0.0	0.0	0.3	.500	.000	.667	1.50
Garrett Butcher	32	5.6	0.5	1.0	0.2	0.1	1.3/1	0.1	0.0	0.8	.194	.333	.111	0.52
Emerson Kampen	8	1.5	0.3	0.3	0.1	0.3	1/2	0.4	0.0	0.3	1.000	.000	.000	2.00
Alex Anglin	12	1.1	0.0	0.1	0.1	0.0	-	0.0	0.0	0.2	.000	.000	.000	-
Team Averages	36	-	69.4	32.6	12.6	12.2	1/1	7.0	2.3	18.1	.449	.739	.345	1.39

10 Reasons why Michigan State will win the National Title

You read it here last. Michigan State will win the National Championship, and here are 10 reasons why:

1. Why? MSU is the most experienced team standing, even sans Kalin Lucas.

2. Why? MSU has Tom Izzo the best X's and O's coach in the land.

3. Why? MSU has the deepest bench remaining, with injuries, and with the best 6th man in the land, Draymond Green.

4. Why? MSU has the best mix of talent left in the field and with that can play to any style.

5. Why? MSU has more raw talent than any other team in the field.

6. Why? There was a reason MSU was ranked #2 pre-season; Duke, WVU, and Butler were all ranked below Michigan State. Funny how chickens come home to roost.

7. Why? MSU was in the Final Four last year with this same team, and has only one way to go. Up.

8. Why? MSU is the best defensive and best rebounding team left in the tourney, led by Raymar Morgan. We'll drag any of the Final Four teams into a dog-fight, and works to our favor.

9. Why? MSU just played its toughest game of the tourney, vs. Tennessee. Each of the remaining teams, with all due respect, won't punch MSU in the mouth as much as did Tennessee.

10. Why? Michigan State is playing its BEST basketball of the season right now.

ES will have an MSU vs Butler prediction later. But, GOD this is great.

Preview a 96-team tourney bracket: it is a done deal. MSU to win title sez LSJ, USA Today

Check out the NCAA Tourney coverage at the State News. Pretty good, for student pay. Also, Joe Rexrode at LSJ predicts a Big Green national title; as does Steve Weiberg at USA Today.

NCAA TOURNEY EXPANSION

You can COUNT on expansion to 96 teams. It is a done deal (or read here, or here, etc). As the NCAA renegotiates its basketball contract with CBS, the unsustainable financial structure that exists today in college sports is pushing the tournament to expand another 32 teams. It won't fix the problem, but that is beside the point. And, it will happen.

How will this work? The top 32 teams will get a first-round bye -- so, the first round of games will likely be covered by another network (ESPN), while the second round and on, which will be a resulting 64 games (as is the current case), will be covered by CBS.

The ES went ahead and seeded it out as it was today and you can see what a full tourney bracket looks like below... click here to see an enlarged version.



and, yes the NIT would be gone. The NCAA purchased the NIT for $40.5 million back in 2005, and this essentially absorbs and eliminates it.

62% of MSU Final Four players graduated

It must be database day. The Indy Star put out a fascinating piece today, a database of the graduation status of all the students who played in the Final Four from 1991-2007. So, the ES types in "Michigan State", and...

"Michigan State appeared in the Final Four four times during the period studied (1999, 2000, 2001, 2005). 62 percent of Final Four players received a degree from Michigan State. Michigan State ranks 12th in graduation rate of Final Four players compared to other schools in the study."

Ager, Maurice	Michigan State	2005	No		Details
Anagonye, Aloysius	Michigan State	2001	Yes		Details
Anagonye, Aloysius	Michigan State	2000	Yes		Details
Anderson, Alan	Michigan State	2005	Yes		Details
Ballinger, Adam	Michigan State	2001	Yes		Details
Ballinger, Adam	Michigan State	2000	Yes		Details
Bell, Charlie	Michigan State	2001	Yes		Details
Bell, Charlie	Michigan State	2000	Yes		Details
Bell, Charlie	Michigan State	1999	Yes		Details
Bograkos, Tim	Michigan State	2005	Yes		Details
Brown, Shannon	Michigan State	2005	No		Details
Chappell, Mike	Michigan State	2001	Yes		Details
Chappell, Mike	Michigan State	2000	Yes		Details
Cleaves, Mateen	Michigan State	2000	No		Details
Cleaves, Mateen	Michigan State	1999	No		Details
Davis, Doug	Michigan State	1999	No		Details
Davis, Paul	Michigan State	2005	Yes		Details
Granger, A.J.	Michigan State	2000	Yes		Details
Granger, A.J.	Michigan State	1999	Yes		Details
Hill, Chris	Michigan State	2005	Yes		Details
Hutson, Andre	Michigan State	2001	Yes		Details
Hutson, Andre	Michigan State	2000	Yes		Details
Hutson, Andre	Michigan State	1999	Yes		Details
Kelley, Thomas	Michigan State	1999			Details
Klein, Jason	Michigan State	1999	Yes		Details

Naymick, Drew	Michigan State	2005	Yes		Details
Neitzel, Drew	Michigan State	2005	No		Details
Peterson, Morris	Michigan State	2000	Yes		Details
Peterson, Morris	Michigan State	1999	Yes		Details
Richardson, Jason	Michigan State	2001	No		Details
Richardson, Jason	Michigan State	2000	No		Details
Smith, Antonio	Michigan State	1999	Block		Details
Smith, Brandon	Michigan State	2001			Details
Taylor, Marcus	Michigan State	2001	Block		Details
Thomas, David	Michigan State	2001			Details
Thomas, David	Michigan State	2000			Details
Torbert, Kelvin	Michigan State	2005	No		Details
Trannon, Matt	Michigan State	2005	No		Details