The Indiana Hoosiers of course, were not one of these five teams. In fact, the five tournament teams from the Big Ten, all beat the Hoosiers by double digits at least once last season. This is all in the past now, and optimism has returned in Bloomington but the scary thing is… These five tournament teams virtually return all of their star players as well as the supporting cast. Ohio State was the only team of the three teams that tied for the regular season Big Ten title last year that lost a vital part in Evan Turner. Losing Turner though does not seem that terrible when you bring in the nation’s number two recruiting class and Indiana’s own Mr. Basketball Deshaun Thomas. Purdue returns everyone apart from the most hated Boilermaker of all time Chris Kramer and fellow senior Keaton Grant. Michigan State has been selected as a top three team in almost every media outlets early preseason poll. These three teams are just the cream of the crop in the Big Ten, teams I feel our Hoosiers are not even close to being ready to compete with.

Illinois returns their entire team along with the addition of McDonald’s All-American Jereme Richmond. Wisconsin is always a tournament team no matter who is returning, and surprising Northwestern will welcome back their best player in Kevin Coble. Tubby Smith will have Minnesota ready for its third straight tournament appearance while Ralph Sampson III looks to finally make a name for himself in the conference.

With all this established Indiana as well returns their entire core, apart from the departure of Devan Dumes. The truth is the Hoosiers after losing to Purdue in a close game at home, lost eight straight where they failed to even compete. What I question is if the Hoosiers will be ready to compete in the conference that will definitely again be marked in the preseason as the best in the country.

Maurice Creek’s contribution will be massive. He showed true flashes of brilliance at the beginning of the season and I believe would have run away with Big Ten freshman of the year if not for the injury. He will be the next great Hoosier to have a great career in Bloomington, but the team will not finish in the top half of the Big Ten just because of him. A leader will need to emerge, Verdell Jones showed signs last year, but will need to step it up even more this season if we plan to finish in the upper echelon of the conference. The 2009 recruiting class in Elston, Watford, Hulls, and Capobianco displayed some signs of what could be the next Indiana tournament team. If we can get physical post play from Elston, Capobianco, Watford, and Bawa than the potential of hanging in games against great post teams looks promising. It is too early to get a read on the team’s new freshman but I believe Victor Oladipo will play a critical part in helping the Hoosiers compete against up-tempo athletic teams such as Ohio State and Michigan State.

Fans are optimistic but Hoosier nation can only be patient for so long, a winning season is expected this year from a more experienced team, but if the history of Crean’s first two seasons repeats itself. Which consist of the Hoosiers tragically falling apart late in the Big Ten season than Indiana may be looking at another losing season. Every team in the Big Ten loves to beat Indiana because of the school’s rich basketball history, and with three potential final four teams in the Big Ten, there are no easy games for the Hoosiers once the conference season hits.

We woke up at 6:30 Thursday morning and jumped on Interstate 37 to head up to Nap Town for what would turn out to be the trip of a lifetime. Josh made a Final Four playlist on his iPod, and we had to start the trip off with “One Shining Moment” — the famous video montage track for the NCAA Tournament. We realized how important it is to keep a good sense of humor when you know that you’re about to be working a lot of very long days.

We were working for a company called Prime Sport, a sports travel agency that sells hotel and ticket packages for major sporting events. As interns, we were there to do pretty much anything that needed to be done.

We spent the first day taking Final Four programs and commemorative newspapers around to the Prime Sport hotels where the company’s customers would soon be checking in. We finished off the night punching holes in Duke Fan Festival credentials, and then clipping lanyards on them for a solid three hours. This is where the sense of humor really paid off, as the three of us spent that whole three hours joking about anything we could think of.

It was the first 14-hour work day of my life.

On Thursday, the Indianapolis Convention Center also held the Division I College Basketball Coaches Convention. We caught our first glimpse of a famous person in the sports world when we saw Cal coach Mike Montgomery, whose team lost to the eventual national champion Duke in the second round.

We also saw Steve Donahue, former coach at Cornell and new men’s basketball coach at Boston College, and as we were walking out of the convention center to make a delivery to our next Prime Sport hotel, we walked right past Kentucky coach John Calipari.

Friday morning, we started working with Razor Gator, the official ticket sponsor of the NCAA and a corporate partner of Prime Sport. While Prime Sport covers the accommodations for their customers, Razor Gators provides tickets to the venue. They had a conference room in the Conrad Hotel where we sorted, filed and delivered almost 15,000 tickets for the Final Four.

I woke up Saturday morning knowing it would be the day that I would attend my first Final Four — an incredible feeling. We started out early back at the Conrad. More people started coming each hour as tip off approached.

Josh and I also went to the Indianapolis Indians stadium to set up for the Duke Fan Festival. We hung signs and decorated tables with blue and white colors. As people came into the stadium, we handed out the passes that we spent all night making on Thursday.  I’ll have to admit, I was definitely a little bit jealous to see the enthusiasm and joy in the Blue Devils fans, knowing that their team was getting ready to play in a Final Four.

As game time approached, we started walking towards Lucas Oil. The VP of Razor Gator gave each of us a ticket — which were marked $400 –for the corporate suite. This was definitely one of the perks of working for a major ticket distributor.

The moment that we walked into the arena, we were blown away by how impressive an event like the Final Four is to see in person.

As we were waiting for tip off, we saw Clark Kellogg, the CBS color commentator, sitting in row 45 eating a pregame steak sandwich. We asked him if we could take a picture with him and he kindly obliged.

After we made our way up to the suite, I called my dad to tell him that his son was sitting in a suite at the Final Four, eating chicken wings and pizza. How could this get any better?

In between games, the three of us made our way down to the pressroom. We walked right past the likes of Dick Vitale, Andy Katz, Jay Bilas, Bill Raftery, as well as many other distinguished sports figures. Mike even weaseled his way into the Butler and Michigan State press conferences. We were right next to Gordon Hayward and Ronald Nored as they left the pressroom.

Sunday was still a busy day, with a lot of people taking advantage of the NCAA’s FAN2FAN Ticket Exchange. Many West Virginia and Michigan State fans were selling their championship tickets, and Duke and Butler fans were quick to buy them right as they went on the website. The turnaround time was only one day to make sure that all of the tickets that were exchanged were filed correctly and made ready for pickup.

Monday morning came very soon. We had been working 12-hour days, and we were running only on adrenaline now. We made one last rendezvous at the Conrad to, once again, distribute tickets to Razor Gator customers. I had a great time handing the tickets to the customers. I would say something like, “Here are your tickets to tonight’s national championship game.” The look on the Butler fans’ faces as they received their tickets is something that I will never forget.

After the last tickets were handed out, I started to walk to Lucas Oil for the 2010 Championship Game. As I walked the five or so blocks it takes to get to the stadium, I felt an amazing energy and electricity coming from everybody on the street. Everyone had the sense that something amazing was about to happen in the city that night.

Josh, Mike and I walked into the stadium about an hour before tip off and went down to the CBS desk, where Greg Gumbel, Seth Davis and Greg Anthony were prepping for their pregame show. As I watched, I couldn’t help but think that maybe one day that could be me.

As if the trip couldn’t get any crazier, Josh and I step off the elevator on the suite level and start walking right towards Peyton Manning. As we crossed ways, I nodded my head at him and he said, “How’s it going guys?” I had to ask myself afterwards, did Peyton Manning really just talk to us? At this point, I was running out of synonyms for unbelievable to describe what was going on.

The stadium felt like it was ready to explode as the starters were announced. You could feel the nerves and tension of every single fan in the stadium about to reach a boiling point.

As Gordon Hayward rebounded the ball with three seconds to go and no timeouts remaining, dribbled and then launched the half-courter, which flew off the backboard and clipped a healthy part of the front of the rim before it bounced out, I fell to my knees in shock.

We were only inches away from seeing what would have been the greatest sports moment of any of our lifetimes. I was accurate with my pregame prediction — it truly was one of the best college basketball games of all time.

We ended up working 61 hours from Thursday to Monday, averaging only a few hours of sleep each night, but it was still probably one of the most incredible experiences of my life. It has always been my dream to have a job working in sports, and I feel blessed to have had an internship that truly was an experience to remember.

There is no question this year’s tournament could be remembered as one of the best ever. I personally thought Kansas and Syracuse would steam roll through this event but it was Butler and Duke who led the way.

I never would have picked Northern Iowa to beat Kansas and Butler to overcome Syracuse, Kansas State and Michigan State. It never crossed my mind that St. Mary’s would manhandle Villanova and the great Scottie Reynolds.  Some of the greatest upsets occurred this year, which indicates that on any given night it is anyone’s game.

This tournament taught me another lesson. A mid-major team should never be overlooked. Even though Butler was a preseason top ten-ranked team, I was quick to under rate them. I had them losing every game they were in including the game in the final four.

Why did I do this?  It is simple. I thought big tier schools dominated this year of college basketball. I fell into the trap of looking past a team such as Butler because they did not command much media attention. The previously mentioned colleges overshadowed them. I fell prey to the media and let that dictate which teams I followed. As a result of that lesson, I learned to study all the teams equally and not base my opinions upon what is showcased by sports writers.

The story of the prevailing Butler Bulldogs goes beyond a mid-major battling against the powerhouses. It gives us a glimpse of what the future may bring.

Today the distribution of talent is greater than during the era of Jon Wooden and UCLA. It may appear that the top schools like North Carolina, Kentucky, Texas, Kansas, Syracuse and Duke still recruit the premier players, but this is a deceiving statistic.

These schools recruit players who are more developed and ready to make an impact as starting freshmen. This, however, may lead to a quick exit into the NBA draft. Most colleges do not recruit players who are raw but have potential.  Butler is the exception to this type of philosophy. Butler’s Gordon Hayward is a prime example of this thinking.

During high school, Hayward was not regarded as a top recruit but Brad Stevens knew that with the right coaching, he could become a special player. The Butler roster has many similar stories of using this method to obtain players, which could become a precedent for other coaches to follow.

Do not be surprised if Butler is predicted to compete for the National Title next year. To date, they are only losing senior guard Willie Veasley and senior forward Avery Jukes. Returning are their most accomplished players: Gordon Hayward, Shelvin Mack, Matt Howard, and Ronald Nored.

There is no question this year’s tournament could be remembered as one of the best ever. I personally thought Kansas and Syracuse would steamroll through this event, but it was Butler and Duke who led the way. I never would have guessed that Northern Iowa could’ve beaten Kansas, or that Butler would overcome Syracuse, Kansas State and Michigan State. It never crossed my mind that St. Mary’s would manhandle Villanova and the great Scottie Reynolds. Some of the greatest upsets occurred this year, which indicates that on any given night it is anyone’s game.

This tournament taught me another lesson. A mid major team should never be overlooked. Even though Butler was a preseason top ten-ranked team, I was quick to underrate them. I had them losing every game they were in during this tournament, including their first game in the Final Four.

Why did I do this?  I thought big tier schools dominated this year of college basketball. I fell into the trap of looking past a team such as Butler because they did not command much media attention. The previously-mentioned colleges overshadowed them. I fell prey to the media and let that dictate which teams I followed. As a result of that lesson I learned to study all the teams equally and not base my opinions upon what is showcased by sports writers.

The story of the prevailing Butler Bulldogs goes beyond a mid major battling against the powerhouses. It gives us a glimpse of what the future may bring.

Today the distribution of talent is greater than during the era of John Wooden and UCLA. It may appear that the top schools such as North Carolina, Kentucky, Texas, Kansas, Syracuse, and Duke still recruit the premier players, but this is a deceiving statistic. They recruit players who are more developed and who are ready to make an impact as starting freshmen. This, however, may lead to a quick exit into the NBA draft. Most colleges do not recruit players who are raw but have potential.

Butler is the exception to this type of philosophy. Butler’s Gordon Hayward is a prime example of this thinking.  During high school he was not regarded as a top recruit, but Brad Stevens knew that with the right coaching, Hayward could become a special player. The Butler roster has many similar stories, and this method of obtaining players could become a precedent for other coaches to follow.

Do not be surprised if Butler is predicted to compete for the national title next year. To date they are only losing one senior guard, Willie Veasley, and senior forward Avery Jukes. Returning are their most accomplished players: Gordon Hayward, Shelvin Mack, Matt Howard, and Ronald Nored.

Armon Bassett- A key player for the Hoosiers in the 2007-2008 season, Bassett jumped ship after the Sampson scandal and transferred to Ohio University.After sitting out the 2008-2009 season, Bassett took the court for the Bobcats, making an instant impact this past season by leading the team in scoring and being second in both assists and steals.

He led the Bobcats to a conference tournament championship and a huge first-round upset over Georgetown, where he scored 32 and upset a lot of brackets.

Despite a valiant effort, the Bobcats ended up losing in the second round and Bassett decided to declare for the NBA.

Ben Allen- Improving significantly since his days as a Hoosier in 2007, Allen transferred to Saint Mary’s College and has since become a solid contributor to the Gaels’ squad.

This past season, he averaged close to 11 points and eight boards per game, and shot nearly 40% from the 3-point line, helping the Gaels to a conference tournament championship and a 26-5 record.

Allen and the Gaels did some damage in this year’s tournament, making a run to the Sweet 16, where they lost to Baylor.

The Australian senior will likely go undrafted, but played well enough that any NBA scouts that are intrigued by a big man who can shoot might give him a chance during training camps.

Jordan Crawford- Leaving IU after the 2007-2008 season, Crawford followed former IU-recruit Terrell Holloway to Xavier.

After making headlines this past summer for dunking on Lebron James,  Crawford made a splash this season as the Musketeers’ leading scorer, racking up over 20 points per game.

He averaged 29 points and almost five rebounds during the team’s run to this year’s Sweet 16.  Though Xavier lost to Kansas State in a memorable double-overtime shootout, Crawford put on a sensational performance with 32 points and some huge baskets down the stretch.

With a breakout tournament run, Jordan Crawford has become a potential 1^st round draft pick, and will have the tough decision of whether to return for another year of college or to enter the NBA draft.

In Case Anyone Was Wondering?

Former IU player Brandon McGee — who was dismissed by Tom Crean for academic and team negligence — transferred to Auburn University, where he was dismissed for the same reasons.

Jamarcus Ellis transferred to Oklahoma City University, and put up solid numbers as a senior. Ellis was eventually drafted into the NBA Developmental League, where he now plays for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

Many would think the decision would be an easy one, seeing that Turner is projected to be a top two pick. Another factor that comes into the equation is whether he is willing to risk re-injuring his back if he returns to the Buckeyes.

When Turner came to Ohio State in 2007, his aspiration was to win a national title as a Buckeye. With the previous three seasons ending in disappointing losses well short of a title, will Turner return in hopes of accomplishing his ultimate goal?

A four-star recruit out of St. Joseph’s High School in Chicago, Turner’s arrival in Columbus was met with high expectations. The previous year’s team, led by freshmen Greg Oden, Mike Conley and Daequan Cook took the Buckeyes to the NCAA National Championship game. Those three didn’t return to see what Turner and other top freshmen like Kosta Koufos and Jon Diebler could bring to the table.

Turner’s freshmen year was far from that of the previous recruiting class. He struggled at times but showed brief flashes of greatness throughout the year. Following the Big Ten Tournament, the Buckeyes were shocked by the news that they weren’t invited to the NCAA tournament. They used that as motivation to win the NIT championship.

After the departure of Kosta Koufos to the NBA draft, Turner’s sophomore season began in promising fashion with the Buckeyes winning their first nine games. After dropping their final non-conference game, Turner led the Buckeyes into the conference season with a 9-1 record, looking to compete for a Big Ten championship.

The results weren’t as promising as expected, as Ohio State posted a 10-8 conference record with Turner receiving First Team All-Big Ten accolades. Turner led the way with 20.0 points per game and the Buckeyes made it to the Big Ten Tournament Championship but lost to Purdue in a highly-contested battle. The guard-forward’s sophomore season ended with a heartbreaking loss to Cinderella-to-be Siena in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Expectations remained high for Turner and the Buckeyes this past season. During non-conference play, Ohio State posted a 12-2 record, a record that would be overshadowed by an injury to their star.

During a game against Eastern Michigan that Ohio State won 111-60, Turner went down with a back injury that kept him sidelined for a month. During that time, the Buckeyes lost three games, including one to coach Thad Matta’s former team, Butler.

In a week that was surrounded by questions concerning his comeback, Turner returned against Indiana, after his mother’s approval. After his return, the Buckeyes were able to earn a share of the Big Ten regular season title and the top seed for the Big Ten Tournament.

The Big Ten Tournament saw Turner shine on a national stage, averaging 27 points per game and hitting game winning baskets on back-to-back nights. After the Buckeyes rout of Minnesota in the championship game, Turner and his teammates believed they deserved a one-seed in the NCAA tournament. They happily accepted a two-seed and were matched up against UC-Santa Barbara in the first round. Turner and the Buckeye’s tournament run again ended prematurely with a three-point loss to Tennessee in the Sweet Sixteen.

This weekend, the Buckeye can take a short break from trying to make a life changing decision. Turner, alongside coach Matta, will travel to Indianapolis for the Final Four where he is nominated for numerous awards, including college basketball’s Player of the Year. Turner should savor this time away, seeing that his deadline is just a couple short months away.

Mark Titus, a former teammate of Turner best known for posting practical jokes on his blog, wrote the following regarding the star’s return:

“With The Villain coming back, they should be preseason #1. I really might redshirt now. Let me clarify. The Villain hasn’t officially decided, but he’s hinted to me by saying things like ‘We’re gonna be loaded next year.’ He’s also hinted by saying ‘I’m going to stay for my senior year’ and ‘I’m not going to the NBA this year.’”

With Titus’s comments coming on April Fools Day, the practical jokester may just be living in a fantasy world, seeing as though Turner would have to turn down millions of dollars if he decides to return to Columbus for his senior season.

Instead it’s Butler and Michigan State, who were both ranked in the top ten at the start of the season, thus their presence in the final four does not come as much of a surprise to those who have paid close attention to the rankings.

I’ll admit, I was one of ‘those guys’ that was convinced UTEP was going to beat Butler; but it’s March, and anything can happen.

Speaking of Butler, I believe that they have endured the toughest route to the final four. Beating a stacked line-up of UTEP, Murray State, Syracuse and Kansas State has provided ample preparation for their game against Michigan State.

Realistically, does Butler have what it takes to win the National Title? Maybe, but will they get past Michigan State? No, because there is a gentlemen sitting at the nearest end of Michigan State’s bench that goes by the name of Tom Izzo.

The fact of the matter is Izzo wins in March. His strategy is simple in content, and seemingly simple in implementation — to out rebound their opponent and value each offensive possession. Despite Michigan State losing their most valuable player, Kalin Lucas, they continue to trust their coach, and their performance thus far is proof of that.

Butler is a guard-oriented team, while Michigan State thrives off low-post domination. The Spartans will look to attack early and get Butler’s lone big man, Matt Howard, in foul trouble. With Howard out of the game, Draymond Green and Raymar Morgan should be able to control the block and get easy buckets.

Also, be sure to keep an eye out for Korie Lucious and Durrell Summers. Both of these Michigan State guards have stepped up in the absence of Kalin Lucas.

The game that I am most excited about is Duke vs. West Virginia — Mike Krzyzewski vs. Bob Huggins — one of the hottest teams in college basketball vs. the three-headed monster. I strongly believe that the winner of this game will win the national championship.

It may resemble 1983, when it was Louisville against Houston in the final four, and everyone predicted the winner of that game to be the next national champion. However, NC State and coach Jim Valvano shocked the world to beat Houston in the title game.

I don’t think that will be the case this year. I’m taking the Duke Blue Devils. West Virginia loves to play a 1-3-1 zone, which forces their opponent to knock down outside shots and penetrate the middle of the floor. Duke does both of those things very well.

Contrary to West Virginia’s defense, Duke’s defensive strategy is old school man-to-man. Help and recover, contest jump shooters and stop dribble penetration. West Virginia is not a great shooting team, which gives Duke the upper hand in this match-up.

The national championship matchup will be the Big Ten vs. the ACC for the second straight year. Michigan State against Duke, and I think the ACC will prevail once more.

Why Duke? Because of the big three.

For the Blue Devils, there is not one star player that bares a heavier load of pressure than the next. Between Jon Scheyer, Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler, somebody in Duke Blue is bound to make magic.

In addition to the big three, Duke’s offensive rebounding and defensive execution are the underlying keys to their success. Limiting teams to one shot on defense, and being able to consistently rebound on offense creates detrimental problems for opponents.

As outlandish as it sounds, this solace might be found in the successes of an entirely different team — a team whose home is over 2,000 miles west of Bloomington.

Moraga, California — the home of Saint Mary’s College, a school with an enrollment of about 3,900 nestled into the scenic countryside of western California, whose athletic teams compete in the eight-team West Coast Conference.

The WCC is an athletic conference that has garnered virtually all of its national notoriety through the sport of Men’s Basketball and, more specifically, through the success of one team — the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

To put it plainly, Gonzaga has dominated WCC men’s basketball, particularly since 2000, winning the last nine regular season conference titles and eight of the last 10 conference tournament titles.

The Zags have also asserted themselves on the national stage, becoming the premiere “mid-major” team in the country. Their deepest run came in 1998-99, when the Zags reached the Elite Eight, but they have made 12 other NCAA tournament appearances and reached the Sweet 16 five times.

Then there’s the Saint Mary’s Gaels, a program that had one NCAA tournament win coming into the 2009-10 season — a win that came in 1959. A program that was on the brink of its second tournament victory that last two seasons under the leadership of flashy Australian point guard Patty Mills. A program that has never quite been able to break through,  or to escape Gonzaga’s shadow.

Coming into the 2009-10 season, it appeared that Saint Mary’s would be taking a step back after the loss of Mills and talented forward Diamon Simpson. Nevertheless, the Gaels put together a solid season, but were still dwarfed by Gonzaga in both regular season meetings, falling 89-82 in the first matchup and getting handled 80-61 in the second.

At the end of the regular season, it looked as if the Gaels were in the same boat that the 2008-09 team was in — good effort, solid season, but not enough. They would have to win the WCC tournament to get to the big dance.

The Gaels did just that, sparking a magical run that has yet to come to an end.

First, they beat Portland 69-55 in the WCC tournament semifinals, advancing to face who other than the Gonzaga Bulldogs — a team that had already beat them twice. Saint Mary’s flipped the script in the third matchup, dominating the Zags in every aspect of the game en route to a 81-62 victory and their first tournament title since 1997.

Saint Mary’s shot at its first tournament victory since 1959 would come in Providence, Rhode Island against a dangerous Richmond Spider team out of the Atlantic-10 Conference. The game can be summed up using one name: Omar Samhan.

The Spiders did not have an answer for Samhan inside (few teams have), and the 6-11 senior — nicknamed “O-Zone”— went for 29 points and 12 rebounds. The spark-plug point guard Mickey McConnell added 23 for the Gaels, who won 80-71 — their first NCAA tournament victory in 51 years.

They did not stop there. Against a faltering second-seeded Villanova in the round of 32, Samhan reeled off 32 points and seven rebounds, leading the Gaels to the improbable 75-68 victory.

And here they are, the Saint Mary’s Gaels, a 10 seed out of Moraga, California captivating the nation, stepping definitively out of Gonzaga’s shadow (who lost to Syracuse in the second round 85-67), and advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history. The question is — why should Hoosier Nation pay any attention?

Ben Allen, the senior starting forward from Australia for the Gaels this season, played his freshman and sophomore seasons for Kelvin Sampson in Bloomington. He averaged a measly nine minutes per game over his freshman and sophomore seasons, and subsequently made the tough decision to transfer to Saint Mary’s, where he has become an integral part of the team.

Allen has averaged 10.5 points and 7.5 rebounds this season for the Gaels, including a career-high 20 points in the WCC tournament championship game. In the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, Allen amassed 12 points and 14 rebounds.

The 6’11’, 250-pound big man from Melbourne will be crucial to Saint Mary’s success down the stretch.

The undisputed leader of Saint Mary’s, coach Randy Bennett, has managed a 183-102 record over his eight seasons in Maraga. Interestingly, the name Bennett holds quite a bit of weight in the state of Indiana, as Randy’s father, Tom Bennett, is in the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

Tom Bennett was a player at Southport High School in Indianapolis, and went on to play at Wabash College, where he set the career scoring record with 1,414 points.

He is also distinguished in the coaching ranks, as he coached at the high school level for 14 years and at the Junior College level for 19 years, being honored as the 1990 NJCAA National Coach of the Year. Tom Bennett is also in the Wabash Athletics Hall of Fame and the NJCAA Hall of Fame.

So, if the Hoosier faithful are looking for any relief from the worst drought in Indiana basketball history, they should follow Ben Allen, Randy Bennett, and the Saint Mary’s Gaels as they look to continue their magical run on Friday against the Baylor Bears.

After reaching deep down and finding the will to win at the buzzer to advance to the Sweet 16 for the ninth time in sixteen seasons, the Michigan State Spartans now have to face the Panthers of Northern Iowa without Kalin Lucas who ruptured his Achilles tendon in the first half of Sunday’s game. The Spartans will have a big void to fill without Lucas in the lineup as he is the team leader in minutes, points, assists and field goals made.

It’s not easy for any team to replace their star player, but if there is one team that has a chance to accomplish this, it is Michigan State. With a surrounding cast of Raymar Morgan, Durrell Summers and Draymond Green, the Spartans have size, quickness and strength.

Over the year Michigan State has shown that they are a dominating rebounding team, which will be tough for Northern Iowa to compete against. To add more to the argument, Lucas’ replacement, Korie Lucious, hit the buzzer-beater against Maryland to carry the Spartans to an 85-83 win which will certainly heighten the MSU’s motivation.

Not only do they have the post season experience, MSU has the much needed mental toughness as well. They battled all year long in the Big Ten, the conference in which many argue is the second hardest in college basketball.

On the other hand, the Panthers of Northern Iowa also have an outstanding season recorded in the Missouri Valley Conference. When compared to the talent and skill of the Big Ten, the Missouri Valley comes up short. Even though the Panthers are coming off a huge upset win over the overall one-seed Kansas, they still have a lot to prove. They are not going to be able to beat the Spartans by playing tough, physical basketball, but rather with smooth passing and executing plays. Like any team on the underdog side of the spectrum, getting open looks and spending time at the free throw line is a must if they want to head into the Elite Eight.

Getting open shots for guard Ali Farokhmanesh will not be easy for UNI, but will put scoring opportunities within range. After hitting a crucial three pointer to lift them over the Jayhawks, Farokhmanesh has to be their go-to guy if the game comes down to the wire.
Over the years the Spartans have been counted out, but always found a way to win in the NCAA tournament. The 15 years of experience under Izzo’s belt helped the Spartans to their sixth win in the first round as a five seed in his tenure. However, after finishing the regular season averaging 14 turnovers per game, MSU needs to be conscious of possessions on offense, not giving Northern Iowa any second chances.

When games come down to trading possessions for the win, making free throws is crucial. The Spartans shot 68 percent from the free throw during the regular season and do not want to find themselves in foul trouble, especially late in the game as they are facing a team that has shot nearly 86 percent during the first two rounds of the tournament. Keeping the Panthers off the line and forcing them to take difficult shots is key to the Spartans coming away victorious on Friday.