Category: College Basketball (Page 63 of 153)

      Wolverines rooting for the Spartans?

      April 6, 2009 /

      ESPN’s Mark Schlabach discusses how the poor economy has Michigan fans rooting for their biggest intrastate rival.

      Michigan State knows it will be representing more than its school when it plays North Carolina in the NCAA championship game Monday night at Ford Field in Detroit.

      The Spartans will also be representing a state and region that have been battered by the country’s poor economy, climbing unemployment rates and crumbling auto industry.

      “There are a lot of cities right now that have problems,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. “But this is ours. This is our big city in the state. So that’s why I think it’s a little more meaningful for those of us that are from around here.”

      Believe it or not, the Spartans’ surprising run to the NCAA championship game is even meaningful for the sports fans who seem to hate them most.

      Even in Ann Arbor, where University of Michigan fans only seem to dislike Ohio State more than Michigan State, it seems most of the Wolverines are rooting for the Spartans to beat the Tar Heels on Monday night.

      “The first four times Michigan State went to the Final Four, you usually had the crowd here rooting against the Spartans,” said Ron Dreslinski of Ann Arbor, who sat at the bar in The Blue Leprechaun on South University Avenue on Sunday. “This is really the first time you have Michigan people rooting for them. I think it’s because the game is being played in Detroit. They’re kind of the underdog, too, which makes it easier.”

      The poor economy in Michigan is a big reason why Michigan fans are rooting for State, but it also helps that Michigan’s most hated rival is Ohio State, not Michigan State. Plus, outside of Duke, UConn and North Carolina are the most universally disliked basketball programs in the country. Add it all up and you have Wolverines rooting for Spartans.

      What is this world coming to?

      College Basketball, Humor

      Report: Xavier’s Sean Miller rejects Arizona’s offer

      April 6, 2009 /

      The University of Arizona can’t catch a break. First, Tim Floyd turns them down and now Sean Miller has (reportedly) decided to stay in Cincinnati.

      Xavier’s Miller met with Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood on Sunday about the Wildcats’ open head coaching job but rejected the school’s offer later that night, according to multiple media reports.

      Xavier AD Mike Bobinski told ESPN.com’s Andy Katz that he expected to speak with Miller late Sunday or early Monday. He wrote in a text message: “Nothing firm at this moment, but I remain very optimistic that Sean Miller will continue as our head basketball coach at Xavier.”

      Miller “has a potential Final Four team coming back next season, loves where he lives, has security and is paid well and has the best job in his league, yet has to decide whether or not this is the right job for him to explore,” Calipari said earlier Sunday.

      So who’s next for Arizona? I’m sure the Wildcats would like an established guy in his 40’s (or early 50’s) who could guide the program for the next 10-15 years, but those coaches are hard to come by. Tim Floyd (55) elected to stay with USC, and now Miller (40) has as well.

      Monday afternoon update: Sean Miller has accepted the Arizona job.

      College Basketball, News, Rumors & Gossip

      Green Day single to be debuted Monday night on NCAA championship telecast

      April 5, 2009 /

      Film and TV have become the new radio for debuting music, and now the major labels are using big events as a vehicle to showcase some of their top talent. Tomorrow night to kick off CBS’ broadcast of the NCAA men’s basketball championship, Warner Bros. will debut the new single, “Know Your Enemy,” from powerhouse rock band Green Day’s forthcoming album, 21st Century Breakdown.

      90 seconds of the lead single, in its television world premiere, will serve as the backing music to the show’s intro featuring video of contestants Michigan State and North Carolina, who will then square off in the title game in Detroit. 21st Century Breakdown is due out May 15, and Green Day is planning a world tour immediately following in support of it.

      For CBS, this is their 28th straight season broadcasting the Final Four. After that, the network will turn its attention to golf next weekend, when The Masters kicks off Thursday in Augusta, Georgia.

      Bullz-Eye Sports Channel, College Basketball, General Sports, Golf, Happy Hour, March Madness, News, Television

      NCAA Championship Game Preview

      April 5, 2009 /

      #1-seed North Carolina vs. #2-seed Michigan State
      Tip-Off: 9:21 PM ET
      Sagarin Ratings: North Carolina (95.44), Michigan State (90.07)
      Line: UNC – 7.5
      After the Tar Heels trounced the Spartans by 35 points on Dec. 3, it was clear that if North Carolina stayed healthy, they’d probably make a return trip to Ford Field. Ty Lawson’s swollen toe threw the team’s chances up in the air, but the Tar Heels stayed focused and “The Toe” — after a scare in the first half against LSU — hasn’t given Lawson any noticeable problems in the tournament. Conversely, after that December meeting, the Spartans were left wondering just how good of a team they were. In their defense, they had just returned from a three-game stint at the Old Spice Classic in Florida and were playing their fourth game in seven days — against the top-ranked team in the country no less. Still, the game was in Detroit, and they had a couple days to recover after beating Wichita State on Nov. 30, so they should have put up more of a fight.

      So how do we handicap Monday night’s game? Well, the Tar Heels still have an advantage at every position, but the Spartans are playing with a lot of confidence and Ford Field is still just 92 miles from campus. So there figures to be a lot of green and white in the stands tomorrow night, especially since the UConn and Villanova fans have been looking to dump their tickets before they catch a flight out of town.

      Unlike most of the teams in the country, Michigan State does have the athletes to run with North Carolina, but the Spartans are just as content to settle into the half court and run their sets. Big Ten Player of the Year Kalin Lucas has to limit or outplay Ty Lawson at the point. If Lawson wins that matchup, it’s going to be a long night for the Spartans. Michigan State can’t pack the lane like they did against UConn. Wayne Ellington and Danny Green have been hot, so the MSU defenders will have to stay home. They need to meet Tyler Hansbrough at the free throw line and keep him from establishing deep position in the post. If they can push him out of his comfort zone, the perimeter defenders won’t have to double.

      The bottom line is the Spartans have to get the Tar Heels out of their game. Michigan State can throw 10 or 11 players out there, but they should only push the ball when they have an advantage. Otherwise, they should execute their half court offense and hope that those wide open 15-foot jumpers keep falling. Athleticism isn’t an issue; Michigan State can jump as high and run as fast as North Carolina can, so this game will come down to execution. In the end, I think the Tar Heels will have enough to win the game, but I think Michigan State +7.5 is attractive due to the Spartans “sticktoitiveness.” They’re just going to keep coming and coming until the final buzzer sounds.

      College Basketball, March Madness

      Michigan State, North Carolina advance to Monday’s final

      April 4, 2009 /

      One of the more compelling storylines leading up to Saturday’s games was what kind of home court advantage Michigan State would enjoy playing just 92 miles from its campus in East Lansing. It turns out they would have a distinct advantage, and as Villanova fans try to sell off their seats this evening, it should be even bigger on Monday night.

      Despite Clark Kellogg’s marveling at the sight lines in the dome, I think all March Madness games should be played in arenas. Domes are just too big for basketball, and with the advent of high definition television, there is little reason to go to a Final Four just to sit in the nosebleed seats. Who cares if you were “there”? Wouldn’t you rather watch the game?

      Anyway, Tom Izzo came up with a great game plan and his Spartans executed it to perfection, beating UConn, 82-73. First, they had to harass A.J. Price. Anytime Price came off the screen, the help was there, forcing the guard to be a passer, which is not his forte. He went 5 of 20 on the night with only one assist. Next, they collapsed into the lane and dared the other Huskies to shoot the ball from the perimeter. UConn’s main advantage was on the front line, and the Spartans negated that by essentially camping four defenders in the lane. Anytime Hasheem Thabeet, Jeff Adrien or Stanley Robinson caught the ball, there were several hands trying to swipe it away. Lastly, Izzo knew his Spartans would have to get on the glass. UConn was clearly unprepared for the type of tenacity that Michigan State brings to rebounding, and it showed in the box score. Sure, Michigan State only had one more offensive board than UConn, but given the size of the Husky front line, the Spartans had no business getting that many.

      In the late game, North Carolina simply out-shot and out-defended Villanova en route to an 83-69 victory. The Tar Heels shot 11 of 22 (50%) from long range while the Wildcats shot a pathetic 5 of 27 (19%). Still, Villanova whittled the lead down to five with 18:15 to go in the second half, but the Tar Heels went on a 9-0 run over the next three and a half minutes to push the lead back out to 14. It wasn’t a pretty game, but North Carolina was in control the entire time.

      Michigan State and North Carolina met earlier this season at Ford Field and the Tar Heels won by 35 points. This is a different Spartan team, but it will be interesting to see how each squad uses the earlier game for motivation. Does Michigan State think they can beat UNC after getting trounced? (Yes.) Will the Tar Heels get complacent because they already blew the Spartans out once this season? (Doubtful, but you never know.) It should be a partisan crowd and a compelling game.

      Check back tomorrow for a complete preview of Monday’s final.

      College Basketball, March Madness

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