It's hard not to like Tom Izzo.

The Michigan State coach classy in victory or defeat, yet isn't a bland quote by saying on "safe" things. One the sidelines he's fiery, yet soothing, inspiring by both cajoling and pushing his players.

Perhaps the Spartans' playing style isn't always easy on the eyes, but it results in winning teams. Every upperclassman who's ever played for Izzo has gone to a Final Four, one of the more remarkable stats in hoops.

"It's not as easy to play for me but it's really good to be an alum from our program," he told David Mayo of the Grand Rapids Press. "That's what I believe. I just believe guys learn some things."

And by thinking about "the big picture," he's elevated Michigan State from a good program to one of the best in college basketball.

The secret to his March success is a mix of all of the above and something else that's a little harder to categorize. After all, who can properly describe why a person wins? Some people just have it.

Maybe a peek behind the curtain would help.

Izzo let AP writer Larry Lage tag along for the first two days of his staff's Final Four preparations. It covers film prep and analysis, many congratulatory phone calls and many, many interviews and conference calls (a coach's life is sometimes only spent talking to the press, it seems).

The feature's about 1,500 words in all, but the best part is the following quote. Take note, because it's instructive for anyone who thinks they have the Final Four pegged.

"I'm convinced we're just as good as any team left," Izzo tells the team. "I haven't felt that way in years. I didn't in '05 at the Final Four. And last year in the finals, I didn't think we were as good as North Carolina."

Maybe this is why Izzo's being touted as perhaps the best coach in the game. He's equal parts smart, humble, realistic and optimistic. Kalin Lucas is out. Delvon Roe's knee are sore. Korie Lucious is still adjusting to his new role.

But Izzo's confident. And impossible not to like. Winners are like that.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

The status of West Virginia point Darryl Bryant remains uncertain for Saturday's Final Four game against Duke.

He's missed the last two NCAA tournament games because of a broken bone in foot, but a specially designed shoe insert could help him play.

Turns out a Duke doctor will be the one making the insert. How's that for aiding the enemy?

Actually, Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski isn't the least bit worried.

"We should take care of those kids," he told the Raleigh News & Observer. "If they come up with an orthotic or whatever, and Duke is the one [that makes it], you should do that."

Dr. Jim Nunley, the orthopedic surgery chief, is making the insert, which would relieve some of the weight on Bryant's broken bone. If he does play, it could provide a big boost to West Virginia, which is short on ball-handlers right now.

Joe Mazzulla started in place of Bryant against Washington and Kentucky and played well, but did foul out against the Wildcats. A little depth could be crucial.

Random footnote: Bryant broke the same bone that sidelined Elton Brand during the 1997-98 season, but it was in the other foot. Brand also was able to return sooner than expected thanks to treatment he received from Duke's medical facilities.

Coaches everywhere, take note. You have an injury, get thee to Durham.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

West Virginia hasn't had a season like this in 51 years. But much like the build to the Mountaineers' recent Final Four run – five straight seasons with at least 22 wins – that marvelous 1958-59 was no fluke.

Yes, the Mountaineers were once a college hoops power. Would you expect any less from Jerry West's alma mater?

West was at the center of a nine-year run in which the Mountaineers won 78 percent of their games (24-6 on average) and played in eight of nine NCAA tournaments. At one point, during the 1957-58 season, they were atop the AP poll for seven-straight weeks. With such names as West, Hot Rod Hundley and Rod Thorn, they could play with anyone.

The only thing missing is an NCAA title – and that still haunts West.

That's the focus behind Johnette Howard's column on West Virginia, which focuses on the Mountaineers' rise all those years ago. There's lots to love about the Mountaineers, who would undoubtedly be the Cinderella story of this year's Final Four if not for Butler.

Yet West probably won't be, mostly because he doesn't want to jinx anything. If there's one way to amend that, it's by cutting down the nets Monday in Indy.

Perhaps you've heard West's son, Jonnie, is a reserve on this year's squad. Coincidence?

Some people don't believe in fate. Tell that to the good folks of West Virginia.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Filling out a bracket -- not picking your winners, but actually filling it out with winners, scores, etc – should be required for every college hoops fan.

I started in 1987 (enjoyed advancing Wyoming as the 12 seed) and haven't missed once since, though I miss using the broadsheet brackets brackets from newspapers. The 8x11 sheet of paper isn't quite the same.

Most probably just consult their online brackets in whatever tournament contest they've entered, but there are still quite a few people like me. Otherwise The Mid-Majority wouldn't have its As-You-Go Bracket Contest.

This contest isn't for people like me, who fill out both. Kyle Whelliston, who runs TMM, doesn't want you to enter that office pool. But for the chosen few who didn't fill out those brackets? Well, now they're filled in. Almost.

Have a look.

I'm torn between a couple entries: No. 1 and No. 8. I like No. 2 because it looks like something I would've done when I was 10 or 11, filling out those first brackets (if I had a little more 'tude). Yet No. 8 has that little something extra. I wonder if Max Fischer is really the architect behind it…

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Butler's Final Four two-fer – its first trip also happens to be just down the road in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Field – won't be a series of press junkets and fawning fans.

The Bulldogs will spend the week practicing and (gasp!) going to class. Somewhere, Arne Duncan is grinning.

This story from Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star has the details on the Bulldogs' plans for Thursday and Friday, which will include a lot of rides back-and-forth from school to practice.

"I've got a heavy load on Friday. Some guys don't have anything, but I wasn't as lucky with scheduling," Gordon Hayward told the Star. "I'm sure guys would have liked not having to go to class, but the upside, being at home and being around friends, that outweighs the downside."

It's hard to imagine Butler's non-athletes will be in class the day before one of the biggest games in school history, let alone the basketball players. But hey, maybe it'll be the ideal way to help guys like Hayward maintain their focus. They can be on campus like "normal" and stay away from the hoopla of the Final Four.

But, as Kravitz writes, trying to maintain a sense of normalcy this week is easier said than done. Players were getting applauded by students and teachers on Monday. The media attention has increased tenfold. And coach Brad Stevens hasn't had much time to work on that gameplan. From Kravitz:

He held the usual 6:30 a.m. practice, did media for about two hours (along with players who didn't have morning classes), then did hits on "First Take," ESPN News, "Pardon the Interruption," "The Dan Patrick Show," a shoot with CBS and another show on CBS radio. Oh, and then there was a 4 p.m. news conference with more media. (If you want to know about Stevens, consider, on Monday, he did the student radio station at his alma mater, DePauw.)

They are trying desperately to keep it normal, to keep it real.

Yeah, good luck with that.

All of that simply confirms that there isn't anything normal about Butler's run. But going to class seems like a nice start.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Jeff Haynes / Reuters Korie Lucious and Draymond Green are two of the Spartans' unsung heroes.

Editor's note: March Madness is too much for any one person to handle, so I'm adding help. The guys behind Ballin' Is a Habit, Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, will be contributing throughout March and into the Final Four, both with content from their Web site and original articles for us. This post originally appeared at BIAH.

By Rob Dauster

During the next two days, we will be taking a team-by-team look at the Final Four.

MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS

Star: Right now, the moniker of go-to player has to be bestowed upon Durrell Summers. Summers has worlds of talent, but for whatever reason -- a lack of focus, inconsistent intensity -- he did not live up to that potential this season. But in the tournament, Summers has been a different player. He has been aggressive, knocked down jumpers, and has been the best scorer for a Michigan State team that needs a star with Kalin Lucas out. He averaged 20.0 ppg in four games in the regional, earning Midwest MOP while knocking down a number of important shots. I don't know if there is anyone else on the Michigan State roster capable of taking a game over.

Unheralded Hero: Delvon Roe has been nothing short of a warrior. The kid has the knees of a 75-year-old offensive lineman -- he's currently playing with a torn meniscus -- and at least once a game comes up limping after it gets it. He isn't playing big minutes (20-25 a game) and he isn't posting big numbers (5.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg), but the simple fact he is playing through the pain is a feat in and of itself, and no doubt inspiring to his teammates. Did I mention he has a torn meniscus?

How they got here: If Butler had the most difficult trip to the Final Four, Michigan State had the easiest -- and the most exciting. In the first round, the Spartans jumped all over New Mexico State, but the Aggies made it interesting at the end, missing three attempts at a three to force overtime in a game that was marred with an officiating controversy. In the second round against Maryland, Kalin Lucas popped his Achilles late in the first half, but Michigan State was able to extend its lead. Maryland made a run in the final four minutes, taking the lead, before Korie Lucious hit a three at the buzzer for the win. Northern Iowa gave Michigan State a run in the Sweet 16, leading by seven at halftime, but Michigan State turned on the defense down the stretch, holding UNI without a field goal for the last 10:22 of the game while Kalin Lucas and Raymar Morgan hit big shots down the stretch. Sparty beat Tennessee to advance to the Elite 8, winning when Raymar Morgan hit a free throw with just 1.8 seconds left on the clock.

Three reasons they can win it all:

Tom Izzo: Duh. The guy is the best in-game coach in the country. Period.

Experience: Michigan State may be without Kalin Lucas, but this is still an experienced group of kids that played in the Final Four last year. None of the other teams can say that. Coach K is the only coach that has been in the Final Four recently, taking Duke there in 2004. Anyone can sit there and talk about this just being another game, but that's before you take the court in front of 70,000 people and a national television audience.

Winning close games: Some may call the Spartans run to the Final Four lucky. It may be (see below). But there is also something to be said for being a "winner". I've said this numerous times, but winning is a skill. It is a mindset. Yes, they may have won all four of their games in the final minute, but they still won them. The Spartans made the plays and got the stops they needed to get to be at this point. Say what you will about officiating and last minute plays, but it was the Spartans who forced New Mexico State into three contested shots to force overtime. It was Green and Lucious who created the buzzer beating jumper against Maryland. It was Michigan State that got stops for the last 10 minutes against Northern Iowa, and Lucious and Morgan who made the big shots down the stretch. It was Green who found an open Morgan who drew the foul against Tennessee. At some point, a reoccurring coincidence becomes a trend, and it's no coincidence that MSU is always successful in March an no coincidence that they won four games this March.

Three reasons they won't win (beyond the obvious Lucas injury):

Statistically, they may be the worst Final Four team ever: The Wall Street Journal crunched some numbers, and, well, I'll let them explain:

Judging by how many points Michigan State beat its first four tournament opponents by, 13, the team is the worst to make the Final Four since 1985, when the tournament switched to its current format.

By comparison, Butler beat its first four opponents -- which included a No. 1 and No. 2 seed, MSU beat a 12, 4, 9, and 6 -- by 31 points. The average of the previous 104 Final Four teams was 55 points. They won on two game-winning shots, one missed game-tying shot, and was tied with Northern Iowa with 90 seconds left.

Is Korie Lucious a point guard? More specifically, can he fill Lucas' shoes? Not necessarily as a scorer, either. I think we can all agree -- and even Izzo and Lucious will admit -- Lucious isn't the player that Lucas is, and that is not meant to be a knock at all. Lucious can shoot and he can create going 1-on-1, but he has had issues turning the ball over when running the point. He is going to go up against a couple tough defenses this weekend. Will the Spartans be able to execute?

Durrell Summers is consistently inconsistent: Summers in an enigma. The guy has the tools to be a pro, but the consistency of a manic depressive. Through four games in this tournament, he has been sensational, averaging 20.0 ppg while hitting 53.3 percent from three and earning the Midwest Region MOP. The four game before that? He averaged 7.3 ppg while hitting just 10-29 from the floor. He has attempted one more three pointer (30) in the tournament than he did field goals (29) in the four games before the tournament started. Which Summers will show up?

You can find more of Rob's writing at Ballin' is a Habit and follow him on Twitter @ballinishabit.

If you're a college basketball fan, you're probably a Republican. At least according to recent survey identifying TV viewers' favorite sports and their voting habits.

It's no secret that political careers can be tied to not only what you like, but whom you cheer for, yet this study, done by National Media Inc., a GOP firm, was intriguing for its look at the sports Republicans and Democrats are most interested in, and the separation between pro and college hoops.

For instance, most fans of the PGA, college football and NASCAR tend to be Republicans, while fans of tennis, the MLS and the WWE (really!) tend to be Democrats. But the odd part is that Republicans tend to be least interested in the NBA and WNBA, while those are the two sports Democrats say in which they're most interested.

(Click here to see the easy-to-read aerial chart.)

On the other hand, college hoops is favored by both sides, but moreso by Republicans.

Hoopheads are 18 percent more likely than average Americans to call themselves GOPers. Only 5 percent are more likely to call themselves Dems.

So why the drop-off in Republicans for pro basketball? Got me. Mostly I wonder if students were included in the study. That would probably skew things more heavily toward Dems…

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

It's easy to OD on hoops during March. When you're not engrossed in your bracket or awaiting the Final Four, the women's tourney or the NBA's stretch run can fill in the gaps.

So do yourself a favor. Take a break from the actual basketball and tune into PBS on Wednesday night for "The Street Stops Here," a dynamite hoops documentary that looks at high school powerhouse St. Anthony's (N.J.) and its legendary coach, Bob Hurley.

The trailer alone should be enough to lure any basketball fan.

You probably recognized some of the players. Six of the players on that 2008 team are now at D-I programs: Travon Woodall (Pitt), Jio Fontan (USC), Tyshawn Taylor (Kansas), Mike Rosario (Rutgers), Dominic Cheek (Villanova), Alberto Estwick (Fordham) and A.J. Rogers (St. Joe's).

With that much talent, St. Anthony's should (and does) mostly dominate its competition. The drama comes from the team's shortcomings in the state tournament – where this group has yet to win a title, an anathema among Hurley's teams – and off the court, where the St. Anthony's players cope with different hardships.

One's mother was HIV positive. Another has a father who'd been in jail. Others deal with soul-crushing commutes just to get to school and they all deal with massive expectations. That's how it goes playing for Hurley, though. His teams are always among the nation's best and he expects his players to perform well on the court, and off it.

"Everybody who comes back to visit thinks I've mellowed, but I don't know if my current players think that," says Hurley, 62. "When they're in the present, they think every day is torture. But as coach [Bob] Knight used to he'd demand more from his players than their teachers and parents demand. It's the same here.

"When I say something about somebody's report card, it rings truer than if somebody at home says something about the report card. Or if I say something about the hours somebody's keeping, I'm not apt to negotiate."

If Hurley sounds like a disciplinarian, he's supposed to. He spent 30 years working in Hudson County's probation office and has always focused on getting his players out of Jersey City and into college. All but two of his players have done so.

Not that the school's a basketball factory. It has trouble even staying open – which is the other compelling aspect of the documentary. Hurley and the school's administrators spend their time fundraising and convincing would-be donors to aid the school. Given the recession, it's harder than ever. (Much of that also was chronicled in Adrian Wojnarowski's excellent book, "The Miracle of St. Anthony's".)

Those three things – hoops, Hurley and the school's finances – make for an excellent documentary that should appeal to more than just basketball fans. It's what the filmmakers intended, and they succeed.

Tune into PBS Wednesday night at 10 p.m. ET to see the results or simply order the DVD.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Editor's note: March Madness is too much for any one person to handle, so I'm adding help. The guys behind Ballin' Is a Habit, Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, will be contributing throughout March and into the Final Four, both with content from their Web site and original articles for us. This post originally appeared at BIAH.

By Troy Machir

- ESPN analysts answer the burning questions about the Final Four

- Tubby, Jamie Dixon, Tom Izzo, Oregon. Your guess is as good as mine.

- What he said.

- Does home-court advantage matter in the Final Four

- Who is the most important player in the Final Four

- An interesting idea for the Final Four

- A team-oriented Final Four

- Final Four likabillity index

- Andy Glockner explains why Tom Izzo is hands-down the best coach in the country

- Jeff Goodman brings up a very very interesting point

- Hometown hosts will decrease city revenue

- Must read

- Mid-major progression: George Mason got there, now Butler is trying to win it all

- Somebody clearly got a bit over-confident with their Final Four picks.

You can find more of Troy's writing at Ballin' is a Habit and follow him on Twitter @BIAHtheTrizzle.

Robert Galbraith / Reuters Gordon Hayward and Matt Howard are crucial to Butler's title hopes.

Editor's note: March Madness is too much for any one person to handle, so I'm adding help. The guys behind Ballin' Is a Habit, Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, will be contributing throughout March and into the Final Four, both with content from their Web site and original articles for us. This post originally appeared at BIAH.

By Rob Dauster

During the next two days, we will be taking a team-by-team look at the Final Four.

BUTLER BULLDOGS

Record: 32-4, 18-0 (Horizon)

Star: Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack have been the 'guys' for Butler all season long. Hayward seems destined to be a first-round pick when his Butler career is all said and done, as he is a 6-9 guard who can do it all. Mack is your prototypical power point guard, a 6-3 rock who isn't afraid to take and make a big shot.

Unheralded Hero: Ronald Nored (and to a lesser extent Willie Veasley), is the guy that sets the defensive tone. One of the country's best perimeter defenders, Nored spends his time bodying up an opponent's best backcourt player. For a team that relies as heavily on tough half court defense as Butler does, Nored is as important to their success as either Hayward or Mack. Overall, Butler has a very good group of role players. It is a group of guys that know what they mean to this team, embrace their role, and understand their limitations.

How they got here: Butler probably has the most impressive path to the Final Four. In the first round, Shelvin Mack scored 18 of his 25 points in the second half as Butler overcame a 33-27 halftime deficit as they beat UTEP 77-59. Murray State gave the Bulldogs more of a fight in the second round, but Butler made a late run to take the lead and forced a turnover on the Racers' final possession as they held on for a 54-52 win. In the Sweet 16, Butler knocked off No. 1 seed Syracuse, forcing the Orange into a slow start and using a 10-0 run in the final five minutes to hold on for a 63-59 win. Against Kansas State in the Elite Eight, the Bulldogs shut down the Wildcats' talented back court for much of the game, dominating the glass against a bigger, more athletic team and again using a late surge to win the game.

Three reasons they can win it all:

Defense: Butler is the kind of team you hate to play. They aren't trying to turn you over offensively. They don't overwhelm you with their athleticism. Everything they do on the defensive end is designed to take you out rhythm; to keep you from getting where you want to go offensively. That's why they are giving up just 56.5 points per game during the tournament. The Bulldogs can do it in a variety of ways, tailoring their defense to your strengths offensively. For example, Kansas State runs an offense heavy with ball screens, so Butler jumped every ball screen with their post defender. Butler is a well-prepared, well-coached team on this end of the floor, and they are going to make running offensive sets a nightmare. Ronald's ability to make everything tough on Korie Lucious might be the determining factor in this game.

Poise: You probably would never believe this team has just one senior. This team just doesn't get rattled. In each of their past three games, the Bulldogs have had an opponent make a late run on them to take the lead -- Syracuse did it twice -- and on all three occasions, Butler was able to answer and win the game. That is impressive.

The comforts of home: I'm not buying the whole 'home court advantage' angle that's being played. Michigan State, West Virginia and Duke all travel well and have much bigger fan bases. The game isn't played in Hinkle Fieldhouse on the Butler campus. And Butler's playing in Indianapolis isn't exactly Kentucky's playing in Lexington. That said, the advantage Butler is going to have playing at home is that they get to sleep at home. They get to be on a normal schedule and have a normal routine. For anyone that has traveled -- be it for work, for a sporting event, etc. -- they can attest that living out of a hotel room is never ideal.

Three reasons they won't win:

Final Four experience: Bobby Huggins has been here before. So have Coach K and Tom Izzo. They know what to expect -- the media crush and the increased attention -- and they know how to handle it. Brad Stevens never has been here. In fact, the biggest stage his teams have even played on was probably last weekend's Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games. That is going to pale in comparison to what he and his players face this week.

Matt Howard's fouls: It's been a problem all season long. Howard just always seems to be in some sort of foul trouble. And don't be fooled, Howard is a very important piece to this puzzle. He rebounds, he defends, and he's good for about four or five buckets on the offensive end. He is one of the only players on this roster that is capable of banging on the block with the biggest of the bigs, assuming he is able to stay on the court.

Shooting: Threes. As we all know, the 3-pointer is the great equalizer. Generally when talking about a mid-major advancing or a Cinderella making a run through the tournament, it has something to do with a great shooting performance out of the underdog. Butler just isn't a great shooting team this season. A large part of that has been Gordon Hayward's drop off -- he's down to just 29.5 percent on the season after shooting 44.8 percent as a freshman. Granted, this team doesn't rely on their shooting -- its defense and the ability to make plays down the stretch. But the Bulldogs don't get many offensive rebounds, and thus won't get many second chances, especially against a team like Michigan State. When they get opportunities, they need to capitalize.

You can find more of Rob's writing at Ballin' is a Habit and follow him on Twitter @ballinishabit.

Editor's note: March Madness is too much for any one person to handle, so I'm adding help. The guys behind Ballin' Is a Habit, Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, will be contributing throughout March and into the Final Four, both with content from their Web site and original articles for us. This post originally appeared at BIAH.

By Rob Dauster

The NIT is what it is.

The NIT.

I don't know how many people were watching the semifinal game last night between UNC and URI, but if you were you got to see an entertaining, if ugly, game. I'm not going to get into the details because, well, it's the NIT, but the play everyone is going to be talking about came in the final seconds in overtime.

And it wasn't a buzzer-beater.

UNC was up 68-67 with a five second difference between the shot clock and the game clock. URI opted not to foul, forcing a tough jumper from Larry Drew. Drew missed and Lamonte Ulmer corralled the rebound. As he started to go up court, it looked as if he was tripped from behind by Will Graves.

Take a look here.

As Fran Fraschilla says (and give him credit for ripping the officials), intentional or not, a trip is a foul. Make your own conclusions, but based on the video it seems fairly obvious to me that Graves tripped Ulmer.

Can you imagine the uproar if this happened in the NCAA Tournament? And we all thought Duke was the team that got all the calls.

Anyway, UNC moves on to the NIT Finals on Thursday night against Dayton. If they win, they will become the first team to win an NIT title the year after winning the NCAA championship.

Give Roy Williams credit. With everything his team has been through this season, it's obvious these kids haven't quit playing.

You can find more of Rob's writing at Ballin' is a Habit and follow him on Twitter @ballinishabit.

Editor's note: March Madness is too much for any one person to handle, so I'm adding help. The guys behind Ballin' Is a Habit, Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, will be contributing throughout March and into the Final Four, both with content from their Web site and original articles for us. This post originally appeared at BIAH.

By Rob Dauster

It's not too difficult to figure out that St. John's was looking to make a splash when hiring their new coach.

The school basically offered everyone. Billy Donovan turned down $3 million a year. St. John's AD Chris Monasch couldn't convince Paul Hewitt, and his family, to leave Atlanta. Seth Greenberg passed. Al Skinner didn't fit the bill. Fran McCaffery went to Iowa. Kevin Willard went to Seton Hall to clean up that mess instead.

The Johnnies finally hired a coach, inking Steve Lavin to a six-year deal worth somewhere around $9 million. Yes, that Steve Lavin, who's been an ESPN analyst since 2003. Fans are certainly excited about the hiring, and NYC media members seem optimistic as well.

As I said, St. John's wanted to make a splash. They wanted the media and the fans to be talking about it, and they succeeded. Lavin is a big name and a face people will recognize, but whether or not he is a big time coach deserves to be questioned.

Lavin lucked into the UCLA job. It's that simple. Jim Harrick was fired in November of 1996, and his two lead assistants -- Mark Gottfried and Lorenzo Romar -- had already taken other gigs, The Bruins then turned to Lavin, who at that point was an unproven assistant.

He wasn't terrible at UCLA. He went to five Sweet 16's in seven years. He made the Elite Eight in his first season. He twice put together the No. 1 recruiting class in the country (1998, 2001), signed seven McDonald's All-Americans, and has sent seven players to the NBA.

But there's the problem.

With that much talent coming through his program, the only year he was able to advance beyond the Sweet 16 was his first year, when he was hired a week before the season started. It also was the only time UCLA finished better than third in the Pac-10 during his tenure. They were sixth in the conference his last two seasons, including a 10-19 debacle in 2003.

There is no questioning Lavin's persona -- he's great with the media and is a people person. The guy just oozes charisma.

He's also a California guy with connections up-and-down the West Coast. Anyone that is going to have any kind of success at St. John's has to be able to recruit New York City and the tri-state area. The amount of talent that comes out of the region is impressive, but the politics of recruiting NYC can also be daunting.

How is Lavin going to establish connections with the city's AAU and high school programs?

For Lavin to be successful at St. John's, he needs to do two things. He needs to hire an assistant that is an Xs-and-Os kind of guy -- that was the biggest criticism of his tenure at UCLA -- and he needs to hire a New York guy to recruit.

He basically has a year to do it as well. St. John's has nine scholarship seniors, which is a good thing and a bad thing. It means that Lavin will be coaching a team with experience and maturity, which is just about all you can ask for at a new program.

But it also means he is going to be in a whole lot of trouble if he can't recruit. Nine scholarships is a lot of spots to fill.

I know St. John's is far from the program it was in the 80's, or even in the late 90's. But there is something to be said for New York City's college basketball team. They play in Madison Square Garden. There is history there. It's not crazy to think that this program can be rebuilt.

But for Lavin to do it, he is going to need a quality staff around him. As it is, St. John's is putting a lot of faith in a guy that hasn't coached in the last seven seasons -- which is equivalent to the experience he has as a head coach -- and who has held just one head coaching job where he wasn't overly successful.

This could turn out great for St. John's, but it could also end up being a very expensive mistake.

You can find more of Rob's writing at Ballin' is a Habit and follow him on Twitter @ballinishabit.

The glut of the Final Four stories won't start hitting until Thursday, but there's already plenty to digest.

So let's not waste any time with a long intro.

Begin with Ken Davis' breakdown of all four teams. There are reasons why Duke, West Virginia, Michigan State and Butler each could win the title, reasons why they won't and the X-factors involved. (Ken likes Duke. I'm leaning that way, but am being wooed by the Mountaineers' defense.) He'll be in Indy by Thursday, filing stories and columns.

Rob Dauster has the five most tiresome storylines and the five that deserve more attention.

Who are the players to watch? Got you covered here, though it's worth nothing that this isn't a Final Four loaded with NBA lottery picks. Thus, it's being spun as the "team" Final Four, though I think that shortchanges guys like Devin Ebanks, Gordon Hayward and Kyle Singler. They're all first-round locks. NBA execs would be smart to take another look.

It's also worth re-thinking what you think you know about these four teams. John Gasaway says the Spartans are actually winning with offense, not the defense we normally associate with Tom Izzo's teams. There's more tempo-free stuff to be found here.

West Virginia hasn't been this far since 1959. Leave it to native son Bob Huggins to deliver a long-awaited Final Four berth.

Some Butler students were a bit too hasty in spreading news about where to buy tickets. They're  now on double-secret probation.

Duke's Plumlee brothers, Mason and Miles, are Indiana natives, who will play just 118 miles from their hometown of Warsaw. They ended their high school careers at a N.C. prep school, but the Hoosier state fostered their love for the game. (That Hoosier reference is different than this one.)

In case you didn't know, Michigan State's Durrell Summers is bringing it. Given what he did to Stanley Robinson last year, it's not a huge surprise.

Butler coach Brad Stevens is the youngest coach since Bobby Knight to reach the Final Four. At 88-14, he has more wins than any other coach through his first three seasons. And just think, 10 years ago he was working at pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly.

I can live with NCAA tournament expansion. But re-seeding the Final Four? Pass.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

"The ball just didn't go in."

Twice.

Hours after watching the most head-scratching, thrilling and random finish to a game all season, it's still hard to believe how the Stanford women beat Xavier for a spot in the Final Four.

In case you haven't seen the highlights, here's the two-graph version from the AP:

Jeannette Pohlen drove the length of the court for the game-winning layin as the final buzzer sounded, lifting top-seeded Stanford past third-seeded Xavier 55-53 in the Sacramento Regional final Monday night for a third straight trip to the Final Four.

Xavier's Dee Dee Jernigan missed two wide-open layins in the closing 12 seconds that likely would have sent the Musketeers to San Antonio for their first Final Four.

Much of the attention's been focused on Pohlen's drive, and rightfully so. Not many players go 94 feet in a matter of seconds for a game-winning shot. (Video highlights are here.)

But what I'll remember most is Jernigan, and her missed shots. As much as every athlete (and person, really) dreams of hitting the game-winner, doesn't missing the game-winner loom just as big in their mind? And this was two!

"I was too anxious," Jernigan said afterward. "It was like a kid in a candy store. I was too open and didn't think it was coming out."

Me either, Dee Dee. Me either. Brutal way to end a season.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

North Carolina's not used to this Final Four, but it still has a chance to make history. Sort of.

If the Tar Heels win the men's NIT, they'll be the first team to win the NCAAs and NIT in consecutive years. It's hardly the kind of mark UNC's accustomed to – it's one of the few schools that counts a season without a spot in the Big Dance as a failure – but it's still neat. (If you're into random college hoops trivia, some would grumble.)

Still, the Heels are doing their best to maintain an upbeat attitude.

"We're in a position you never dreamed to find yourself, and a lot of other people never imagined a team like North Carolina would have to play in the NIT," UNC senior Marcus Ginyard told the Associated Press. "But it's just a joy for us to be able to play, and there's where a lot of the change has come. We're just happy to play, and we're more excited and more enthused out there on the court."

That's the attitude, Marcus! After all, winning the NIT still lets you end the season on a high note. Even three of the four schools in the NCAA tournament's Final Four will go home (relatively) disappointed, so what's wrong with winning the NIT?

It's akin to winning a bronze medal in the Olympics. You sleep better because you still have a medal, but don't have to agonize over just missing out on gold.

That's not sarcasm, either. I'm a firm believer in enjoying the success that comes your way, regardless of the stage. Celebrate those conference championships and NIT titles, I say. Keeps you humble and from looking like a jerk to schools that have never won anything.

Besides, there's no sense in stewing over what you don't have. May as well focus on what's ahead.

"To me it's still a championship. You just have to put out of mind it's not what you wanted," Ginyard said. "It speaks to greater life lessons, you know? You're not always going to be given what you want or put in the position that you want, but you just have to do the best you can with what you have."

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

How does one properly capture the emotions that encapsulate a Final Four berth, or even a deep run in the NCAA tournament?

Sure, we can string together game stories and player features and talk to the fans, but it rarely captures that visceral feeling that envelops the lucky players, coaches and fans. But who's the right person for this job?

And I'm not talking about John Feinstein. (He'll do it anyway.)

Who documents these fabulous few weeks for Butler?

Perhaps we should heed Kyle Whelliston's advice – if you are a Butler fan, friend or booster, start writing now. You're the ones who will get it. The rest of us will just be happy to read it.

The man behind The Mid-Majority would seem ideally suited for this task, but between covering the Winter Olympics in Feb. and his previous attempts at capturing runs by George Mason in 2006 and Davidson in 2008, he's ready for someone else to try. In his words:

Who will properly document this Butler 2010 run? Who will write this book? I don't trust these people pointing cameras, professionally or semi-professionally, or tossing off quick columns to satisfy deadlines and casual fans. I certainly don't trust these old newspaper writers in from out of town, for whom the Final Four is a back-slapping vacation. Plumbing through the atmosphere pieces of the last few days, too many of them have too much in common -- the easy popular culture reference. Butler is like that movie, you know, the overly earnest one with the fake Aaron Copland soundtrack, about basketball, in Indiana, and underdogs?*

Really? Are you f------ kidding? That's the best you've got?

It's not a job I'm applying for, even though I've spent plenty of time at Hinkle Fieldhouse this season. (I'd actually like to nominate Luke Winn for this job.)

Luke Winn, SI's hoops writer, would be marvelous. But don't let that dissuade any of the Butler fans, friends or boosters from giving it a shot. We'll all be eagerly waiting.

And awaiting more from Kyle. Remember, it's The Mid-Majority week.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Editor's note: March Madness is too much for any one person to handle, so I'm adding help. The guys behind Ballin' Is a Habit, Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, will be contributing throughout March and into the Final Four, both with content from their Web site and original articles for us. This post originally appeared at BIAH.

By Rob Dauster

The five storylines you are going to be sick of hearing by Saturday

I know I wasn't the only one that was sick of hearing about Omar Samhan's chatty press conferences and how Kentucky and Cornell were redefining race relations with a single basketball game in the week before the Sweet 16 started.

Getty images

Tom Izzo urges on his team.

So which stories will be beaten to a pulp this week?

Tom Izzo is god: Never bet against Izzo in the tournament! Six Final Fours in 12 years! Greatest coach ever!? Yes, Izzo is a fantastic coach. I'm not denying that. But come Saturday you are going to be done reading about it.

The comparison of Butler and the movie Hoosiers: Yeah, yeah, yeah, we're guilty of it already, I know. But it is just too easy! I mean, the connections between Butler and both Hickory High -- the fake state champion -- and Milan High -- the real state champion -- are uncanny. Small schools, Hinkle Fieldhouse, etc.

Duke's return to the Final Four is a conspiracy: The Blue Devils ran through the weakest region of the tournament, advancing as the only No. 1 seed in the Final Four. They were on the receiving end of a couple of beneficial calls in their Elite Eight game as well. Connect the dots, and it can only be a conspiracy to get Duke back to the Final Four for the first time in six years. Right?

Parity and madness: When a mid-major is involved in a Final Four with two five seeds, of course the "parity" of college basketball and the "madness" of March is going to be discussed at length. But remember Duke and West Virginia were two of the five best teams in the country all season. Michigan State and Butler were both top 10-15 teams most of the year. Michigan State's seed no longer matters in March, and Butler was underseeded as a five and has won 24 straight games and 32 on the season. You can't do that if you are not a very good team.

Butler is hosting the Final Four: Yup, Butler is in Indianapolis. The Final Four is in Indianapolis. Not only is Butler the first school to play in the Final Four in its home city since UCLA in 1972, they are also hosting it. Not hosting in the sense that the games are being played in Hinkle, but hosting in the sense that they are throwing the party; Butler is responsible for coordinating a lot of the behind the scenes stuff that happens.

The five story lines that won't get enough play

Everything listed above are the obvious stories. That's not all that is going on in Indy this week.

AP

Nolan Smith scored 29 points vs. Baylor on Sunday.

Nolan Smith and his dad: Nolan Smith lost his father, Derek, when he was only eight-years-old. Derek was playing for the Washington Bullets at the time, and the story of Nolan's path to Duke is pretty inspiring. Derek played college ball for Louisville, and in 1980 he helped the "Doctors of Dunk" to an NCAA title. In an eerie coincidence, it was in Indianapolis, where this year's Final Four will be played.

Joe Mazzulla and his taste for Dukie(s): In 2008, before he injured his shoulder, Joe Mazzulla was the starting point guard for a West Virginia team that advanced to the Sweet 16. In getting there, they upset No. 2 seed Duke, and Mazzulla went bananas, finishing with 13 points, 11 boards, and 8 assists. Mazzulla's shoulder looked as healthy as it has all season long last Saturday against Kentucky, and with Truck Bryants foot situation still being figured out, it looks as if Mazzulla is going to get a lot of minutes on Saturday night.

Where are the NBA Draftees? Believe it or not, there are not a ton of great NBA Draft prospects in this Final Four. Gordon Hayward and Devin Ebanks are likely going to go somewhere in the mid-to-late first round when they eventually leave school. Kyle Singler and Kalin Lucas may both end up first rounders as well. Then there are guys like Kevin Jones, Jon Scheyer, Da'Sean Butler, Raymar Morgan, and a slew of fringe prospects. But no one in this draft class looks destined to be an All-Star, which is interesting because talent is usually the biggest determining factor in the NCAA Tournament. In the last 41 years, the only team that didn't have three guys make it to the league was Syracuse in 2003, and they had Carmelo Anthony and Hakim Warrick.

Bob Huggins the hero? We are so used to hearing about how bad Bobby Huggins is. Whether it is graduation rates or players getting in trouble with the law or Huggs himself getting in trouble, Huggins and his team is usually the villain. Not this season. For the second straight game now, the majority of the country without a dog in the fight will be pulling for Huggy Bear and West Virginia. That should tell you just how much the country as a whole hates John Calipari and Duke.

How long is Brad Stevens going to be at Butler? The guy just took Butler -- Butler -- to the Final Four. He is only 33 years old (and looks like he is 20). I'm sure he is already all over the national radar of the AD's at the major conference schools. I mean, the guy can clearly coach his ass off. He gets his team to play hard and play defense and he recruits above his conference affiliation. Big Ten schools wanted Matt Howard. Gordon Hayward was a bit of an under-the-radar prospect but was still a coup for Stevens to land. Shelvin Mack is from Lexington. Is he the next Mark Few, or will he go the route of the Keno Davises and Jeff Capels of the world and look for a power conference gig?

You can find more of Rob's writing at Ballin' is a Habit and follow him on Twitter @ballinishabit.

Even if Al Skinner doesn't get the St. John's gig, he may be out of a job.

Boston College's coach interviewed with the Johnnies last week, but the Boston Globe reported Monday night that the school may ditch Skinner even if he doesn't get hired.

Ouch.

At least three coaches – Billy Donovan, Paul Hewitt and Seth Greenberg – already passed on St. John's. Skinner was slated as the fourth choice, and a decent one at that. But then ex-UCLA coach and current ESPN analyst Steve Lavin threw his name into the mix.

The result is St. John's may come out with the big-name coach it wanted, while Skinner's looking for another job.

Didn't see that one coming last week.

This doesn't even include Cornell coach Steve Donahue, who would be a worthy candidate, and ex-Siena coach Fran McCaffery, who was hired at Iowa.

There's a complete list of the 2010 coaching changes here. May as well bookmark it. We'll be at this stuff for a while.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Orion/courtesy Everett Collection Coach, how do we get people to understand Butler isn't a bunch of underdogs like our Hickory Hoosiers were in the movie?

Oddsmakers tabbed Duke as the Final Four favorites, but here's a better questions: What's the over/under on "Hoosiers" references in Butler stories? 200? 2,000? Higher?

It's an easy out for writers, who have seemingly mentioned the movie classic in every single Butler story for the last week. I suppose that's how it goes when the Bulldogs' gym – Hinkle Fieldhouse – served as the setting for mythical Hickory High's state championship game.

We're even to the point where some writers admit they're doing the cliché, but can't help it. And the Final Four is still five days away. From the Wall Street Journal:

Let us be the 10,000th person to point out that Butler's home court, Hinkle Fieldhouse, was utilized in the underdog flick "Hoosiers," for the scene in which coach Gene Hackman measured the rim at 10 feet, explained the game was no different to small schools as it was to big schools and then passed a giant bottle of Captain Morgan around to all his players.

Or something like that. It's been a long time since we watched "Hoosiers." We're not worried about this, however, as we're certain every strained, imaginable parallel between that 1986 film and the current Bulldogs will be milked before Saturday's semifinal tipoff.

I suppose that's how it goes when a classic movie and a classic storyline collide. Just know that even Butler's players know it's coming. And some of them can't stand the movie.

As sophomore guard Ronald Nored explained after the win against Kansas State: "At our annual Brad Stevens Butler Basketball Camp we have the movie room," Nored said. "For some reason, every week, we go four weeks straight, four days a week, every day the kids want to watch 'Hoosiers.'

"It's the most annoying thing I've ever experienced in my life."

Perhaps we should all take a cue from CBS Sports.com's Gregg Doyel, who has a better comparison for a team that was never out of the AP Top 25 this season, has won 24 straight games and is favored to beat Michigan State on Saturday:

Butler isn't a Cinderella. Butler is the big bad wolf. Butler isn't Hoosiers. Butler is Jaws.

Fair enough. But can the "Hoosiers" theme still play during the Final Four? I love that song.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

College basketball's All-American team and the NBA's draft lottery don't always mesh.

There are usually multiple players like Tyler Hansbrough, Alando Tucker or Arron Afflalo in the mix. Great college players who the NBA typically overlooks (DeJuan Blair serving as the ideal example from last year; he'd be a lottery pick now.)

This year, there's just one.

John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Evan Turner and Wesley Johnson will be among the top 10 picks. The only one who's not a lottery pick – or even a first-round lock – is Villanova's Scottie Reynolds.

The senior guard supposedly doesn't impress scouts because he's not an elite athlete (code for doesn't have a ridiculous vertical), struggles with his shot selection and is probably a two-guard trapped in a point guard's body.

Maybe those scouts are right, but I would caution overlooking Reynolds. He markedly improved his scoring and shooting – overall and from beyond the the arc – maintained his assist-to-turnover ratio and is an underrated defender. Plus, he hits big shots.

Villanova's early exit didn't help his cause, but that's about the only thing that didn't go right for Reynolds this season.

Random note from Rob Dauster: The second team is all guards and the third team is all forwards (well, one center with Cole Aldrich).

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Monday's most ridiculous story, at least in college basketball, had a sense of déjà vu. A school wants to throw piles and piles of money at Michigan State coach Tom Izzo in the hope of luring him away from East Lansing.

The school? Oregon.

Nothing against the Ducks – who will open a state-of-the-art arena next season – and those bags of cash, but if Kentucky couldn't convince Izzo to leave MSU last season, the odds of Izzo leaving for Eugene are about as good as Kansas winning the national title this season. Yeah, it ain't happening.

But don't expect the story to go away. Izzo's too smart for that.

Last year when his name was bandied about during the Kentucky coaching search, Izzo used it as a platform to elevate his program and boost his recruiting image. For all his March success, he has to work non-stop to convince recruits to play at Michigan State rather than say UNC, Kansas or Michigan.

If you're a Spartans fan, seeing your coach's name stay in the rumor mill isn't easy. But think of it this way: The more recruits see Izzo's name associated with "highest-paid coach" or "highly sought after," the better.

But rest assured, he's not going to coach Oregon.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Butler's spot in the Final Four means more Bally. That's a good thing.

If you find yourself muttering "Bally? What's with Miller now?" it simply means you ignored last week's post regarding the non-BCS schools still playing hoops. Tsk.

Don't worry. I'm a forgiving person who's not afraid of gentle nagging and nudging readers into something they won't regret – like reading The Mid-Majority.

It's one of the best college basketball sites on the Internet and the place for all things not related to schools that play below the red line, a line that usually separates the haves from the have-nots. That means Butler, and that means TMM is essential reading all week.

So consider this the first of your daily reminders to read TMM and the man behind the curtain, Kyle Whelliston. If you're still wondering how the Bulldogs managed to beat Syracuse and K-State, Kyle has the answer. I suggest you spend some time digesting it.

As for Bally, it's not too late to sign up for the club.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

The three-year "chalk" era officially ends with this year's Final Four. With twice as many 5 seeds as 1 seeds still playing, it's one of those years that causes people to re-think their assumptions about seeding, teams and their bracket.

Or just makes you rip up that bracket in frustration.

Yes, this sounds exactly like 2006 when countless articles – and even a few books – were written because two things happened: no 1 seeds made the Final Four and 11-seed George Mason crashed the party.

But don't expect a similar rash of stories this season. For one, Michigan State and Duke are in the Final Four, and both are college hoops powerhouses. Big East tournament champ West Virginia's also there, as is mid-major powerhouse Butler, a team that's shaking any notion of being called a Cinderella.

Still, it's worth looking at just how "chalk-less" this Final Four is compared to the past 25 years. For that, we turn to Kevin Pelton over at Basketball Prospectus. (Chalk refers to favorites advancing in the tournament.)

Keep in mind that '07, '08 and '09 were three of the eight least surprising Final Fours in terms of seeds. All three were filled with favorites. (Click here for the visual representation.) Conversely, this season is the fifth-least "chalky" Final Four.

Year   Avg. seed    No. 1s     Note

2000       5.5               1          Two 8-seeds

2006       5.0               0          No 1-seeds

1986      3.75              2          LSU an 11-seed

1992      3.25              1

2010      3.25              1          Two 5-seeds

Pelton discusses some of the reasons why this year's tournament featured more upsets, raising two important points, both of which I'd agree with:

… looking at the final Pomeroy ratings, there were seven teams rated a .975 or higher in 2007 and five in 2008. This year, with just two teams (Duke and Kansas) reaching that standard, looks a little more like 2006, when the country's best team (Florida) had a .974 Pythagorean winning percentage. Entering the tournament, Duke and Kansas were the lone teams considered heavy favorites in their regions, so when one of those two was knocked off maybe it should not have been a surprise that spots in the Final Four were up for grabs.

Ultimately, the variability of the NCAA Tournament probably boils down to one primary factor: the single-elimination format. Crazy things can happen in a single game, whether it is Kentucky missing 21 consecutive three-pointers or Northern Iowa becoming an offensive juggernaut or Duke making missed shots its best offense. Even if the NCAA expands the tournament, even as the NBA tweaks its rules for eligibility, as long as 40 minutes control teams' fate March is probably destined to be more mad than chalky.

Billy Donovan always referenced that last point, even when the Gators were winning back-to-back national titles. Anything can happen in the NCAA tournament. And does.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

With Duke back in the Final Four for the first time since 2004, be prepared to be inundated with loads of Duke-related stories and columns. What's say we kick things off?

The argument: Duke makes the Final Four more interesting.

Presenting the argument: our columnist Mile Celizic.

The audience: You. And you may be skeptical.

You should read Celizic's column (the link can be found here), though I can sum up his main points.

I'll also remind you (and me, given that I had Baylor in my Final Four) that Celizic did write before the tournament that you shouldn't underestimate the Devils. So there's that.

Anyway, his point centers around that most college basketball fans – casual and die-hards – have definitive feelings about the Devils. You either love 'em or hate 'em, which makes for an ideal TV set-up.

Ambivalence kills sporting events. For example, once my wife's favorite teams are done playing, she's done watching. Judging from college basketball's ratings, she's not the only one who thinks this way.

But she detests the Devils. And now, she has a rooting interest for the Final Four, namely that Duke loses.

Taking the anecdotal evidence once step further, my buddy Alec was an avowed Duke hater growing up and rooted for North Carolina. But I got an email from him the other day explaining that the hate had died a little and that he had respect for Mike Krzyzewski's program and success.

Everybody has an opinion on the Blue Devils. As Celizic writes, they're the Yankees of college hoops: successful and divisive. It's not always easy to pinpoint the reasons, though this article is a good place to start.

So what do you think? Does having Duke in the Final Four make the event more watchable? Cast your vote here, or leave a comment below.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Editor's note: March Madness is too much for any one person to handle, so I'm adding help. The guys behind Ballin' Is a Habit, Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, will be contributing throughout March and into the Final Four, both with content from their Web site and original articles for us. This post originally appeared at BIAH.

By Rob Dauster

It's a shame really.

On a day that saw two fantastic basketball games, two exciting finishes, and our Final Four filled out, the talk after the games had much less to do with the outcome itself than with how we got there.

It started with JP Prince, who was just 48 hours removed from a game saving block against Evan Turner and Ohio State. On Sunday, it looked like he may have had another, as Prince came from the weak side to help on Michigan State's Raymar Morgan, who had slid behind the Tennessee defense.

Prince went up for the block, and upon replay appears to have gotten all ball. Have a look by clicking here.

I've now watched this replay at good 12 times, and I think the referees absolutely made the right call. We can debate all day about whether or not Prince made contact, but Brian Williams absolutely did. If Prince wasn't there and Morgan had been able to go straight up, I bet Williams would have been called for a foul anyway.

The fact of the matter is that he came down full force with his left arm from the peak of his jump and knocked the ball loose with his elbow. Whether there actually was any contact (which I believe there was), the play just looked funny. It looked like it should be a foul. I'm not defending it, and I'm not saying that it is right, but 99 percent of the time a foul is going to be called in that situation.

And to be perfectly honest, Tennessee fans, if you want to complain about anything, complain about Scotty Hopson missing a free throw. Complain about someone -- Williams? -- forgetting to guard Morgan at the rim with under 10 seconds left. That is inexcusable, the kind of dumb, careless play that made people doubt a team with the talent that Tennessee had.

The score was tied with 11 seconds left and Tennessee still had a free throw to shoot. Hopson missed the free throw and Tennessee didn't guard the guy standing under the basket. Getting mad at the ref for calling that foul is like getting mad at the cop that gave you a speeding ticket when you were going 90 in a 55.

And of course, since the second game of the day was Duke-Baylor, you had to have known that there was going to be some sort of referee conspiracy.

There was.

It centers around two separate calls. The first was a charge on Quincy Acy. I'm sure you have all seen it by now but click here to watch the video.

This is about as close as you can get when dealing with a charge/block call. Zoubek might have been a little late getting set, but Acy leans in with his shoulder and his elbow on the play. Tough call either way, and far from an egregious error.

Its effect on the game was minimal as well. Let's be clear: Duke did not win this game because of this one call. Duke won because they got 23 offensive rebounds. Duke won because Baylor played as poorly as they have all season defensively. Duke won because they made their threes – 48 percent -- and Baylor didn't – 28 percent. Duke won because they got four offensive rebounds late in the game that led to three 3-pointers and one three-point play. Duke won because Nolan Smith and Jon Scheyer (49 points, 9-16 threes, 3 turnovers) outplayed LaceDarius Dunn and Tweety Carter (34 points, 4-15 threes, 6 turnovers).

Just like Tennessee, the Baylor players decided this game. Not the refs. 21 fouls were called against Baylor, 15 against Duke (Baylor had to foul down the stretch). The only players to foul out were Zoubek and Josh Lomers, and they foul out all the time.

As far as the Jon Scheyer elbow goes, I think it is ridiculous that Acy got a technical foul and Scheyer didn't. I'm not saying Acy deserved one, either, I just don't think it is right to give a T to the kid coming in to defend his teammate and not to the kid that threw the elbow.

Here's the video.

If Scheyer landed that elbow, what happens?

Keep in mind, however, that this game was already decided when Scheyer started throw them 'bows. Tech or no tech, the only people it effected were the gamblers.

Don't let a disagreement with the way some whistles went ruin what was a couple good games.

You can find more of Rob's writing at Ballin' is a Habit and follow him on Twitter @ballinishabit.