March Madness
Following MSU’s basketball and hockey teams through postseason play.
Check out the Monday Madness Podcast from the State News Sports staff every Monday during post season play.
Recent posts
-
In the end: WNIT quarterfinal match vs. U-M
It was as even as a matchup as the MSU women’s basketball team could have asked for.
The Spartans defeated their cross-state rivals in overtime, 45-40, ending Michigan’s season in the fourth round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament.
-
Countdown to faceoff: MSU vs. Notre Dame
Colorado Springs, Colo. — As someone who’s seen all but six of MSU’s 40 hockey games this season, I can tell you that the two games against Notre Dame in January were two of the most intense, competitive games I watched this season.
-
Silver lining in loss
Teams unfairly paired in NCAA hockey tournament
I am not a fan of the job the selection committee did for this year’s NCAA hockey tournament.
My lone complaint with the field is that Wisconsin made the postseason with a sub-.500 record. That shouldn’t be allowed, especially with other programs barely behind them with better records.
But that doesn’t really upset me as much as how the 16 teams were paired.
Essentially, I’m upset that MSU got shipped out to Colorado Springs, Colo., when it should be playing St. Cloud State in Albany, N.Y.
As it stands now, MSU, the best No. 3 seed, is playing Colorado College, the best No. 2 seed. That’s not how it’s supposed to work.
It should’ve been Clarkson that got shipped out to Colorado. Instead, Michigan is given an absolute cakewalk to the Frozen Four. It’ll destroy Niagara and whoever wins the game between St. Cloud State and Clarkson.
If MSU gets past Colorado College, it’ll have the tough task of facing either No. 1 seed New Hampshire or No. 4 seed Notre Dame. I’d guess New Hampshire. That is no small task, either, even though MSU has had New Hampshire’s number in recent years.
But the truth is, it’s sad when your first-round game looks to be the toughest of the four it would take to win a national title.
Comments
Zoya
03/26/08 @ 11:37pm
I agree. MSU got the shaft as far as their draw for the NCAA tourney, but if any team’s proven to be resilient over these past couple seasons, it’s the Spartan hockey team.
Wow
03/27/08 @ 12:23am
I agree, this was awful draw by the committee. But I’d like to clarify some points, as much as it sucks for MSU as the #3 seed (hopefully they can still pull it off, they did beat UM at Yost this year), what about New Hampshire. You’re a #1 seed and you could possibly play the #2 seed in their own rink?? That’s horrendous! CC should have been shipped off to another region.
And as far as UM, they got the #1 overall seed, that’s what you get when you play that well throughout the season (as much as it pains me to say it).
And Wisconsin making it is probably the biggest joke of them all.
Matt
03/27/08 @ 12:39am
Of course Michigan got an easy route, they were terrific all year. It hurt to get upset by Northern Michigan. Some of your other gripes might be more legitimized but we did what we did. Third in the CCHA and no representation in the semifinals of the playoffs. So, in the end, we got what we probably deserve.
Ford
03/27/08 @ 10:41am
Sense of entitlement or whatever it is, your thinking is flawed. Michigan was number 1 overall, not just “a” number 1. Cakewalk to the Frozen Four doesn’t exist, unless maybe you played Wisconsin every game, and probably not even then. Michigan State didn’t play well when it should have, and shouldn’t be rewarded. I agree that playing a Colorado team on its home makes no sense, but (since we’re looking at the “cakewalk” Michigan gets) Michigan didn’t get to play in Grand Rapids last year, and MSU did. Sometimes the scheduling is unfair, but MSU has never been the only team adversely affected, and MSU honestly probably didn’t earn anything better. Certainly I don’t think the team earned another early shot at playing Michigan, which I think you’re suggesting.
Josh
04/09/08 @ 1:51pm
Yes, going by the pairwise, it should have been MSU that was in the regional that Michigan was in. The NCAA chose to “protect” it’s top 2 seeds, especially Michigan. It didn’t work so well for the paper-champ RedHawks, but the committee DID try to give them the second easiest route. I prefer to think that protecting Michigan was just the committees way of making sure that 4 WCHA teams didn’t make the Frozen Four again. ;)