Msu - ut

[SFP]

MSU players sure can set screens!

I expect MSU to pull away 2nd 1/2 with 5 minutes left. MSU is playing quite physical and going to their bench while keeping it close. I do not see TN able to keep the same energy against MSU for the entire 40 minutes.

[thefish7]

I wish msu would have played D like that against uni.

[SFP]

I wish msu would have played D like that against uni.

UNI does not have the quickness that TN has.

[thefish7]

That's probably true but doesn't explain all those easy back doors that TN executed in the first half.

[SFP]

That's probably true but doesn't explain all those easy back doors that TN executed in the first half.

TN is a team that goes for the unexpected, sometimes it work and other times it does not. Also MSU has to play TN a bit tighter which opens up those plays.

[thefish7]

Tn got the mo but for a huge and 1 play for draymond green.

[SFP]

Fatigue will play a role when this is all said and done.

[SFP]

I'm not sure about the miss FT attempt while TN had a TO?

[SFP]

Well it worked out and even the announcer said fatigue had something to do with that last foul!

[SFP]

BTW If TN had 1 or 2 players more off the bench they would have won. That little car incident early in the season cost them the Final 4, IMO.

[thefish7]

I'm not sure about the miss FT attempt while TN had a TO?

I think it was a reasonable call since tns shot was going to be a 3.

[tornado]

Awesome game,

Kinda glad MSU won - Izzo is such a great coach and Bruce Pearl is a cheater...
surprising none of the players were wearing ankle bracelet monitors...
anyway the Tennessee fans thought they were robbed on every call for 2 straight hours...it got kinda old in a hurry....
sat in the row right behind Magic Johnson....really fun time....saw some great posters there -- shout out to Big Mike...

Should be a fun Final Four....

[Bravesfan]

Awesome game,

Kinda glad MSU won - Izzo is such a great coach and Bruce Pearl is a cheater...
surprising none of the players were wearing ankle bracelet monitors...
anyway the Tennessee fans thought they were robbed on every call for 2 straight hours...it got kinda old in a hurry....
sat in the row right behind Magic Johnson....really fun time....saw some great posters there -- shout out to Big Mike...

Should be a fun Final Four....

Agreed! I am really glad Pearl did not make it to the Final Four.

For those who don't know the backstory, Bruce Pearl was involved in a recruiting scandal in 1989 between Illinois and Iowa when he was an assistant coach at Iowa. Deon Thomas ultimately chose Illinois, which obviously didn't sit well with Pearl. In retaliation, Pearl recorded a conversation with Thomas in which he asked Thomas if he was offered and SUV and cash by then Illinois assistant coach Jimmy Collins. Thomas stated that this was true, and then Pearl proceeded to forward the tape to the NCAA. After it was determined that the "proof" offered by Pearl was insufficient for punishment, Illinois still was hit with several recruiting restrictions and was banned from the postseason for one year after the investigation uncovered other violations. Needless to say, Pearl's attempt at retaliation blew up in his face, and caused irreparable damage in the relations between him and anyone associated with Illinois men's basketball. And Dick Vitale stated that Pearl committed "career suicide" because of this incident. At the very least, Pearl's reputation was damaged and remains one of the prime reasons why he is so disliked outside of Tennessee.

Of course Jimmy Collins has never forgiven him either as they never shook hands during the four years they coached in the Horizon League together (Collins at UIC, and Pearl at Wisc.-Milwaukee). And to aggrevate matters, the fact that Pearl has cheated in obtaining other recruits is the other big factor on why he is disliked so much.

Now on the surface I could take Pearl's side if he sincerely wanted to report a recruiting violation at another school which in most cases would be a good thing. But it's quite clear that wasn't his intent. He only ratted out Illinois out of spite because he was upset that his team didn't snatch this prize recruit, and since then he himself has violated far more rules than Illinois ever did! So not only is he a rat, he's a downright cheat and a liar. So thankfully we won't have to see him in the Final Four for at least this year!

I'm sure Les Grobstein on the Score in Chicago will have some choice words about Pearl (and Kentucky as well) tonight as he hates that guy with a passion!

[tornado]

Bruce Pearl also cheated & tampered with and lured Bradley's Joah Tucker from Molinari's last team to leave BU and transfer to UW-M.
He also seems to have the most players with arrests for drugs and guns...up there with Calipari, and Huggins.

[Bravesfan]

Bruce Pearl also cheated & tampered with and lured Bradley's Joah Tucker from Molinari's last team to leave BU and transfer to UW-M.
He also seems to have the most players with arrests for drugs and guns...up there with Calipari, and Huggins.

Oh, forgot about Tucker. Well, another reason to hate this guy!

And while I'm glad Huggins knocked Calipari and Kentucky out of the tourney, I'm hoping Duke does the same to Huggins this upcoming weekend.