I want an apology.
I want an apology from the NCAA selection committee and I want one now.
Even though the committee members did as much as they could to get an All-ACC Final Four by awarding No. 1 seeds to three Atlantic Coast Conference teams — probably while humming “Fight Blue Devils” as they drooled over the ACC tournament bracket — they failed.
They failed because they were wrong.
The ACC’s basketball teams were overrated and over-seeded this year.
No. 2 seed Michigan State proved that Sunday when it beat mighty No. 1 overall — OVERALL — seed Duke, 68-67, in the Elite Eight.
More on MSU:
Matt McQuaid avoids Final Four scarlet letter
MSU vs. Texas Tech in Final Four: Scouting report, prediction
This wasn’t only sweet proof that MSU was robbed of a No. 1 seed by, you know, merely winning a share of the Big Ten regular season title and winning the Big Ten tournament over a fellow No. 2 seed in Michigan. It also was proof that the NCAA’s selection committee is deeply flawed and biased toward the ACC.
MSU’s victory over Duke also represented something else. Something we already know about ourselves in the Midwest and how the world works.
Because while the ACC darlings dance their way down the gilded path of Tobacco Road every March, teams like Michigan State are left having to swerve through their tournament pothole hell we know all too well in our state.
Nick Ward goes down? Get out, fix the flat, move on. Kyle Ahrens takes a gruesome spill? Move to the shoulder and move on. Joshua Langford is lost early in the season? Wait for help to arrive and move on.
Because if there’s something else we learned about No. 2 MSU’s victory over No. 1 Duke, it’s that no matter how many one-and-done stars like Zion Williamson and Kyrie Irving a star-studded program trots out, basketball is a game that is played at its best and highest levels through cooperation and complement, and not through the conspicuous achievement of one or two people.
Duke has been the poster child for the committee’s favoritism and seeding inflation. At one point in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Blue Devils received a No. 1 seed eight out of nine years. The only year the Blue Devils weren’t canonized by the committee they were given a lowly No. 3 seed. For shame!
On Sunday, MSU exposed Duke and the selection committee by putting together a wonderful, complete, holistic team victory. When Matt McQuaid posterizes your program, you’ve been exposed.
Just like North Carolina was exposed. The No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region got dumped like a bad habit by No. 5 seed Auburn in the Sweet 16, 97-80.
Exposed!
I even have serious doubts about the selection committee’s third ACC darling, Virginia, the No. 1 seed in the South. It almost feels like the selection committee gave the Cavaliers a top seed mulligan after they were embarrassed last year by becoming the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed, Maryland Baltimore-County. And exactly not by a little: 74-54.
The selection committee’s reaction?
“Meh. Here’s another No. 1, boys! Get 'er done, Cavs! Ahem, we mean good luck, you fine student-athletes.”
Virginia responded by narrowly avoiding an upset in a 53-49 win over No. 12 seed Oregon in the Sweet 16.
More:
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Virginia survived by beating No. 3 seed Purdue (Big Ten co-champs, by the way) in overtime in the Elite Eight. But I’m convinced Purdue would have won if it hadn’t had to play its second straight overtime game after beating No. 2 Tennessee in the Sweet 16.
Is "survive and advance" really supposed to be a rallying cry of a No. 1 seed?
So I want an apology. Even if I have to wait until next year’s selection committee emerges from its ACC man cave with No. 1 seeds for Duke, North Carolina, Virginia and Louisville to get it.
Contact Carlos Monarrez at cmonarrez@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @cmonarrez.
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2019/04/01/ncaa-selection-committee-apology-acc-michigan-state/3334365002/
2019-04-01 20:15:00Z
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