Cards Look to Make Hoosier Home in Indy

Heading to the second weekend for the second straight season, the Louisville Cardinals finally appear to have home court on their side. A year removed from an 83-73 loss to North Carolina in a regional final that was only “neutral” in name, the Cards head to Indianapolis and look to bring a heavy contingent of caravanning fans in tow. Can Louisville take advantage of the short drive and turn Lucas Oil Stadium into Freedom Hall north? Can Arizona continue to play to their talented potential with the pro trio of Budinger/Wise/Hill? Which team is likely to emerge from the other Midwest semifinal?

We find out in our Regional Revue.

Midwest Regional – Indianapolis, IN
#12 Arizona Wildcats (Pacific-10 Conference)
2008-2009 Record: 21-13 (9-9 Pac-10)
Key Players: F Jordan Hill (18.4ppg, 11.0rpg, 54.5% FG), F Chase Budinger (17.9ppg, 6.3rpg, 3.4apg, 65 3-pt. FG), G Nic Wise (15.7ppg, 4.6apg, 64 3-pt. FG)
Mini Preview: For interim coach Russ Pennell, Arizona’s Sweet 16 epiphany may have come at just the perfect time… even if it doesn’t do a thing for his job future. The man responsible for returning the Wildcats to the Sweet 16 is widely considered out at postseason’s end, in favor of any number of head coaches (ie, Rick Pitino) depending on your source. But while Pennell still holds the reigns of this team, he’s doing his absolute best to pull a Mike Davis and give the UA athletic department something to think about. With Nic Wise turning into an ’09 Mike Bibby and Jordan Hill doing his best Channing Frye impersonation, Zona has become the talented, dangerous team that their top three players suggested it should be all along. With Chase Budinger stuffing the stat sheet (35 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists in wins over Utah and Cleveland State), the Cats are anything but a 12-seed looking at their top trio. The problem for Zona lies in consistency and in depth, however. A considerable drop-off in production, talent, and experience follows Wise, Budinger, and Hill, with three freshman and two sophomores providing the remaining minutes and stats. Only four other players average double digit minutes for the Cats, with none putting up more than 7ppg, 5rpg, or 2apg. Arizona is just 2-9 on the road while going 14-3 at home this season.
Did You Know?: Only one Arizona reserve saw double digit minutes in the team’s opening-weekend victories over Utah and Cleveland State. Sophomore G Zane Johnson played 28 minutes and scored 5 points combined in those wins, accounting for every bench point from the Wildcats. Total bench statline in Rounds 1 & 2: 5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 0 blocks in 46 total minutes.

#2 Michigan State Spartans (Big Ten Conference)
2008-2009 Record: 28-6 (15-3 Big Ten Champions)
Key Players: G Kalin Lucas (14.6ppg, 4.5apg, 81% FT), F Raymar Morgan (10.7ppg, 5.5rpg, 55% FG), C Goran Suton (9.4ppg, 8.0rpg)
Mini Preview: The Spartans seem to be getting hot at just the right time… exactly the way head coach Tom Izzo likes it and usually does it. Already the Big Ten’s most potent offense (if that isn’t an oxymoron), MSU hit nearly 45% of its field goal attempts in dispatching Robert Morris and USC… including a big offensive afternoon from an unexpected source. Travis Walton (5.3ppg, 3.2apg in 27.9mpg), the light-scoring defensive stopper for the Spartans, scored a season-high 18 points Sunday in the team’s 74-69 win over Southern Cal. The Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year hit 8-of-13 attempts from the field to go with the usual shutdown D of USC’s potent guard duo, limiting Daniel Hackett & Dwight Lewis to “three shots” by his own post-game accounts. That was in addition to the shooting exploits of top reserves Chris Allen and Durrell Summers, who combined for 32 points in the pair of victories while connecting on 7-of-15 three-pointers. But unexpected scoring exploits aside, the Spartans still go as Kalin Lucas and Raymar Morgan do. The lead duo averaged just 20.2 combined points in the team’s 6 losses this season, more than five points below their combined season averages. When Lucas and Morgan are producing and big man Goran Suton is clogging the lane and dominating the glass (11.0rpg in last 5), Michigan State is a very tough out for any team. The Spartans will need to take better care of the ball this weekend with potential meetings with the high-speed Jayhawks and ball-hawking Cardinals on top for a team that ranks 198th in turnover percentage (20.7%).
Did You Know?: Tom Izzo has guided the Spartans to the Sweet 16 in 8 of the past 12 seasons. Only Duke has claimed more in the same time frame, moving to the second weekend 10 times in the past 12 NCAA Tournaments.

#3 Kansas Jayhawks (Big XII Conference)
2008-2009 Record: 27-7 (14-2 Big XII Champions)
Key Players: G Sherron Collins (18.9ppg, 5.0apg, 75 3-pt. FG), C Cole Aldrich (14.8ppg, 11.0rpg, 60.3% FG)
Mini Preview: A year removed from Mario Chalmers’ clutch 3-pointer and thrilling overtime national title victory, Kansas is hardly the defending champs based on its current roster. At least Bill Self wants you to believe that. Without a single returning starter and only two contributors back (Collins, Aldrich), the Jayhawks have returned to the second weekend as Big XII champs in a season that surprised even the biggest Kansas fans. After a shaky OOC schedule which saw losses to Syracuse, UMass, Arizona, and Michigan State, the Jayhawks ran off 8 straight victories to open the conference slate and propel the team to its fifth straight Big XII title. With Sherron Collins becoming a star (57 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists in wins over North Dakota State and Dayton) in the Kansas back-court and Cole Aldrich (18ppg, 16.5rpg, 6.0bpg in the tourney) looking like the Big XII’s version of Hasheem Thabeet, Kansas suddenly has the most formidable inside-outside duo left standing in the tournament. Much like Arizona, however, Kansas struggles to find a supporting cast behind their two-headed monster and is susceptible to big problems should either have an off night or encounter foul trouble. Collins and Aldrich have combined for 65% of the team’s scoring in the tournament so far, with no other Jayhawk scoring more than 12 points total in the first two games. In 6 of the team’s 7 losses this season, Kansas failed to score more than 65 points (nearly 12 below their season average of 76.8) while Collins and Aldrich combined to average just 27.4ppg (6.3ppg below their combined season average). Freshmen Marcus Morris and Tyshawn Taylor seem most likely to come up with a big game, but the jitters of playing on the big stage as first-year players makes them a shaky proposition with a Final Four berth potentially on the line.
Did You Know?: Cole Aldrich’s triple-double versus Dayton was the first official triple-double in Kansas basketball history, although Wilt Chamberlain has been credited by some historians with two triple-doubles before blocks were an official statistic. Aldrich’s 3-2 was the first in the NCAA Tourney since Dwyane Wade put up 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists in an 83-69 Elite Eight victory over Kentucky in 2003.

Picks: Cards over Arizona, Kansas over Michigan State