Creighton Goes to 4-0 Behind Doug McDermott's 33 Points, 15 Boards

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, November 23, 2013

When basketball scouts and pundits start making up lists of the top pro prospects, there's going to be one name at or near the top of all of them: Creighton's Doug McDermott.

The 6'8" senior forward is not only a scoring machine, but a tireless rebounder, great passer and team leader. McDermott's been a mainstay at College Hoops Daily, named as player of the day seven times, including Saturday's 33-point, 15-rebound effort in an 82-72 win over Tulsa, sending the Golden Hurricane to their fourth loss without a win, while the Blue Jays improved to 4-0 on the season.

McDermott missed his first four shots, but still finished 9-for-17 from the field. Scoring just 12 in the first half, Creighton was clinging to a one-point lead at the break (42-41), but McDermott took control in the second half, pumping in 21, including three treys, as the Blue Jays pulled away for the victory. McDermott made 12 of 15 from the line, adding a couple of steals and two assists.

The Blue Jays return to action this coming Thursday night against Arizona State as part of the Wooden Legacy in Fullerton, California, a game that will air nationally on ESPN2.

Kyle Anderson's Triple-Double Propels UCLA to 4-0

College Hoops Player of the Day for Friday, November 22, 2013

At 6'9", UCLA sophomore Kyle Anderson is a match-up nightmare. When he is dishing the ball to teammates - in addition to his own scoring and rebounding - the Bruins become a dynamic offensive force, as was evidenced in their 81-70 win over Morehead State, their fourth win without a loss.

Anderson scored 13 points, to go with 12 boards and 11 assists, many of his passes finding fellow sophomore, Jordan Adams, who lit up the Eagles for a career-high 30 points.

As a freshman, Anderson had eight double-double performances, always with scoring and rebounding; this was the first triple-double of his career. He's always been on the lookout for open shooters, as he had 3.5 assists per game last season as a freshman. This season he's leading the Bruins wirh eight assists per game. Other career highlights include a 21-point, 17-rebound and 7-assist night in a win over Fresno State last December.

UCLA's next game is Sunday, against the Chattanooga Mocs. More definitive tests come later: November 29, against Northwestern, December 7, at Missouri, and December 19, when they meet the Duke Blue Devils at Madison Square Garden in the Carquest Auto Parts Classic.

Kendall Williams Leads #19 New Mexico in 2OT Thriller at Charleston Classic

College Hoops Player of the Day for Thursday, November 21, 2013

The Charleston Classic turned out to be just that Thursday afternoon, as 19th-ranked New Mexico outlasted a stubborn UAB squad to win a thriller in double overtime, 97-94.

Kendall Williams led the Lobos with 29 points and nailed a three-pointer with the clock running down to zeroes to force the first overtime period.

Alex Kirk scored the final five points for New Mexico in the first OT, including a three-pointer with 2.2 seconds left that extended the game into another five-minute extra period.

UAB's Todd Frazier led all scorers with 34 points, but it was Williams who provided the key plays for the win, hitting Cleveland Thomas for an open three-pointer with 39 seconds left in the second overtime. Thomas' bucket put the Lobos up by three and UAB could not overcome the lead as time ran down.

A senior guard, Williams flirted with a triple double, dishing 10 assists with six rebounds. He's the leading scorer for 3-0 New Mexico this season, averaging 22 points per game, increasing his average scoring output each season he's been with the Lobos.

Williams was 8-for-18 from the field, including 4-for-8 from downtown, adding nine points from the foul line where he made nine of 10.

UAB dropped their first game of the season after three wins; the Lobos remain unbeaten and face the unbeaten (4-0) Massachusetts Minutemen Friday afternoon at 2:30 pm ET in one of the tournament's semi-final match-ups. On the other side of the bracket, Davidson and Clemson meet in the other semi-final game, 9:30 pm ET.

The final is Sunday afternoon at TD Arena in Charleston, SC, following the consolation game.

Dylon Cormier Pours in 34 Points as the Loyola Greyhounds Improve to 4-0

College Hoops Player of the Day for Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Developing a knack for the dramatic, senior guard Dylon Cormier and Maryland's Loyola Greyhounds improved to 4-0 on the season with their second overtime win, an 89-83 victory over UMBC (University of Maryland Baltimore City), Wednesday night in Baltimore.

Cormier matched his season-high with 34 points, a number he also reached ten days ago when the Greyhounds won at Cornell, 93-89, also in overtime.

In the win over UMBC, Cormier was 12-for-22 from the field, 9-for-13 from the foul line, had 10 boards, two assists and two steals in 44 minutes of floor time. He leads the Greyhounds in scoring, averaging 28.3 ppg, after averaging 13.4 as a sophomore and 16.4 last season.

The win was the third on the road for the Greyhounds and the start of a four-game road stretch. They won't be at home again until December 19th.

The Greyhounds run in the relative obscurity of the Patriot League. Their next game is November 26 at the University of Connecticut.

Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky Shatters School Record with 43 Points in Badger Victory

College Hoops Player of the Day for Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Ranked #12 in the latest AP poll, the Wisconsin Badgers appear to be building a force in the Big Ten, ready to challenge a loaded field of Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Indiana when the conference schedule begins in January.

For now, Wisconsin is cruising through a solid non-conference schedule and are 4-0. Having already bettered St. John's, Florida and Wisconsin-Green Bay, the Badgers welcomed North Dakota into the Kohl Center for some hoops, coming away with a 103-85 victory.

Led by Frank Kaminsky's school-record 43 points, the Badgers rained down threes on the visitors, six of them from Kaminsky, who made all of his long-range shots and was 16-for-19 overall.

While he was kept busy scoring in his 28 minutes of court time, Kaminsky managed to haul in three boards and a steal. Totaling 21 in the first half and 22 in the second, Kaminsky, a junior forward whose previous high this season was a mere 16 points, shattered his own personal high and put up more points than any Division-I player this season.

His effort overshadowed the 39-point barrage put up by Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart, in the #7 Cowboys' 101-80 win over #11 Memphis.

Kaminsky, a seven-footer, displayed a deft touch from long range, adding five of six from the foul line.

Next up for the Badgers is another home game against Bowling Green, this Thursday night.

Seten Hall Cruises past Monmouth, 82-66, on Patrik Auda's Double-Double

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, November 18, 2013

Despite mass defections of perennially-high-ranked teams, the Big East is far from being a dead conference.

Additions like Butler, Creighton and Xavier added depth and teams that remained, like Seton Hall (3-1) give the conference substantial balance.

After an unlikely loss Saturday to Mercer, the Pirates bounced back against another New Jersey team, Monmouth, with an 82-66 trouncing. racing off to a 38-25 lead at the half, Seton Hall was never headed.

Junior forward, Patrik Auda, filled up the stat sheet with aplomb, scoring a career-high 27 points, to go with 10 boards, two steals and two blocked shots.

An import from the Czeck Republic, Auda played sparingly last season, but now, fully healthy, adds muscle and versatility to the Pirates' front court. Auda was 8-for-9 on the night, canning both of his three-point attempts, in addition to being a perfect 9-for-9 from the stripe.

Seton Hall shot a sharp 53% from the field, holding the Hawks to just 40%. Auda's double-double was his first of the season, accomplished in a mere 22 minutes of playing time.

Olivier Hanlon Goes Off for 38 Points in Boston College Win

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, November 17, 2013

Opening the season with three straight losses, the Boston College Eagles got their first win with an 82-79 win over Florida Atlantic

Needing every bit of Olivier Hanlon's season-high 38 points, BC scored the win in the second round of the 2K Sports Classic at Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

Hanlon, a 6'4" sophomore guard, was 11-for-19 from the floor, knocking down four of 10 three-pointers. He also canned 12 of 14 from the line, scoring 15 of his 38 points in the final 8:53 of the game.

Hanlon's scoring deluge ties Pendarvis Williams of Norfolk State and Drake's Richard Carter for the most points in a single game this season.

A career high of 41 points was put up by Hanlon in the opening round of last season's ACC tournament, an 84-64 win over Georgia Tech.

Boston College's leading scorer, Hanlon is averaging 24.5 points per outing, after going for 15.4, on average, last season.

The Eagles will be looking for their second consecutive win when they meet #19 UConn, Thursday night.

NOTABLE: #12 North Carolina was stunned by Belmont, 83-80, Sunday, in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off, when J.J. Mann dropped in a three-pointer with 13.1 seconds left. It was the first defeat of the season for the 2-1 Tar Heels. Belmont, out of the Ohio Valley conference, improved to 3-1.

DePaul's Cleveland Melvin Powers Blue Demons past Wright State

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, November 16, 2013

With so many teams fleeing the Big East (Syracuse, Louisville, Uconn, others), the remaining squads feel they have a legitimate chance at either winning the conference or getting an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament in March.

Such is the case of DePaul, often an NIT afterthought when struggling through the Big East schedule, but now 2-1, after knocking off Wright State, 81-72.

Placing four players in double figures, the Blue Demons were led by senior forward Cleveland Melvin's 23 points and 13 rebounds, the kind of numbers Melvin's been putting up in his four years at DePaul, scoring in double figures each season.

A force in the paint, the 6'8" Melvin was 8-for-10 from the field, stepped back to make one of two from three-point range and was six-for-six from the foul line. Four of his game-high 13 boards were on the offensive end.

DePaul shot 54.5% from the field and out-rebounded the Raiders, 34-19.

If DePaul means to make noise in the reshuffled Big East conference, they'll have to do well against holdovers Georgetown, Marquette and Villanova, as well as newcomers, Xavier, Creighton and Butler.

For now, the Blue Demons will be content with their non-conference schedule, which includes games against Wichita State, Oregon State and Airzona State, before opening Big East play on December 31, at Georgetown.

Adreian Payne Leads Michiagn State to 62-53 Win over Columbia

College Hoops Player of the Day for Friday, November 15, 2013

After Michigan State topped #1 Kentucky on Tuesday night, 78-74, there was little doubt that the Spartans would be ranked number one in the next poll, due out on Monday, November 18.

One little problem: the Spartans had a Friday night home game against the Columbia Lions, and, while they were expected to easily defeat the pushovers from the Ivy League, they still had to go out onto the court and play the game... you know, pass the ball, put ball into hoop, rebound, al that stuff.

After twenty minutes of an uninspired first half, the Spartans found themselves on the short end of a 26-22 score, and that, after taking an immediate, 9-0, lead in the first four minutes. For the next 16 minutes of the first half, Michagan State was outscored 26-13.

Coach Tom Izzo was obviously unpleased with the effort, but things went better for the Spartans in the second twenty minutes. Led by senior forward Adreian Payne, who scored 17 of his game-high 26 points in the second half, the Spartans - still a little sluggish - finally tied the score at 44-all midway through the second half and outscored the Lions 18-9 down the stretch for a not-so-magnificent, 62-53, victory.

In addition to his 26 points, Payne snatched 11 rebounds, made two steals and blocked three shots in 33 minutes of floor time. Only three Spartans were in double figures, and, they were surprisingly out-rebounded by Columbia, 31-27. The Spartans made no three-pointers (0-for-7), but caused 17 Lion turnovers while only coughing up the ball 11 times themselves. The game was really won on the foul line, where Michigan State was 22-for-30, as opposed to Columbia's paltry 8-for-11.

Next up for the 3-0, soon-to-be=#1 Spartans is another home game, Monday night against the Portland Pilots. That one is not supposed to be much of a problem either.

Pendarvis Williams Leads Norfolk State over Newberry with 38 Points

College Hoops Player of the Day for Wednesday, November 13, 2013

The Spartans of Norfolk State won their first game of the season Wednesday night, breaking open a tight contest in the second half for a 115-95 win over the Newberry Indians.

Leading by just three points at the half, 51-48, the Spartans pulled away with 64 second half points, led by Pendarvis Williams, who led all scorers with a career-high 38 points, tying Richard Carter of Drake for the most scored in a single game this season. Carter's effort was just four days ago, on November 9.

Williams, a 6'6" senior from Philadelphia who averaged 14.3 points per game, was 14-for-19 from the floor, canning five of eight threes and knocking down five of six from the stripe. He added four assists and seven rebounds to his impressive totals. Williams is tied with Eddie Morales in team assists, averaging six per game.

UNC Greensboro Falls to East Carolina, Despite 34 from Freshman Tevon Sadler

College Hoops Player of the Day for Tuesday, November 12, 2013

While hoops fans were focused on the Champions Classic Michigan State topped Kentucky, 78-74; Kansas beat Duke, 94-85 - Tevon Sadler was lighting up the East Carolina Pirates for 34 points, five assists and eight boards.

Unfortunately, Sadler's effort was not enough to forestall an 85-84 Pirate victory over UNC Greensboro. The Spartans had a 10-point lead at the half, but could not hold off East Carolina, which outscored them 55-44 in the second half.

Sadler, a 6'4" freshman guard, was 10-for-15 from the field and 14-for-19 from the stripe.

Doug McDermott Goes for 37 Points in Creighton Win over UMKC

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, November 11, 2013

As the top returning scorer from last season, Doug McDermott doesnt have much to prove to the college basketball world; he's done most of that over his three years as a Creighton Bluejay.

After scoring a pedestrian 20 points in Creighton's 107-61 win over Alcorn State Friday night, McDermott was back in superstar mode with 37 against the UMKC Kangaroos in a routine, 96-70 victory.

Hitting 15 of 25 shots from the field - including 5-for-10 on three-pointers - McDermott felt he shoudl have made more shots, not exactly what future Creighton opponents want to hear.

As Crieghton dominated the score and the boards, the 6;8" senior forward grabbed seven rebounds. The Bluejays out-rebounded the Kangaroos, 51-35 amd hit 51.5% of their shots, to 37.7% for UMKC (University of Missouri - Kansas City).

McDermott's 37 were the second-most scored in a single game this season, just a point behind Drake's Richard Carter's effort from Saturday.

Tuning up for their first season in the reconstructed Big East, the Bluejays next take to the hardwood on Saturday, November 16 at St. Joseph's.

Kendrick Perry Leads Youngstown State Penguins to Kennesaw State Tourney Title

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, November 10, 2013

Senior guard, Kendrick Perry, brought down the house on Eastern Kentucky in the final round of the Kennesaw State Tournament in Kennesaw, Georgia, with a stunning performance, canning 11 of 19 shots from the field, including four of nine from three-point range as Youngstown State sent Eastern Kentucky to their first loss of the season, 75-67.

Flirting with a triple-double, Perry added nine boards and seven assists, helping the Penguins establish a 36-26 lead at the half, and later scoring five straight points to put Youngstown ahead by seven points in the waning minutes of the game.

Youngstown State, expected to finish somewhere in the middle of the pack in the Horizon League, won all three of their games in the tournament, topping host Kennesaw State in the opening round, 73-57, Friday; taking out FIU, 74-72, in overtime on Saturday; and defeating Eastern Kentucky in the final, Sunday afternoon. The Colonels, expected to be a powerhouse in the Ohio Valley this season, proved to be no match for Perry and the Penguins.

Perry had 66 points, 18 rebounds and 17 assists over the three tourney games. An all-purpose, six-foot guard, Perry averaged 17.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.9 steals last season.

Drake Survives with 61-59 Win as Richard Carter Pours in 38 Points

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, November 9, 2013

The Missouri Valley Conference has been dominated in recent years by Wichita State, Creighton and Northern Iowa, but the Drake Bulldogs got off to a positive start with a 61-59 victory at Illinois-Chicago for new head coach Ray Giacoletti.

Richard Carter scored a career-best 38 points as Drake hung on to escape on Saturday. Drake established a nine-point lead over the Flames with eight minutes left, but had to hold on to survive a furious comeback which ended when a last-second shot rimmed out.

Carter, a 5'11" senior from Detroit who averaged less than 10 points per game last season, hit 12 of 17 from the field and was 12-for-12 from the foul line. Hitting two of four from three-point range, Carter helped out with three rebounds and four steals. His 38 points is the most scored in Division-I so far this season.

The Bulldogs last won the Missouri Valley title and tournament in the 2007-08 season, when they went to the NCAA tournament, finishing with a school record of 28-5. Drake was 15-17 last season and 7-11 in conference competition.

The Bulldogs play their first home game Tuesday night, when they host Iowa Wesleyan.

Kentucky Cruises, 89-57, on Julius Randle's 23 Points, 15 Boards

College Hoops Player of the Day for Friday, November 8, 2013

Touted as possibly the best freshman class ever assembled, John Calipari's Kentucky Wildcats took to the hardwood for the first time in the 2013-14 season Friday night, proving to any skeptics that the fabulous freshman class was going to deliver, possibly beyond expectations.

Led by Juluis Randle's 23 points and 15 rebounds, the Wildcats, after a somewhat disorganized first half, took a 41-31 lead at the break and ran away in the second half for an 89-57 victory, outscoring the visiting bulldogs, 48-26, over the final 20 minutes.

Randle, a 6'9", 250 lb. freshman beast out of Prestonwood Christian High School in Dallas, Texas, dominated the interior, grabbing five offensive rebounds and 10 off the defensive glass. Though he shot just 6-for-12 from the field, he was frequently fouled in his 26 minutes of floor time, canning 11 of 13 free throws, showing a deft touch for a big man.

Four other Kentucky players scored in double figures, led by Randle's 23.

The Wildcats were ranked #1 in all preseason polls, apparently for good reason. The team, one of the youngest ever assembled, carries nine freshmen, two sophomores and just five upperclassmen.

Kentucky will have another tune-up on Saturday, when they host Northern Kentucky at Rupp Arena prior to their showdown with #2 Michigan State on Tuesday night, in the opening game of the Champions Classic at Chicago's United Center. As part of an early season double-header, the second game features #4 Duke, meeting #5 Kansas.

The Spartans hammered McNeese State, 98-56, Friday night in their season opener. Duke routed Davidson, 111-77; the Jayhawks opened their season with an 80-63 win over Louisiana-Monroe.

College Hoops 2013-14 Season Tips Tonight!

College hoops is kicking off on a Friday night, an unusual move, given that most Fridays during basketball season is reserved for the Ivy league and scattered division III games.

Tonight's slate of games is extensive, with 18 of the top 25 teams in action, headlined by #1 Kentucky, hosting UNC Asheville and #2 Michigan State holding court with McNeese State, both games tipping off at 7:00 pm ET.

Also tipping at 7:00, Davidson takes to the court at #4 Duke, in a game that could produce a surprise, but will surely be the unveiling of some of college basketball's top recruits.

Another game of interest includes Georgetown vs. #18 Oregon in the Armed Forces Classic, the contest being held at the Humphreys Community Fitness Center on a military base in South Korea, Camp Humphreys. The game will be televised live on ESPN, beginning at 8:00 pm ET.

Beginning tomorrow morning, after all the evening's results come in, College Basketball Daily will begin the annual ritual of identifying its unofficial college basketball player of the day. Stay tuned for a long, exciting season.

Luke Hancock, Chane Behanan, Peyton Siva Lead Louisville to National Championship over Michigan, 82-76

College Hoops Players of the Day for Monday, April 8, 2013

(1) Louisville 82 (4) Michigan 76 - The Louisville Cardinals won their third national championship with an effortful performance over the Michigan Wolverines.

Trey Burke scored seven early points to pace the Wolverines, but picked up a second personal foul nearing the mid-point of the first half. Mitch Albrecht came on for Burke, scoring 16 points to forge a 12-point lead for Michigan. Resolute, Louisville returned fire with four straight three-pointers by Luke Hancock and took back the advantage on a fast-break dunk by Mortrezl Harrell with time running down in the first half. Glenn Robinson III made two free throws with 2.5 left on the clock to retake the lead by a point, 38-37, at the break.

Both teams made rainbows in the first half. Michigan was 6-for-11; the Cardinals went 5-for-8 from beyond the arc.

Louisville established a lead early in the second half and maintained it as time wound down. Michigan cut the lead to four points on several occasions, but could not get any closer.

Peyton Siva and Chane Behanan were unstoppable in the second half. Siva finished with 18 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals. Behanan was impressive in the paint, scoring 15 points and snagging 13 rebounds.

Hancock didn't see the ball much in the second half, but finished with 22 points for the Wolvernines on 5-for-6 shooting, including a perfect 5-for-5 from three-point range.

Trey Burke was the game's leading scorer, with 24 points.

Louisville was out-shot by Michigan, 52-48%, but a seven rebound advantage on the offensive boards and an overall 31-26 edge on the boards allowed Louisville more looks, and, eventually, more scores.

Head coach Rick Pitino, just elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, became the first coach to win national championships with two different teams - having led Kentucky to the title in 1996.

Tournament Conference Scoreboard
Through games of 4/8

Conference (# of teams)	W-L	Winners (wins)
ACC (4)	6-4	Duke (3) Miami (2) North Carolina (1)
Atlantic 10 (5)	7-5	LaSalle (3) Butler (1) St. Louis (1) VCU (1) Temple (1)
Big 12 (6)	3-6	Iowa St. (1) Kansas (2)
Big East (8)	13-7	Marquette(3) Louisville (6) Syracuse (4)
Big Ten (7)	14-7	Mich. St. (2) Michigan (5) Indiana (2) Illinois (1) Ohio St. (3) Minnesota (1)
PAC-12 (5)	5-5	Oregon (2) Arizona (2) Cal (1)
SEC (4)	4-3	Mississippi (1) Florida (3)
Missouri Valley (2)	5-2	Wichita St. (4) Creighton (1)
Mountain West (5)	2-5	Colorado St. (1) San Diego St. (1)
WCC (2)	2-2	St. Mary's (1) Gonzaga (1)
Sun Belt (2)	0-2	--
All Others (19)	6-21	NC A&T (1) James Madison (1) Memphis (1) Harvard (1) Florida Gulf Coast (2)

NCAA Championship Final Breakdown: Louisville Cardinals vs. Michigan Wolverines

NCAA National Championship Final

Louisville Cardinals (34-5, 14-4 Big East) vs. Michigan Wolverines (31-7, 12-6 Big Ten)

Louisville head coach, Rick Pitino, is going after his second NCAA Championship, just days after being informed that he will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame later this year.

Pitino's first championship came at Kentucky, when the Wildcats captured the 1996 title with a 76-67 win over Syracuse.

This year's Louisville squad has some remnants of that '96 championship team, in terms of speed and size, though the Kentucky team was arguably a superior offensive force, with the likes of Tony Delk, Antoine Walker and Walter McCarty, while this Louisville group relies heavily on pressure defense and the skills of their backcourt duo, Peyton Siva and the electrifying Russ Smith, who is averaging a cool 25 points per game in Louisville's five tourney wins.

Another advantage Louisville may have over the Wolverines is their size in the front court and rebounding prowess. Gorgui Deing and Chane Behanan can dominate the paint, along with reserve, Montrezl Harrell, who should get ample floor time, as he did in the Cardinals' ripping, 72-68, win over Wichita State in the national semifinal, the four-point victory the closest any team has come to beating Louisville through five rounds. Deing is also a fearless shot-blocker, which will make Michigan's penetration a daunting task.

The Cardinals enter the fray riding a 15-game winning streak dating back to February 9 and are favored by 3 1/2 points over Michigan.

Louisville has won two national titles, in 1980 and 1986. Tis is their 38th tournament appearance, ninth time in the Final Four. The Cardinals have a 64-40 record in the NCAA tournament.

For the Wolverines, it's their first trip to the championship game since 1993, when Steve Fisher guided the "Fab Five" to their second straight title game loss (77-71 to North Carolina) and their first championship appearance under head coach John Beilein, who is in his first Final Four as a coach. The youngest team in the tournament field, Michigan has surpassed all expectations, but is loaded with hoops-pedigree talent in the likes of Glenn Robinson III, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jon Horford.

Michigan won their only national championship in 1989, when the Wolverines topped Seton Hall, 80-79, in overtime. It is their 23rd tourney appearance, with a 43-22 record and their sixth time in the Final Four.

Point guard, Trey Burke, who is expected to be named the national player of the year, will have most of the responsibility for breaking the Louisville press and getting the ball into the lane or out to the wings for three-point shooters, Hardaway and Nik Stauskas. A tireless performer, Burke has played 35 or more minutes in each of Michigan's five tournament games, totaling 35 assists, with a high of 10 in the Wolverines' 87-85 overtime win against Kansas, the South region's #1 seed.

While the Wolverines have ample outside shooting, the difference-maker may be freshman Mitch McGary, who has emerged as a force in the paint throughout the tournament. Besides his inexperience, the problem for McGary is that he will be mostly alone amongst the Louisville trees in the low post. He'll need help from Robinson on the boards. Burke and Hardaway are also good rebounding guards, who will have to contribute.

Either team has a legitimate shot at the championship crown. It will be up to Louisville to disrupt Michigan's fast flow offense, while the Wolverines must guard against turnovers and domination in the paint by the Cardinals.

The match-up of point guards Siva and Burke should be a great game-within-the-game. The contest may come down to just how well Russ Smith performs, as he is likely the most dangerous player on the floor in a game loaded with future pros.

It's a Date: Louisville to Meet Michigan Monday for National Championship; Luke Hancock Powers Cardinals

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, April 6, 2013

National Semifinals

(1) Louisville 72 (9) Wichita State 68 - The Shockers gave Louisville everything they had, but the Cardinals erased a 47-35 second half deficit to roar back late in the game, grab a five-point lead and hold on for the win. Luke Hancock was sensational. coming off the bench for Louisville, scoring 14 of his 20 points in the second half on 6-for-9 shooting with three treys and five of seven from the foul line.

Russ Smith led the Cardinals with 21, though he was erratic at 6-for-17 shooting (4-for-11 on threes); Cleanthony Early led all scorers with 24 points and was also the game's high rebounder with 10. Hancock filled out his game with four boards, two assists and a pair of steals.

Wichita State was able to build their lead by not turning the ball over, giving it up just four times through the first 34 minutes. Six late turnovers turned the tide for the ball-hawking Cardinals.

The Shockers cut the lead down to two points in the final minute, but could not get any closer, as Hancock and Smith settled matters at the foul line.

(4) Michigan 61 (4) Syracuse 56 - Six first half three-pointers and seven offensive rebounds helped the Wolverines establish a 36-25 lead at intermission. The scoring came from Michigan's bench: Spike Albrecht was 2-for-2 from beyond the arc; Caris LeVert was 2-for-3 from distance.

Syracuse cut into Michigan's lead in the second half, but could never tie the game nor take the lead, cutting it to one point on James Sutherland's three-pointer with 42 seconds left, but Michigan made enough free throws and Syracuse could not covert in the waning seconds - both of their starting guards, Michael Cater-Williams and Brandon Triche having fouled out.

Michigan's freshman forward, Mitch McGary, had a monster game, scoring 10 points with 12 rebounds (five offensive), six assists and two blocks.

CJ Fair led the Orange and all scorers with 22 points. Tim Hardaway Jr. led Michigan with 13 points. The Wolverines shot 40% for the game; Syracuse was only marginally better, at 42%, but the Orange made only 3 of 14 from three-point range, 21%.

2013 NCAA Tournament Final Four Preview: Shockers, Cardinals, Orange and Wolverines

With two Big East teams - Louiville, Syracuse - in the national semifinals and the Missouri Valley's Wichita State crashing the party as a #9 seed out of the West region, the stage is set for the final weekend of college hoops. Michigan represents the Big Ten from the South region.

Both semifinal games will be played on Saturday, April 6, with the championship game slated for Monday night, April 8. In the opening match-up at 6:09 pm EDT, #9 Wichita State meets the tournament's #1 overall seed, Louisville, champions of the Midwest region.

The late Saturday game between Syracuse, the #4 seed from the East, and Michigan, the #4 seed from the South, will follow, roughly 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. The tentative tip time is 8:49 pm EDT.

Following are a selection of tournament notes and stats for the four teams remaining. Each has won four straight games in the tourney.

Louisville has claim to the nation's longest winning streak at 14 straight. Their last defeat was on February 9, in a 104-101, 5 OT loss at Notre Dame. The other three teams have each won just four straight, as all of them fell in their respective conference tournaments. Syracuse was hammered by Louisville in the Big East championship game, 78-61. Wichita State lost to Creighton, 68-65, in the MVC final, but gets the last laugh as the big dance survivor. Creighton was ousted by Duke in the third round, winning just one game, 67-63, over the Cincinnati Bearcats.

Michigan lost to Wisconsin, 68-59, in the Big Ten tourney quarterfinals on March 16. The six days between their last loss and the opening of the tournament may have given the Wolverines some needed rest, propelling them to the Final Four.

Overall Records
Louisville (33-5, 14-4 Big East)
Michigan (30-7, 12-6 Big Ten)
Wichita State (30-8, 12-6 MVC)
Syracuse (30-9, 11-7 Big East)

Tournament Margins of Victory
Louisville: average: 21.75 (largest, 31, NC A&T, second round)
Syracuse: average: 20.00 (largest, 47, Montana, second round)
Michigan: average: 15.50 (largest, 25, VCU, third round)
Wichita State: average: 10.50 (largest, 18, Pittsburgh, second round)

Leading Scorers
Louisville: Russ Smith, 26.0 ppg
Michigan: Mitch McGary, 17.5
Wichita St.: Malcolm Armstead, 15.5
Syracuse: CJ Fair, 13.75

Leading Rebounders
Michigan: Mitch McGary, 11.5 rpg
Louisville: Gorgui Dieng, 7.5
Wichita St.: Cleanthony Early, 7.0
Syracuse: CJ Fair, 6.0

Assist Leaders
Michigan: Trey Burke, 7.8 apg
Louisville, Peyton Siva, 5.0
Syracuse, Michael Carter-Williams, 4.8
Wichita St.: Malcolm Armstead, 3.8

Three-Pointers
Michigan: Tim Hardaway Jr., 10-20, .500
Syracuse, James Southerland, 7-19, .368
Wichita St., Ron Baker, 6-15, .400
Louisville, Russ Smith, 6-19, .316

Free Throws Made, %
Louisville: Russ Smith, 32-40, .800
Wichita St.: Ron Baker, 20-23, .870
Syracuse, Brandon Triche, 17-23, .739
Michigan, Trey Burke, 11-11, 1.000

Tournament appearances
Louisville: 38
Syracuse: 35
Michigan: 23
Wichita St.: 9

Final Fours
Louisville: 9
Michigan: 6
Syracuse: 4
Wichita St.: 1

Championships
Louisville: 2 (1980, 1986)
Syracuse: 1 (2003)
Michigan: 1 (1989)
Wichita State: 0