Player of the Round: Michigan State's Goran Suton excelled against Kansas, leading the Spartans to victory in a game they trailed most of the way. He finished the day with 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 steals, playing well at both ends of the court. Despite a slow start against Kansas center Cole Aldrich, Suton played solid post defense that neutralized Aldrich's presence in the second half. He helped limited Kansas to a remarkable 1-2 in the paint in the final 20 minutes.
Best Team Performance: Louisville bounced back from suspect performances in the first two rounds with a 103-64 victory over Arizona. The Cardinals shot the lights out, going 38-66 (57.6%) from the floor, 14-29 (48.3%) from 3-point range, and 13-14 (92.9%) from the free throw line. The Wildcats had a difficult night shooting, going 24-63 (38.1%) from the floor and 7-24 (29.2%) from 3-point range. Louisville's largest win in NCAA tournament history was also Arizona's worst lost in tournament history. Once the Cardinals took a 29-17 lead with 7:13 remaining in the first half, they went on a roll that left Arizona on the wrong end of a 39 point blowout.
Who is Going to Detroit?: Michigan State proved it can win close games against lower seeds, yet USC and Kansas do not compare to the powerhouse Louisville they will have to face in the next round, who just hit its stride against Arizona in the sweet sixteen. Certainly the Spartans will keep it closer than 39 points, but they have not proven that they can play 40 minutes of solid basketball on both ends of the court in this tournament, and Louisville will exploit this inconsistency to make a big run at some point in the game. The last time Michigan State played a team worthy of a number one seed? They lost 98-63 against North Carolina at home in December.
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