6B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - March 13, 2006 Michigan Daily Ch NCAA MEN's BASKETBALL allenge TOURNAMENT First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four National Title Final Four Elite Eight Sweet Sixteen Second Round first Round 1. Duke (30-3) 16. Southern (19-12) 8. Geo. Wash.(26-2 9. UNC-Wilm. 25-7_ 5. Syracuse (23-11) 12. Texas A&M (21-8 4. LSU (23-8) I ATLANTA Score the most points and receive a $50 gift certificate to Buffalo Wild Wings 13. Iona (23-7) 6. W. Virgina (20-10) f f 3 1. Connecticut 27-3 8.antu o 2142 . wUte x z(2 4.-. v 12. Utah State (23-8) 4. Illinois (25-6) 13. Air Force (24-6) 11. S. Illinois (22-10) 3. Iowa (25-7) 14 N V State~25-7 - WASHINGTON D.C. v 1 :m 6. Michigan State (22-11) . tanorn a( kz-i)y 10. N.C. State (21-9) 2. Texas 27-6)h.. - 15. Pennsylvania (20-8) .-nk .- r, 74 r1. . _ - i. '. 11. George Mason (23-7) 3. N. Car Tina (22-7) J14. Murray State (24-6) 7. Wichita State (24-8) 10. Seton Hall (18-11) ..<....:t ,..:.............,,......<.<,_2. Tennessee (21-7) 15. Winthrop 23-7) 8Arizona 19-12_ - - - 12.Mgntana 236 G 1. Memphis (30-3) 5. Arittsas (2-) 9. Bucknell (26-4) .:....:.:.... 5. Pttsburh (24-7) 12. Kent State (25-8) 4. Kansas 25-7 ,.::;:: 13. Bradley(-Ufl - 6 Indiana (18-11)O KL I 11.San Diegorst. 24-8) 3. Gonzaga (27-3) 14. Xavier (21-10) 7. Marquette (20-10)1 10. Alabama (17-12) 2. UCLA (27-6) VD AI ME 11 Q6 i 6mmm 3. Florida (27-6) To be eligible for the Michigan Daily's prize from Buffalo Wild Wings, you must bring in your completed bracket (NCAA only - NIT brackets are not included) to The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard St., before the tournament begins Thursday morning. Your Name Total Points in Championship game E-mail Phone arch Madness looked like it was finally going to rear its oh-so-heavenly head into seemingly uncharted arts of the state of Michigan this year. For the past eight years, Central Michigan, Detroit Mercy, Michigan State, Oakland and Western Michigan have all put their dancing shoes on at least once. ONEO But nowhere during that timespan did the fever with St ever find its way to Ann Arbor. Many of those years (when the Wolverines were actually eli- gible to play), Michigan fans were worrying about just trying to get in the NIT. Legitimate dreams of dancing in March were few and far between. Only the 2004 NIT championship team had any real chance to be the first Michigan team to dance since the 1998 squad earned a tourney bid. So even after the Wolverines' inexcusable loss against Min- nesota, fans still held on to hope, as slim as it seemed. San Diego State coach and former Michigan villain Steve Fischer was on Michigan's good side for a change. Students stayed in on a Saturday night and rooted for Nevada instead of drinking their sorrows away. And Joakim Noah became a hero in Ann Arbor i ROO yesterday with his game-winning shot that elimi- ott Bell nated South Carolina. All of college basketball seemed to be fighting for Michigan. But just like how things have gone for practically any Michi- gan team this year, a bid just wasn't in the cards. Now that reality has set in and the opportunity to participate in March Madness was taken away - rightfully so - from Michigan, it's time for students alike for refocus on what is really important. The Big Dance still starts this week. Michigan may not be a part of it, but don't let it put a damper on the best three weeks of any sane person's year. It's freaking March Madness! What other event causes people who normally don't bring lap- tops to class to bring them along just so they can watch Thursday and Friday's game on demand? No other tournament allows you to argue with your friends for hours upon hours about who got snubbed, who will win and who will be this year's Cinderella team. And the opening games of the NCAA Tournament happen to fall on St. Patrick's Day? Coincidence? I think not. Oddly enough, the best remedy to cure another Michigan sporting disappointment is to watch the event the team threw away a chance to play in. A Michigan-less March Madness is still March Madness. And it will provide you with excitement you haven't seen in a while. You get to see teams play that actually seem to want to be on the court. A definite change from the past few weeks around Ann Arbor. You get to see the birth of stars. Whether it's Bryce Drew mak- ing game-winning shots and keeping a Cinderella team's hopes up or a super-freshman like Carmelo Anthony taking his team and his draft stock to a new level, someone will undoubtedly make himself a household name in the next three weeks. And hey, you guys out there get the luxury of getting to watch drama and intrigue without putting your manhood on the line and watching "The O.C." or "Grey's Anatomy." So while most of the campus is probably planning a post-snub bender, look at the bright side. March Madness still goes on, with or without Michigan. For me, at least, that means that life goes on. 0 Opening Round Fini4 Round Second Round Quanrterflnals Senifteoah Chamupionship Semitnuals Qanr najS Second Round First Rouad Opening Rornid .......... . -------- MARYLAND (918-910) 1 18rMm i LOUISVILLE (18-12) 17Mar MANHATTAN (18-190) 9 9 N. ARIZONA-(210) WPM* I 14-Mar Fair Dickinson (20-11) 101 I r 14Mar 'a COLORADO (20-9) 4 15Mar Old Dominion (21-9) ST: JOSEPH'S (18-13) 2 174Mar I 110 Delawar St (20-13) 4. CLEMSON (18-12) 16-Mar 5 LA Tech (20-12) 2 MISSOURI ST (20-8) a 22-Mar PENN ST (15-14) 7 17-Mar 7 STANFORD (15-13) 14-Mar Rutgers (18-13) I r U i-"I 14Mar Virginia (15-14) I 1s e - HOFSTRA (24-8) 3 16Mar Nebrabka (19-13) 61 MICHIGAN (18-10) 1 16Mar MSG Mareti 30, 7tO0pm ESPN Champion S HOUSTON (20-9) 15Mar 6 Bruham Young (20-8) I CINCINNATI (19-12) 17-Mar! Madison Square Garden March 28, 7:00pm / 9:00pm ESPN2 Madison Square Garden March 28, 7:00pm / 9:00pm ESPN2 UTEP (20-9) 9 9 CHARLOTTE (18,12) 144-Mr Lipscomb (21-10) ail Vande bilt (17-12) 4 1 5-Mr I I~~~~4 to GSouem (20-) 4 MINNESOTA (15-14) 16-Mar 14Mar i iF^ w i I