In the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, both Michigan and Michigan State played their opening round games Thursday in Upstate New York in the city of Buffalo. And both the Spartans and Wolverines played against bison.
Setting aside the fact that bison and buffalo are technically different animals, someone in the scheduling department at the NCAA has a sense of humor.
For more on Thursday's games and some tough news for Detroit Pistons fans, Michigan Public sports commentator John U. Bacon joined host Doug Tribou on Morning Edition.
College basketball this weekend
NCAA women's tournament:
Holy Cross vs. Michigan in Ann Arbor - Fri. 5:30 p.m.
Michigan St. vs. Colorado St. in Norman, OK -
Fri. 7:30 p.m.
NCAA men's tournament:
Michigan vs. St. Louis in Buffalo, NY - Sat. 12:10 p.m.
Michigan St. vs. Louisville in Buffalo, NY -
Sat. 2:45 p.m.
Doug Tribou: The Pistons learned they will be without all-star Cade Cunningham for a while. Cunningham left a game Tuesday and has since been diagnosed with a collapsed lung. The team says he'll be out at least two weeks then will be reevaluated.
Two things here, John. First, obviously we're hoping Cade Cunningham makes a full recovery from what can be a very serious medical condition. And the second part of this is that Cunningham is in the midst of a career year. Detroit's currently on top in the NBA's Eastern Conference. What will the Pistons need to do to keep their momentum while their leader's out?
John U. Bacon: Boy, that's a great question and a big challenge. J.B. Bickerstaff, their head coach, has done a phenomenal job. But you've got to understand that Cunningham is the first starting all-star for the Pistons since a decade ago. So this loss is a huge loss no matter how temporary it might be — two, three weeks, they're saying. Who knows? But I've seen Bickerstaff also take a team without all five starters and keep a winning streak alive, so he can coach. But what a challenge.
DT: Let's turn to college basketball. The Michigan State men came in as a 3-seed into their game Thursday and blew out the 14th-seeded North Dakota State Bison 92-67. Coach Tom Izzo and the Spartans had come into the tourney on a two-game losing streak. What did you see from them in their win Thursday?
JUB: I saw Michigan State play Michigan State March Madness basketball. They are back. They got a very rough draw, to say the least. They've got Louisville Saturday and then probably UConn. But Doug, trust me when I tell you, no one's made a lot of money betting against Tom Izzo in March Madness. So don't do it.
Coach Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans are making their 28th consecutive appearance in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
DT: The Wolverines faced the Bison of Howard University. Michigan is one of the four No. 1 seeds. Howard was a 16-seed. Final score 101-80. No. 1 seeds are supposed to win these games, John, so what adjustments, if any, will Dusty May's squad need to make when Michigan faces St. Louis in the second round on Saturday?
JUB: They just have to speed things up. But that's natural enough. But look, don't take that first win for granted. As crazy as it might sound. Duke almost lost their first game as a 1-seed against the 16-seed, so all the style points do not count in March Madness. You win and survive or you don't. So this team is on track. They're without L.J. Cason, their big shooting guard, but we'll see what they've got.
DT: Although the Spartans and Wolverines are both playing in Buffalo, they are in separate regions in the men's tournament bracket and can only face each other if they end up in the national championship game. I'm not sure what portal would open up to some other dimension if that happens. [Laughs]
JUB: [Laughs] Well, I'm pretty sure the earth would stop revolving, so heads up for that. Let me let me add, by the way, my kid is 14-2 in his bracket. I'm going to rent him out for parties.
DT: [Laughs] In the NCAA women's basketball tournament, the Michigan State women are a 5-seed. They will face Colorado State Friday night. That game is in Oklahoma. This is the third straight tournament appearance for Spartans coach Robyn Fralick and the highest seed she's had yet. What are you looking for from the Spartans?
Speaker 2: Well, Fralick's done a great job with her team. Two years ago, they got in [in Fralick's first season]. They lost. Last year, they won one [tournament game] then lost one. This year, look for them to take another step. They're getting used to being in March Madness, and now it's not enough anymore just to be there.
DT: The Michigan women will host Holy Cross at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor Friday afternoon. The Wolverines are a No. 2 seed. That's the highest tournament seed in program history. But what do Kim Barnes Arico and her team need to do to make a deep run?
JUB: They're very good, as we've said before, at beating the good to bad teams. They've not been great at beating the elite teams. They're not quite elite. However, here's a stat for you, Doug. Their four leading scorers are all sophomores. So whatever they do this year count on more next year.
DT: John. Don't look now. But the Red wings only have 13 games left to play, a bunch of injured players, and they're fighting — once again — to earn a wildcard playoff spot. Any closing advice here for Wings fans who are staring down another nerve-racking spring with the Red Wings?
JUB: [Laughs] Boy, I don't know. Call the Rolaids guy. I don't know.
DT: It spells relief.
JUB: There you go. Well done. Free plug!
Play back Thursday night's tape — a 3-1 victory over Montreal. Play it back whenever you feel nervous because that was a fantastic game.
Editor's note: Some quotes in this article have been lightly edited for length and clarity. You can listen to the full conversation near the top of this page.
