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Wichita State guard Fred VanVleet, left, and guard Malcolm Armstead, right, hug after losing as Louisville Cardinals guard Luke Hancock (background) and forward Stephan Van Treese (background) celebrate after the semifinals during the Final Four. Louisville Cardinals won 72-68. (Photo: Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports) Story Highlights - Wichita State had a questionably quick jump ball call doom its chances to stun Louisville
- Michigan's Mitch McGary and Louisville's Luke Hancock have become unlikely heros
- Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim was not happy when asked about retirement after a loss
Welcome to Bracket Briefing, our attempt to provide you with the essential information on the Big Dance — highlighting the Florida Gulf Coasts and Wichita States of the college basketball world.
Soundtrack: Before you read any more, take a listen to this morning's jam of the day.
The first word: The Final Four has been sliced in half. Yet after Saturday night's heart-pounding slate of games, we're left wondering if the victorious teams — Louisville and Michigan — are the correct two set to clash in Monday night's title tilt. Both semifinal matchups were filled with controversy.
SHOT AT THE TITLE: Louisville meets Michigan
NCAA TOURNAMENT: Updated bracket
Controversy Part 1: With Wichita State trailing Louisville 71-68 with 8.8 seconds remaining, Louisville's Luke Hancock missed a free throw off the back iron. WSU freshman Ron Baker snatched the rebound and while trying to secure the ball, was contested by Hancock for what couldn't have been longer than a second before a whistle was blown by referee Karl Hess. What could have been easily ruled a reach-in foul was called a held ball — subsequently causing the Shockers' fate to slip away with the possession arrow going the Louisville.
VIDEO: 'Iffy' call that doomed Wichita State 
***
Had there not been a call, Baker would have had at least six seconds to drive the length of the court and attempt a game-tying three-pointer. Sure, that would have been a difficult shot. But fans were robbed from those last six seconds of adrenaline just as much as the Shockers were cheated at a chance to keep a storybook season going.
"That call is going stick with (Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall for a long time," TNT analyst Steve Kerr said after the game. Indeed.
WALK-ON WONDER: Louisville's Tim Henderson plays 'Rudy' role
Star of the night: Luke Hancock (20 points, one big play). Thanks to that aforementioned series of events that included a questionably quick call to help Louisville prevail into the title game, we'll all remember the Kevin Love-looking Hancock as the hero who made the biggest play of the Cardinals' season and helped answer injured teammate Kevin Ware's prayer. Look, the cards weren't dealt in an underrated Wichita State team's favor. But that's basketball. Hancock, the same guy who said a prayer over a pain-stricken Ware after one of the most traumatic sports injuries in recent memories, fits just about every qualification as fans' favorite Big Dance stars. He's an unlikely hero (coming off the bench), has an intriguing back story (he transferred from George Mason), and sports an NHL-like playoff beard. Via USA TODAY Sports' Eric Prisbell.
TOP PERFORMANCES OF NCAA TOURNEY 
Michigan forward Mitch McGary helped take the Wolverines to the national championship game with 10 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in a 61-56 win over Syracuse. Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Louisville swingman Luke Hancock came off the bench to score 20 points and hit three 3-pointers in the Cardinals' win over Wichita State in the national semifinals.]()
Louisville swingman Luke Hancock came off the bench to score 20 points and hit three 3-pointers in the Cardinals' win over Wichita State in the national semifinals. Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Seth Curry hit six 3-pointers and scored 29 points in Duke's Sweet 16 win over Michigan State.]()
Seth Curry hit six 3-pointers and scored 29 points in Duke's Sweet 16 win over Michigan State. Jamie Rhodes, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Michigan guard Trey Burke hit this 3-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation to force overtime, where the Wolverines went on to defeat Kansas in the Sweet 16. Burke scored 23 total points with 10 assists.]()
Michigan guard Trey Burke hit this 3-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation to force overtime, where the Wolverines went on to defeat Kansas in the Sweet 16. Burke scored 23 total points with 10 assists. Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Louisville Cardinals guard Russ Smith tied a career high with 31 points against the Oregon Ducks in the Sweet 16.]()
Louisville Cardinals guard Russ Smith tied a career high with 31 points against the Oregon Ducks in the Sweet 16. Jamie Rhodes, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Syracuse guard Michael Carter-Williams had 24 points, 5 rebounds and 4 steals in a Sweet 16 win against Indiana.]()
Syracuse guard Michael Carter-Williams had 24 points, 5 rebounds and 4 steals in a Sweet 16 win against Indiana. Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![LaQuinton Ross had 14 of his 17 points, including a game-winning 3-pointer in the final seconds, in the second half as Ohio State beat Arizona 73-70 in the Sweet 16.]()
LaQuinton Ross had 14 of his 17 points, including a game-winning 3-pointer in the final seconds, in the second half as Ohio State beat Arizona 73-70 in the Sweet 16. Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Jeff Withey's game against UNC]()
Kansas center Jeff Withey had 16 points, 16 rebounds and 5 blocks during the Jayhawks' 70-58 win over North Carolina in the third round. Denny Medley, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Sherwood Brown's game against Georgetown]()
Florida Gulf Coast guard Sherwood Brown recorded 24 points and 9 rebounds during the Eagles' 78-68 upset win over Georgetown in the second round. Howard Smith, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Mark Lyons' game against Harvard]()
Arizona guard Mark Lyons dropped 27 points while going 12-17 from the field to lead the Wildcats to a 74-51 win over Harvard. Steve Dykes, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Mitch McGary's game against VCU]()
Michigan forward Mitch McGary scored 21 points on 10-11 shooting and pulled down 14 rebounds during the Wolverines' 78-53 win over VCU in the third round. Rick Osentoski, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Russ Smith's game against Louisville]()
Louisville guard Russ Smith scored 27 points going 4-7 from three and 9-10 from the line during the Cardinals' 82-56 win over Colorado State in the third round. Mark Zerof, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Khalif Wyatt against Indiana]()
Temple guard Khalif Wyatt played every minute and scored 31 points while posting a 50.0 FG% and two steals in a 58-52 loss to Indiana in the third round. Frank Victores, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Derrick Nix's game against Valparaiso]()
Michigan State forward Derrick Nix scored 23 points and posted 15 rebounds during the Spartans' 65-54 win over Valparaiso in the second round. Rick Osentoski, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Andre Hollins' game against UCLA]()
Minnesota guard Andre Hollins scored 28 points, collected 9 rebounds, and dished out 5 assists during the Golden Gophers' 83-63 round two win over UCLA. Hollins went 5-8 from three. Jim Cowsert, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Doug McDermott's game against Cincinnati]()
Creighton forward Doug McDermott put up 27 points, including a perfect 11-11 from the line, and 11 rebounds to lead the Bluejays to a 67-63 win over Cincinnati in the second round. Howard Smith, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Vander Blue's game against Butler]()
Marquette guard Vander Blue scored 29 points going 3-4 from three and a perfect 8-8 from the line against Butler. Blue added four steals in the Golden Eagles' 74-72 round three win. Mark Zerof, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen Like this topic? You may also like these photo galleries: Replay 
Autoplay Show Thumbnails Show Captions Fullscreen Last Slide Next Slide Monster mash: Joining Hancock as an unlikely hero in tournament, Michigan's Mitch McGary has continually been the X-factor for the Wolverines, finishing with 10 points, 12 rebounds and six assists on Saturday night. The freshman forward broke out for 25 points and 16 rebounds in UM's come-from-behind win against Kansas. He was dubbed an "animal" and "absolute monster" by those who know him best in an in-depth piece by USA TODAY Sports' Nicole Auerbach.
Controversy Part 2: In basketball, momentum is everything. Syracuse saw its momentum disintegrate after a controversial charge call with less than 30 seconds remaining. The Orange's Brandon Triche was whistled for a charge after Michigan's Jordan Morgan appeared to position himself just in time. That change in possession deflated 'Cuse after storming back to slice a substantial deficit to two. "You know, it was a close call," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said after the game. ESPN analyst Jay Bilas called it a "blarge." In other words, it looked much more like a block than a charge. "There's no question it was a block. The replay makes it pretty obvious." Judge for yourself here. 
***
Powerful words that will make your eyes water: "I kind of feel like that's when God really heard me." — Kevin Ware said of his end-of-the game prayer as he put his head down with seconds winding down on the clock, only to look up and see Hancock forcing a jump ball that would eventually seal the game. Via USA TODAY Sports' Rachel George.
On deck Monday: No. 4 Michigan vs. No. 1 Louisville, 9:23 p.m. ET, CBS. Offense vs. Defense. Big Ten vs. Big East. Not a bad finale.
One shining question: Expect CBS to be ready to give Kevin Ware a lift. CBS reporter Tracy Wolfson noted that Louisville is already thinking about "arrangements" for Ware to help cut down the net Monday — a moment that could potentially even trump CBS' One Shining Moment tournament-closing segment. Via USA TODAY Sports' Michael Hiestand.
Photo of the day: This Michigan fan was super clever with a choice of sign, providing the number of timeouts the team had left. If only this sign was in the stands when Chris Webber made one of the biggest gaffes of all-time in 1993. 
Lesson of the day: Jim Boeheim was asked by a CBSSports.com writer of his stance on retiring as an opening question in Syracuse's postgame press conference. Bad move. Boeheim had a testy exchange with the writer that ended with an apology and Boeheim saying he's "100% coaching next season" when the Orange transition to the ACC.
RELATED: Boeheim's best moments with the media
Who's hot: Russ Smith, Louisville. As Russdiculous goes, so does the Cardinals. Smith led Louisville with 21 points on Saturday. That was his lowest scoring output of the tournament.
Who's not: Trey Burke, Michigan. The national player of the year played nothing like the best player in the country on Saturday night, finishing with seven points on a dreadful 1-for-8 shooting. Lucky for the do-everything point guard, his offensively-loaded team picked up the slack. Burke will need to step it up against a Louisville team that features the two-headed monster backcourt of Peyton Siva and Smith. Clearly, 'Cuse's zone irritated Burke. Reacting to the Cardinals' smothering pressure will be be crucial for the Wolverines.
What we know: The Missouri Valley Conference is seriously underrated. Before the NCAA tournament, there was talk of the Valley weakening without regular-season and tournament champion Creighton parting ways. Then Wichita State shocked the college basketball world, and plenty of basketball minds have made a point for fans to know that we shouldn't be shocked in the least bit. After calling Wichita State "Marquette on steroids" before the game, Louisville coach Rick Pitino continued to pour on the compliments, saying afterwards, "This is one of the best defensive teams we've gone up against in past three years." Interestingly, Louisville barely squeaked by two other Valley opponents — Northern Iowa and Illinois State — in non-conference games at the start of the season. The MVC, one of the top-tier mid-major leagues, hasn't received more than two bids in the NCAAs since 2006. After the Shockers' '13 run, that outta change.
What we don't know: How big of an impact Kevin Ware will have in the national title game. His presence was been a huge story line in Saturday's game against Wichita State. Ware wasn't through inspiring his teammates, walking over on crutches to motivate players in a huddle when the Cardinals were struggling. After the game, Ware's emotional moment with his father was picture-perfect.
Star who went out with a bang: Cleanthony Early, Wichita State. Junior forward finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds in a season-ending loss.
Star who didn't go out with a bang: Michael Carter Williams, Syracuse. Sophomore point guard finished with two points on 1-for-6 shooting and had five turnovers vs. two assists.
Coach Vitale?: "I was telling my wife, there's one little emptiness I have: when it's all said and done, I never ever had my dream of coaching a mega, mega school. Where I walk in and I say to a kid, hey, Dick Vitale, I'm from Carolina, I'm from Michigan, I'm from Notre Dame." Via USA TODAY Sports' Paul Myerberg.
Quotable: "I feel bad for him. That's not the way college basketball is. 99% of coaches aren't like that, I think Mike's a very good coach. I hope he gets help." — Michigan State coach Tom Izzo on fired coach Mike Rice, who lost his job after video footage aired on ESPN of him throwing balls at players and directing homophobic slurs at them.
Kickin' it old school: The vintage clip of the day goes to...
Butler's Gordon Hayward's near-make vs. Duke (2010). If only Wichita State had gotten this chance at the end.
Wichita State guard Fred VanVleet, left, and guard Malcolm Armstead, right, hug after losing as Louisville Cardinals guard Luke Hancock (background) and forward Stephan Van Treese (background) celebrate after the semifinals during the Final Four. Louisville Cardinals won 72-68. (Photo: Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports) Welcome to Bracket Briefing, our attempt to provide you with the essential information on the Big Dance — highlighting the Florida Gulf Coasts and Wichita States of the college basketball world. Soundtrack: Before you read any more, take a listen to this morning's jam of the day. The first word: The Final Four has been sliced in half. Yet after Saturday night's heart-pounding slate of games, we're left wondering if the victorious teams — Louisville and Michigan — are the correct two set to clash in Monday night's title tilt. Both semifinal matchups were filled with controversy. SHOT AT THE TITLE: Louisville meets Michigan NCAA TOURNAMENT: Updated bracket Controversy Part 1: With Wichita State trailing Louisville 71-68 with 8.8 seconds remaining, Louisville's Luke Hancock missed a free throw off the back iron. WSU freshman Ron Baker snatched the rebound and while trying to secure the ball, was contested by Hancock for what couldn't have been longer than a second before a whistle was blown by referee Karl Hess. What could have been easily ruled a reach-in foul was called a held ball — subsequently causing the Shockers' fate to slip away with the possession arrow going the Louisville. VIDEO: 'Iffy' call that doomed Wichita State *** Had there not been a call, Baker would have had at least six seconds to drive the length of the court and attempt a game-tying three-pointer. Sure, that would have been a difficult shot. But fans were robbed from those last six seconds of adrenaline just as much as the Shockers were cheated at a chance to keep a storybook season going. "That call is going stick with (Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall for a long time," TNT analyst Steve Kerr said after the game. Indeed. WALK-ON WONDER: Louisville's Tim Henderson plays 'Rudy' role Star of the night: Luke Hancock (20 points, one big play). Thanks to that aforementioned series of events that included a questionably quick call to help Louisville prevail into the title game, we'll all remember the Kevin Love-looking Hancock as the hero who made the biggest play of the Cardinals' season and helped answer injured teammate Kevin Ware's prayer. Look, the cards weren't dealt in an underrated Wichita State team's favor. But that's basketball. Hancock, the same guy who said a prayer over a pain-stricken Ware after one of the most traumatic sports injuries in recent memories, fits just about every qualification as fans' favorite Big Dance stars. He's an unlikely hero (coming off the bench), has an intriguing back story (he transferred from George Mason), and sports an NHL-like playoff beard. Via USA TODAY Sports' Eric Prisbell. TOP PERFORMANCES OF NCAA TOURNEY Monster mash: Joining Hancock as an unlikely hero in tournament, Michigan's Mitch McGary has continually been the X-factor for the Wolverines, finishing with 10 points, 12 rebounds and six assists on Saturday night. The freshman forward broke out for 25 points and 16 rebounds in UM's come-from-behind win against Kansas. He was dubbed an "animal" and "absolute monster" by those who know him best in an in-depth piece by USA TODAY Sports' Nicole Auerbach. Controversy Part 2: In basketball, momentum is everything. Syracuse saw its momentum disintegrate after a controversial charge call with less than 30 seconds remaining. The Orange's Brandon Triche was whistled for a charge after Michigan's Jordan Morgan appeared to position himself just in time. That change in possession deflated 'Cuse after storming back to slice a substantial deficit to two. "You know, it was a close call," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said after the game. ESPN analyst Jay Bilas called it a "blarge." In other words, it looked much more like a block than a charge. "There's no question it was a block. The replay makes it pretty obvious." Judge for yourself here. *** Powerful words that will make your eyes water: "I kind of feel like that's when God really heard me." — Kevin Ware said of his end-of-the game prayer as he put his head down with seconds winding down on the clock, only to look up and see Hancock forcing a jump ball that would eventually seal the game. Via USA TODAY Sports' Rachel George. On deck Monday: No. 4 Michigan vs. No. 1 Louisville, 9:23 p.m. ET, CBS. Offense vs. Defense. Big Ten vs. Big East. Not a bad finale. One shining question: Expect CBS to be ready to give Kevin Ware a lift. CBS reporter Tracy Wolfson noted that Louisville is already thinking about "arrangements" for Ware to help cut down the net Monday — a moment that could potentially even trump CBS' One Shining Moment tournament-closing segment. Via USA TODAY Sports' Michael Hiestand. Photo of the day: This Michigan fan was super clever with a choice of sign, providing the number of timeouts the team had left. If only this sign was in the stands when Chris Webber made one of the biggest gaffes of all-time in 1993. Lesson of the day: Jim Boeheim was asked by a CBSSports.com writer of his stance on retiring as an opening question in Syracuse's postgame press conference. Bad move. Boeheim had a testy exchange with the writer that ended with an apology and Boeheim saying he's "100% coaching next season" when the Orange transition to the ACC. RELATED: Boeheim's best moments with the media Who's hot: Russ Smith, Louisville. As Russdiculous goes, so does the Cardinals. Smith led Louisville with 21 points on Saturday. That was his lowest scoring output of the tournament. Who's not: Trey Burke, Michigan. The national player of the year played nothing like the best player in the country on Saturday night, finishing with seven points on a dreadful 1-for-8 shooting. Lucky for the do-everything point guard, his offensively-loaded team picked up the slack. Burke will need to step it up against a Louisville team that features the two-headed monster backcourt of Peyton Siva and Smith. Clearly, 'Cuse's zone irritated Burke. Reacting to the Cardinals' smothering pressure will be be crucial for the Wolverines. What we know: The Missouri Valley Conference is seriously underrated. Before the NCAA tournament, there was talk of the Valley weakening without regular-season and tournament champion Creighton parting ways. Then Wichita State shocked the college basketball world, and plenty of basketball minds have made a point for fans to know that we shouldn't be shocked in the least bit. After calling Wichita State "Marquette on steroids" before the game, Louisville coach Rick Pitino continued to pour on the compliments, saying afterwards, "This is one of the best defensive teams we've gone up against in past three years." Interestingly, Louisville barely squeaked by two other Valley opponents — Northern Iowa and Illinois State — in non-conference games at the start of the season. The MVC, one of the top-tier mid-major leagues, hasn't received more than two bids in the NCAAs since 2006. After the Shockers' '13 run, that outta change. What we don't know: How big of an impact Kevin Ware will have in the national title game. His presence was been a huge story line in Saturday's game against Wichita State. Ware wasn't through inspiring his teammates, walking over on crutches to motivate players in a huddle when the Cardinals were struggling. After the game, Ware's emotional moment with his father was picture-perfect. Star who went out with a bang: Cleanthony Early, Wichita State. Junior forward finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds in a season-ending loss. Star who didn't go out with a bang: Michael Carter Williams, Syracuse. Sophomore point guard finished with two points on 1-for-6 shooting and had five turnovers vs. two assists. Coach Vitale?: "I was telling my wife, there's one little emptiness I have: when it's all said and done, I never ever had my dream of coaching a mega, mega school. Where I walk in and I say to a kid, hey, Dick Vitale, I'm from Carolina, I'm from Michigan, I'm from Notre Dame." Via USA TODAY Sports' Paul Myerberg. Quotable: "I feel bad for him. That's not the way college basketball is. 99% of coaches aren't like that, I think Mike's a very good coach. I hope he gets help." — Michigan State coach Tom Izzo on fired coach Mike Rice, who lost his job after video footage aired on ESPN of him throwing balls at players and directing homophobic slurs at them. Kickin' it old school: The vintage clip of the day goes to... Butler's Gordon Hayward's near-make vs. Duke (2010). If only Wichita State had gotten this chance at the end. Story Highlights
Like this topic? You may also like these photo galleries: