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So much for a “chalk” Final Four . . .

The first top seed went by the wayside Thursday night – and in very surprising (relative) one-sided fashion.

And, as startling as it seems, it was Michigan State that was knocked asunder from the Road to New Orleans, as the Spartans’ offense was dismantled by the Louisville combination of defenses en route to the Cardinals’ 57-44 victory.

The Spartans’ jump shooters didn’t get enough clean and uncontested looks and the defensive “length” provided by Gorgui Dieng (seven blocked shots) negated any size/strength/assertiveness advantage Coach Tom Izzo’s team seemingly enjoyed going into the contest.

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THURSDAY’S REGIONAL SEMIFINALS

WEST/At Phoenix

No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 4 Louisville (7:47 p.m. ET, TBS)

Frank Says: Look for something along the lines of the Spartans-Saint Louis (although not quite that methodical). Regardless of what happens in this game (or beyond), this has to be one of Rick Pitino’s finest-ever coaching job. But Tom Izzo – who has also turned in his usual, take-him-for-granted performance – has Draymond Green in a Spartans’ uniform. And that will be the difference. And that’s something that has been said in a lot of MSU games this season.

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By JAMES KERTI

LAS VEGAS, NV — The Nevada Basketball Development League kicked off on Saturday with the first of four weekends for the spring league.

With five games a day and mandatory pre-game workouts for every player, there was no shortage of action on the first weekend.

While most of the prospects hailed from the Las Vegas area, a trio of California guards stood out early.

Providence’s Marcus LoVett, who averaged 31.7 PPG as a freshman this season, used his exceptional handle and body control to create shots for himself near the basket, converting several three-point plays.

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With apologies to the other seven teams that advanced to the Sweet 16 round next Thursday and Friday, the biggest NCAA Tournament news Sunday was delivered AFTER the conclusion of one of the third-round games played.

It was announced shortly following the conclusion of North Carolina’s 87-73 Midwest Regional victory over Creighton in Greensboro that Tar Heels’ sophomore point guard Kendall Marshall has suffered a broken bone in his right wrist.

It borders on the amazing as to how many injuries the Tar Heels have suffered, with wing Leslie McDonald going down in the summer with a torn ACL, starting guard Dexter Strickland falling by way of the same injury in late January and John Henson suffering a sprained left wrist during the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament.

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For the most part, Saturday’s eight Round of 32 NCAA Tournament tilts were competitive as all get out.

It’s just that, they all ended the way the seeds given to the 16 teams on March 11 suggested they should end.

Each of the higher seeds – No.’s 1Kentucky and Syracuse, 2 Ohio State, 3 Baylor and Marquette, and 4 Indiana, Louisville and Wisconsin – moved on to the Sweet 16 with victories on Saturday.

“Mid-majors” – or, as I prefer to refer to them, “non-BCS conference members” – VCU (Colonial), Gonzaga (WCC) and Murray State (Ohio Valley) fell to Indiana and Ohio State (Big Ten) and Marquette (Big East), respectively.

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