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FRIDAY’S REGIONAL SEMIFINALS

SOUTH/At Atlanta

No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 10 Xavier (7:15 p.m. ET/CBS)

Frank Says: Each of these teams had stretches in which it would have been dicey to project Sweet 16 appearances for either. The Musketeers appear to be playing at “pre-brawl (with Cincinnati) form. And the Bears are now look the part of a team two wins away from a Final Four appearance – in large part because of Southern Idaho transfer point guard Pierre Jackson. To earn a spot in Sunday’s regional final, however, Baylor is going to need a big effort out of Perry Jones III (four of 14 from field/nine points/14 rebounds in two NCAA games) against Xavier’s Kenny Frease (35 points/15 rebounds in same stretch).

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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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