On March 22, I made the pilgrimage from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Charlotte, North Carolina, to watch the third round of the NCAA Tournament. The games featured two Final Four teams: Game 1 was Michigan State vs. Virginia, and Game 2 was Duke vs. San Diego State. The first game was, well, exciting. MSU point guard Travis Trice exploded for 13 points in the first five minutes of the game, giving the Spartans a lead that the Virginia Cavaliers could not overcome. Trice ended the game with 23 points. The Cavaliers had their opportunities, but they could not throw a rock in the ocean. MSU could have left the building winning by 20, but they missed a ton of free throws, keeping the game close.
In Game 2, Duke had control and never lost. Justise Winslow finished the game in the first half with a monster block that led to a Quinn Cook transition three-pointer right in front of the SDSU section of the arena. Cook celebrated the three and SDSU never had a chance again. During halftime of the game, Michigan State players came out of their locker rooms and sat in the stands, and I was able to have a little talk with Spartan guard Denzel Valentine. He told me he felt all the momentum was on their side, and it was. This was the first time I had seen two Final Four teams live in action.
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