Michigan, Michigan State and Oakland University all made it into the 2011 NCAA Tournament, each without having to play a play in game (or a first round game as the NCAA is calling it now).
Here is how each of the three made and and who they will face in their opening games…
Michigan Wolverines
During a selection show at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan learned that they would be a #8 seed and face #9 Tennessee in Charlotte, North Carolina on Friday.
With the bid, Michigan makes the NCAA Tournament for the 22nd time with the school seeing this as the 18th appearance due to NCAA sanctions. In tournament play the Wolverines have an overall record of 42-20 (35-16 when adjusted for sanctions).
The past two tournament appearances for Michigan they’ve advanced past the first round beating Davidson 80-61 in 1998 and Clemson in 2009 by a score of 62-59.
Michigan has been led by freshman guard Tim Hardaway, Jr and sophomore point guard Darrius Morris. Morris was named a third-team All-Big Ten performer and is the teams leading scorer averaging 15.2 points per game while Hardaway Jr. was scoring 13.9 points per game.
The Wolverines pretty much stamped their ticket to the dance after finishing 20-13 after starting the Big Ten season 1-6. Michigan was able to go 8-4 in their final 12 games which included a sweep over in state rival Michigan State and top 50 wins over Illinois and Penn State.
Tennessee finished the season 19-14, good for fifth place in the SEC where they had an 8-8 in conference schedule. This is the Vols 6th straight tournament appearance and are 10-7 all-time in first round games.
Even though Michigan and Tennessee didn’t play each other during the regular season, they do have an indirect connection. Tennessee lost to Oakland University, 89-82, on December 14th while Michigan beat the Grizzlies, 69-51, four days later.
Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State went into the 2010-11 season as a preseason #2. The Spartans however stumbled out of the gate and by the time the season was over they were 19-14 and un-ranked.
Despite the less than stellar season for the Spartans, they were able to pull together two Big Ten Tournament wins over Iowa, who they split the season series with and Purdue who had convincing victories over the Spartans during the regular season.
With those two Big Ten Tournament wins and their tough non-conference schedule the Spartans were able to secure a #10 seed and play the #7 seed UCLA in a second-round NCAA Southeast Regional game on Thursday at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.
UCLA finished their season 22-10 and is college basketball’s all-time leader in national championships. They last played the Spartans in the 2007 CBE Classic at Kansas City. UCLA ended up taking this game from the Spartans.
Oakland Golden Grizzlies
Oakland was the first team from the State to stamp their ticket to the dance after winning the Summit League Tournament and finishing the season with a 17-1 record in conference.
Oakland enters the tournament as a #13 seed taking on #4 seed Texas in a West Regional game that will take place in Tulsa Oklahoma on Friday.
This is Oakland’s third appearance in the tournament and their second in a row. The Grizzlies lost to Pittsburgh 89-66 in the opening round last season. In 2005 Oakland was able to beat Alabama A&M in a play in game then lost to the eventual National Champion North Carolina.
Source: Mlive.com, Grand Rapids Press, AnnArbor.com
