Eric Smith covers the Raptors as the NBA analyst for the FAN 590 radio in Toronto. He hosts the FAN's pre, half, and post-game shows during Raptor broadcasts, "Hoops" - the FAN's weekly NBA show, simulcast on Raptors NBA TV and the point-couterpoint show, Double Dribble with Paul Jones weekly on Raptors NBA TV.

by Eric Smith
raptors.commentator
February 14, 2005

(TORONTO) -- For the next three weeks - in locker rooms around the NBA - friends will become foes and teammates will become opponents as bragging rights are on the line for the NCAA tournament.

With Selection Sunday now out of the way and the brackets now set, players are lining up to throw their support behind their alma maters and reliving the glory days of their collegiate careers.

Mo Pete won it all with his Michigan State Spartans in 2000. (Getty Images)

"Every year I looked forward to (the NCAA tournament)," said former Michigan State Spartan, Morris Peterson. "Ever since I was a kid I looked forward to the NCAA tournament. I'm still as excited. Sometimes I wish I could go back and play in the game. I live for those days. I live for making the NCAA tournament."

And Michigan State could probably use Peterson's experience right now after the fifth-seeded Spartans drew a tough first-round match up against No. 12, Old Dominion.

Though State enters into this tournament with a 22-6 record, they're coming off a March 12 loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes.

"It's not going to be easy (against Old Dominion), but hopefully we can get the job done," said Peterson.

For Peterson's sake, with any luck Tom Izzo can find a way to get his team to rekindle some of the magic MSU showed in 2000 in Indianapolis.

"I have great memories of the NCAA tournament," said Peterson. "(I) won a national championship in my senior year - Final Four two years in row. It's exciting. There's nothing like it.

"To be involved in something like that and to be able to win your last game, ya know, that's every college players' dream - to win their last game, and go out on top."

Donyell Marshall's Huskies never made it to the Final Four in his years at UConn. (Getty Images)

Unfortunately for some of the Raptors, the memories of the big dance are not as fond as Peterson's.

"I don't talk about the tournament," said Donyell Marshall after his record-setting three-point shootout against Philly on Sunday. "I had a bad memory, so I don't really talk about the tournament."

Though he didn't go into any detail, one would have to assume Marshall may have been referring to the fact that his days at Connecticut never produced an appearance in the Final Four - let alone an NCAA Championship - despite UConn's vast amount of success in the tournament over the years (especially during the last 19 years under coach Jim Calhoun).

Marshall left the Huskies after the 1993-94 college season, as did Jalen Rose of the University of Michigan.

Twelve months earlier, one of the most talked-about moments in NCAA history took place. Playing against North Carolina in the championship game, Wolverines forward Chris Webber called for a timeout. However, Michigan had no timeouts left. Thus, the Tar Heels took possession of the ball, and ultimately, won the game.

That was Webber's collegiate swansong and though Rose stayed in Ann Arbour for another season, he never got that close to a title again. But the Raptors swingman has only positive memories despite his Final Four woes (he went to the championship two years in a row - 1992 and 1993 - and lost both times).

"My greatest memory of the NCAA tournament is just the pure excitement of being a college kid waiting for the brackets to come out on the Sunday and celebrating whatever happens, and then going into the tournament knowing - as we knew - that we had a great chance to go all the way if we stayed focused and played with a purpose," said Rose.

"Just being lucky and happy enough to play in two Final Fours and two championships. Those are my best memories," he said.

Rose said the drama of the NCAA tournament is so intense because teams must "string together a lot of different wins" in a short period of time. There are few times that professional sports can match the level of excitement the field of 64 provides.

Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose and Chris Webber were main cogs in Michigan's Fab Five. (Getty Images)

But Rose said that, despite loving this time of the season, the NCAA has found a way to make things a bit easier for some of its elite teams each season.

"When I came out of school there wasn't a home-court advantage like Illinois is going to have. Where they play a regional in Illinois and they play another one in South Bend and (every team you play) is in your own backyard," he said. "When we were playing you had to go all around the country and kind of win in different regions so that made it a lot more exciting, but a lot tougher as well."

The Fighting Illini open up against No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson in Chicago on March 17.

And while Illinois is considered the favourite by many, it's tough to look past teams like North Carolina, Duke, Kansas and Kentucky as well.

Of course, with a one-and-done format, it's foolish to say that any team is ever truly a sure-fire bet.

"In the NBA, when you're in the playoffs and you lose one game you go back to the other team's (arena)," said Peterson. "In college, you lose one game and you're out. The preparation for that is really important. It's exciting and I can't wait until (the tournament) starts."

(With files from the FAN 590's Rob Pizzo and Jason Magder)