Anyone going to be able to top the story of Anthony Johnson this month? I doubt it. And even if it happens, good. These are the kinds of things - the human-interest pieces - that take us away from the bubble talk (which is admittedly fun) and make us say, "Hey, wow, now this is really something. This is worth forwarding to a friend." The Grizzlies got an automatic bid thanks to Johnson scoring two-thirds of the team's points last night. It was an epic comeback, one that had the Twitter world buzzing as it all unfolded.

It its 109-year span of playing basketball, Montana has never been ranked. It did make one Sweet 16 - back in 1975, when the tournament was 32 teams deep and it lost in the second round to eventual champion UCLA - and got a first-round upset over Nevada a few years back. But the school is largely void of any rich basketball history. So this is the year. Johnson's heroics in defeating Weber State is the launching pad for a season unlike any other. Think about what the school is going through right now. Calls from around the country - including this very blog! - are flooding into the athletic offices, searching for Johnson and head coach Wayne Tinkle (avoiding sophomore puns at all costs here).

You know about Johnson's backstory, so how can you not root for this team to pull off an upset? There would, seemingly, be no better club to win next Thursday or Friday than this one.

Player to know: This is a joke, right? If you want to bare-bone stats on Johnson this season, here you go: 19.6 PPG; 50.6 percent from the field; 88 percent from the foul line; 46 percent from 3-point range.

The Vitals: 

»Record: 22-9, 10-6 Big Sky
»Team colors: copper, silver and gold
»We're thinking: a 16-seed
»KenPom ranking: 104
»RPI: 124
»Best win: @ Oregon (15-15)
»Worst loss: Idaho State (7-22)
»Notable stat: Montana shot the ball more effectively (49 percent from the floor; 40 percent from 3) and held opponents to the worst field goal percentage (41.7) in the Big Sky.
»Most recent tournament history (eight total appearances):
-2006 (12-seed): W first round over Nevada, 87-79; L second round to No. 4 Boston College, 69-56.
-2005 (16-seed): L first round to Washington, 88-77.

SB Nation's Andrew Feinstein goes to several NBA stadiums over the course of the year and wants the in-game fan experience to be about the actual game, not about all the other hubris.

Having been to NBA games in six stadiums this season (I'm counting Staples Center twice, because Lakers and Clippers games are like night and day, and I mean literally since I attended a Lakers game at night and a Clippers game during the day), I'm concerned the NBA is doing a poor job of showcasing their sport. We can argue endlessly about which sport is the best to watch live, but if you're privileged enough to sit within 25 rows of an NBA floor during a hard-fought, close game, I don't believe there's a better in-person experience to be had in professional sports. And yet, thanks to the circus atmosphere that has developed at most NBA games, the current "fan experience" risks both alienating old school fans while failing to foster an appreciation for the sport among young, prospective fans.

Since the league's inception, NBA teams have relied on clever promotions to generate sponsor revenue during timeouts, quarter breaks and halftimes. I have no issue with this in principle. But between on-site DJs blaring inaudibly loud music, T-shirt tosses, spirit squads (male and female), brainless game show gimmicks, laser shows, fire bursts, elderly or obese dancers, kiss cams (ok, I admit I kind of like the kiss cam) and the like, it's as if we as fans are attending a poorly-planned carnival where a basketball game happens to break out somewhere in between. I think it's legitimate to question whether all this non-basketball nonsense is good for the game itself.

I've been to Denver's Pepsi Center, Los Angeles' Staples Center, Milwaukee's Bradley Center, Chicago's United Center or Washington's Verizon Center, and all the true NBA fans (i.e. the men and women who actually buy the tickets) I spoke to at those respective venues had the same complaint: NBA games have become a circus of distraction where all too often it's no longer about the game. Simply put, in their desperation to put asses in the seats, those in charge of "the fan experience" have forgotten that the experience should be about the graceful, ultra-competitive, often exhilarating sport of basketball ... and not Snuggie giveaways.

Highlights from around the NBA, spectacular plays of the week by the home team, or - with the exception of Lakers and Bulls games - an homage to the history of the game and the home team are nowhere to be found during typical arena game breaks. You know, stuff that's actually centered on the game of basketball. Call me old school, but when I was a kid regularly attending Nuggets games at McNichols Arena and Bucks games at the old Mecca Arena in Milwaukee, I didn't need all the non-basketball pomp and circumstance to fall in love with the sport. The game itself, basketball highlights, bloopers shown on the scoreboard and a funny mascot were good enough for me. 

It pains me greatly to say this as a Nuggets fan, but of the games I've attended this season, only the Lakers come closest to doing things the right way from start to finish. While the prices from tickets to parking to concessions are beyond absurd and the crowd is littered with Hollywood hot shots and trophy wives/girlfriends who know next to nothing about the NBA, at least the Lakers organization and those who operate Staples Center make the game about the game. Those who have been fortunate enough to attend a Lakers home game know what I mean.

Before tipoff, the Staples Center lights dim and gigantic drapes fall from the rafters upon which a multimillion dollar camera system projects footage from Lakers lore followed by highlights from the current Lakers team. Right from the start, the fans are connected with the rich history of their franchise. After the drapes are removed and the player introductions are announced, the lights come back on, but only over the floor. The rest of the stadium remains dark so that the focus of the arena is on the game and not on the crowd (if only Lakers "fans" actually watched the game instead of futzing with their cell phones for three hours, but you get the idea). And with the exception of the legendary Lakers girls and the requisite kiss cam, the fans aren't subjected to the hazarai that takes place in other stadiums. You're not being bombarded with obnoxiously loud music. The PA announcer doesn't beg you stand up and chant defense. You're not pelted with T-shirts while fans kill each other to grab one. And so forth. Again, at Staples Center for a Lakers game, it's about the game.

I know of virtually no other stadium experience, with the exception of Madison Square Garden from what I hear, that has the same "focus on the game" mantra. Worse, it's a circus atmosphere gone awry. For example, entering the fourth quarter at Pepsi Center, the PA announcer begs all attendees to take out their keys and jingle them because Key Bank is a Nuggets sponsor. Right, because I need Key Bank to remind me when the fourth quarter is upon us.

Never one to complain without offering solutions, here's a uniform in-stadium game break program that all NBA franchises should adopt immediately.

First, always lead introductions with a homage to the franchise's history. Even the most destitute NBA franchises have had some golden years (with the exception of the Clippers, of course, I doubt they'll be showing video highlights of Ken Norman or Loy Vaught anytime soon). The Bulls do a nice job of this at the United Center when they show video of good-to-great Bulls players dating back to the franchise's inception in the late 1960s. Each former player gets one clip, including Michael Jordan, as a means of showcasing that this sport is about the team and its legacy, not just one individual.

During last season's Western Conference Finals, the Nuggets finally showcased highlights of Alex English and Fat Lever as part of the pre-game ritual before Game 3, and the crowd went absolutely berserk. Frankly, I'd never heard a louder crowd at Pepsi Center than at that moment with a nod to our franchise's glorious past. Why this isn't done in NBA stadiums nationwide befuddles me.

Second, instead of having local businesses (a crucial revenue component for NBA teams) sponsor absurd parlor games during game breaks that no one watches, have those local businesses sponsor highlight packages from around the league or of the team itself. At a minimum, NBA scoreboards should be showcasing a weekly blooper and "plays of the week" package at stadiums nationwide. Additionally, with NBATV continuing to struggle ratings-wise, why aren't they programming the game breaks on stadium scoreboards in the first place?

Third, every NBA game should have a "This Night in NBA History" or "This Night in [team name here] History" appear at every game (again, produced by NBATV or by the team's local TV partner). As a kid, I was encouraged to learn the history of the game because this was shown on the old McNichols scoreboard. Unfortunately, when kids at games today clobber each other for a one-in-a-thousand shot at catching a free Snuggie, I question if they'll ever know their team's history or even care.

In the months and year ahead, NBA owners are going to completely and radically revamp the business of professional basketball, whether the players union likes it or not. While they're at it, I hope they discuss treating their fans - young and old - as basketball fans, rather than a collection of morons who stumble into a circus combined with a laser light show. 

At the very least, I know I could do without a new Snuggie as long as I can watch the best sport in the world in peace.

Very few bubble teams can secure a bid on Thursday, but early-round losses for any of them would likely extinguish their hopes.

Florida must beat Auburn. Georgia Tech must get by North Carolina. And Pac-10 contenders Washington and Arizona State must each avoid quarterfinal upsets to set up their crucial semifinal clash. 

The number of open spots in the tournament shrunk from eight to seven on Wednesday with Notre Dame pretty much securing an at-large bid with a fifth straight win. On the other hand, South Florida removed itself from contention with a loss to Georgetown and Seton Hall damaged its hopes by falling to the Irish.

Last Five In, First Five Out

61. Illinois (18-12, 10-8, RPI: 75) Although it's hard to imagine a team with victories over Clemson, Vanderbilt, Michigan State and Wisconsin not making the field, Illinois is in jeopardy as a result of its bloated RPI and poor finish. The Illini have to avenge Sunday's loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten quarterfinals, or Selection Sunday will be very dicey.  

62. Washington (21-9, 11-7, RPI: 50): The Huskies finished a game behind Arizona State in the Pac-10 standings, but victories over Cal and Texas A&M are more impressive than anything on the Sun Devils' resume. A Pac-10 title game appearance is a must for Washington, meaning the Huskies will probably have to defeat Arizona State in the semifinals to get there.

63. San Diego State (20-8, 11-5, RPI: 36): Unlike other bubble teams, San Diego State's NCAA tournament hopes can be summed up fairly simply. A win over likely Mountain West semifinal opponent New Mexico would put the Aztecs solidly in the field, while a quarterfinal or semifinal loss would likely knock them out.

64. Georgia Tech (18-11, 7-9, RPI: 44): Can a team that finished below .500 in the ACC and lost eight of nine road conference games make the NCAA tournament? This season, absolutely. The Yellowjackets' victory over Duke is keeping them afloat right now, but they need a first-round ACC tournament win over North Carolina at minimum and perhaps a quarterfinal victory over Maryland on top of that. 

65. Arizona State (22-9, 12-6, RPI: 55): Eight wins in their final 10 games earned the Sun Devils second place in the Pac-10 and a spot on the bubble, but their most impressive victories are over bubble teams Washington and San Diego State. They must beat the Huskies again in the Pac-10 tournament semifinals to merit legit consideration.

------- CUT LINE --------

66. Seton Hall (19-12, 9-9, RPI: 54): Seton Hall lobbied hard for a bid after its loss to Notre Dame on Wednesday night, but that missed opportunity could be a killer. Although the Pirates haven't lost to a single team outside the top 75 in the RPI this season, outside of a win over Pittsburgh, their best wins are Louisville and Cornell.

67. Mississippi (21-9, 9-7, RPI: 56): It took a late surge to get to 9-7 in the SEC for Mississippi to give itself a chance to make the NCAA tournament. Non-conference wins over Kansas State and UTEP will help the Rebels' cause, but without a quarterfinal victory over Tennessee this week, Ole Miss is probably NIT-bound. 

68. Memphis (23-8, 13-3, RPI: 46): Memphis' RPI is solid because it played strong non-league competition, but the trouble is that the Tigers didn't win any of those games this season. They'll need to get to the Conference USA title game by perhaps beating Alabama-Birmingham for a third time and then hope that other bubble teams continue to falter.

69. Mississippi State (21-10, 9-7, RPI: 68): No bubble team endured a more damaging week last week than the Bulldogs, who lost at Auburn and then got torched at home by Tennessee. The Bulldogs face a must-win SEC quarterfinal against fellow bubble team Florida and then depending on how other bubble teams fare, they may still need one more win after that. 

70. Alabama-Birmingham (23-7, 11-5, RPI: 41): UAB's victories over Butler and fellow fringe bubble team Cincinnati are helpful, but the Blazers' 11-5 conference record includes losses in all three meetings with UTEP and Memphis. Advancing to the Conference USA title game with a win over Memphis is a must for third-seeded UAB, but the Blazers may need to win the tournament to get a bid. 

Thursday's Bubble Look-ahead

• Georgia Tech vs. North Carolina — There's no more intriguing matchup today than this battle of underachievers. Tech can't lose here or its out. 

•  Cincinnati vs. West Virginia — Either Cincinnati makes things very interesting with a big upset, or Bob Huggins sends his former team to the NIT. 

• Arizona State vs. Stanford — Sun Devils must get this one to set up their potential Pac-10 semifinal match-up with Washington.

• Washington vs. Oregon State — Ditto for the Huskies. A must-win.

• Florida vs. Auburn — The Gators may need two SEC tournament wins depending on how other bubble teams fare, but no doubt they need this one.

• Memphis vs. Houston — This is the first of two must-wins for the Tigers.

• San Diego State vs. Colorado State — Like Memphis in Conference USA, the Aztecs likely need two wins in the Mountain West tournament.

Wednesday's Bubble Recap

• Georgetown 69, South Florida 49 — Nice season for the Bulls, but their NCAA hopes are now dead.

• Notre Dame 68, Seton Hall 56 — The Irish lock up a bid, leaving the Pirates rooting hard for fellow bubble teams to flop. 

• Oklahoma State 81, Oklahoma 67 — Welcome to the dance, Cowboys. Welcome to the offseason, Sooners.

• Cincinnati 69, Louisville 66 — The Bearcats are at least one win away from truly getting back on the bubble.

Alright, I get it: Raptors fans don’t want to listen to a 20 minute audio clip to hear a two minute anecdote about Oliver Miller.

Fair enough, but I truly think you’re missing out on a great story about Miller by not listening to my entire interview with author Rus Bradburd or by listening to the latest Hoops Addict Podcast. So, because I’m such a generous and caring journalist, here’s the clip of Bradburd talking about a night when his college coach, Nolan Richardson, walked into Miller’s hotel room to find him hoarding four pizza’s to himself.

Yes, you read that right: Miller had four pizzas to himself.

I’ve heard a lot of entertaining stories while talking with players, coaches and fellow writers while covering the NBA, but this has to be near the top of my list of all-time funny stories.

Download audio file (olivermiller.mp3)

Had his future wife not finagled a tryout for him at a local junior college four years ago, Montana's Anthony Johnson never would have been in position to lead the Grizzlies to an improbable NCAA tournament berth on Wednesday night.

In fact, he probably wouldn't be playing basketball at all.

Johnson had all but given up on his hoops dreams in 2005 after a unspectacular high school career when he started dating a college point guard who saw untapped potential in him that others didn't. Shaunte Nance eventually decided to transfer to a school in the Tacoma, Wash. area so that she could be closer to Johnson, only choosing Yakima Valley Community College after the men's basketball coach agreed to give her boyfriend a chance to make the team as well.

The bargain Nance brokered revived Johnson's basketball career and put him on a path toward blossoming into easily the most jaw-dropping story of March so far. The 6-foot-3 senior erupted for 34 of his Big Sky tournament record 42 points in the second half of Wednesday's 66-65 victory in the title game, singlehandedly willing Montana back from a 20-point halftime deficit to stun top-seeded Weber State.

"I feel like I'm kind of dreaming right now," Johnson told reporters after the game. "I'll probably end up watching on TV and it will sink in when we get back home."

Although Johnson averaged a team-high 18.9 points per game for Montana this year, he'd never had a superhuman night like this before. On Wednesday, Johnson was simply unstoppable in the second half, beating two and three Weber State defenders by getting to the rim, pulling up for mid-range jumpers or sticking an occasional contested 3-pointer.

To better understand what Johnson accomplished Wednesday, consider this for a moment:

• He scored Montana's final 21 points of the night

• He shot 11 of 15 in the second half and 14 of 14 from the free throw line

• He buried the go-ahead shot with 10 seconds to go, weaving through defenders until he found a sliver of light at the elbow and sinking a pull-up jumper to win it. 

"We were going to get it to A.J.," Montana coach Wayne Tinkle told reporters after the game. "We're going to ride him."

Maybe the best part of Johnson's story is that he returned the favor his wife once did for him.

When Division I scholarship offers began pouring in for Johnson after he blossomed into an elite scorer at Yakima Valley, he told coaches that he'd only consider their school on one condition: They find a spot for his wife on the women's team.

Most schools balked, but Montana's staff agreed to watch film of Johnson's wife. Shaunte Nance-Johnson now averages 21 minutes a game off the bench for the Grizzlies women's team, which plays in the Big Sky semifinals on Friday night.

"She got me my first opportunity to right off the bat play basketball," Johnson told MontanaGrizzlies.com. "If it wasn't for her using the power she had, there would be no Anthony Johnson playing basketball, period. When I had an opportunity to return the favor, I felt pretty good about it."

Familiarity is good. CBS seems to know that, which may be why its announcing teams for the NCAA tournament are almost identical to last year.

We don't need surprises when we flip on the first round of the tournament next Thursday at noon EDT. I like the routine. There will be a brief, uninformative pre-game show in New York featuring Greg Gumbel; a slightly modified intro featuring at least one clip of Christian Laettner's shot playing over the familiar CBS NCAA basketball theme and then a cut to a far-flung locale for the first game of the day, probably with Ian Eagle announcing that he'll take us to our game as soon as it begins.

It's as routine as going to fireworks on July 4th or watching the Detroit Lions lose on Thanksgiving. It's the greatest. Why mess with it? 

Thankfully, CBS didn't. Here's the network's list of announcer pairings for the first two rounds of the tournament. It looks quite similar to last year's:

• Studio: Greg Gumbel, Greg Anthony, Seth Davis

• Jim Nantz/Clark Kellogg

• Dick Enberg/Jay Bilas

• Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery

• Gus Johnson/Len Elmore

• Kevin Harlan/Dan Bonner

• Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel

• Tim Brando/Mike Gminski

• Spero Dedes/Bob Wenzel

Other than our usual complaints about the bland Clark Kellogg, it's a fine list. (Although we do wish Greg Anthony was given something more to do rather than try to get a word in over Seth Davis in the studio.) Len Elmore is normally a pretty reserved dude, so it's nice that he's with the powder keg of excitement that is Gus Johnson. As much fun as it would be to have a Gus/Bill Raftery pairing, there's a reasonable fear that the two would spontaneously combust if they had to announce a buzzer beater together.

Jay Bilas is given the job of keeping viewers from ignoring all the errors made by the 75-year old Dick Enberg, who is experiencing the inevitable decline that all legendary announcers go through. Enberg hasn't yet his Pat Summerall territory, but he's definitely slipped a lot in recent years. Bilas can't really get into a groove with Enberg, which is a shame because he's as good as they come. It's great that ESPN allows Bilas to moonlight for CBS during the tournament, we just wish they'd send Dan Shulman along too.

If we can assume that the teams are listed in ranked order, that would mean the Gus/Len pairing will get to call a regional. (Keeps fingers crossed.) The "H" team of Spero Dedes and Bob Wenzel is the only new one from last season (Dedes replaces Craig Bolerjack).

Thanks, Awful Announcing

If you're like me, you frequently wonder how much game is still possessed by old college basketball coaches. There's little doubt young guys like Jeff Capel and Dane Fife still got game, but what of the older guard?

We all know know Mike Krzyzewski is one of, if not the, greatest coach of all-time and that he also played guard at West Point. But how's his jumpshot at age 63? And Jim Boeheim teaches the zone defense to Syracuse players like Socrates taught philosophy to Plato. But can he still take away the high post in practice?

There are no answers to these questions in this blog post, only a video to confirm that, yes, the skills of older basketball coaches have yet to fully erode. At an ACC tournament shoot-around Wednesday, Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg drained a half-court hookshot that looked, dare I say, Kareem-esque:

Later on his Twitter page, Greenberg boasted that he "displayed his range" at practice and thinks he still "might have eligibility." (Eligibility questions? Too bad Tim Floyd isn't still at USC.)

Virginia Tech will play the winner of Wake Forest-Miami in Friday's ACC quarterfinals. No word on whether Greenberg will suit up and come off the bench for the Hokies.

Thanks, D.C. Sports Bog

Rudy Gay led a potent Memphis attack with 28 points, as the Grizzlies' ran their road winning streak to seven games with a convincing 111-91 win over the Celtics.

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Rudy Gay led a potent Memphis attack with 28 points, as the Grizzlies' ran their road winning streak to seven games with a convincing 111-91 win over the Celtics.

O.J. Mayo notched 17 points, and Marcus Williams scored 16 off the bench. Zach Randolph returned from a stiff back to add 13 points and 10 rebounds for Memphis, which is riding the longest road winning streak in franchise history and has won four of five overall.

Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen each scored 17 points for the Celtics, who lost their second in a row following a four-game win streak. Paul Pierce had 14 points and Rasheed Wallace 11.

Memphis rolled to a 27-12 lead after 12 minutes and were up 20, 33-13, in the early going of the second after opening with a 6-1 spurt.

The Grizzlies kept pouring it on, as Mike Conley's three-pointer and a Mayo reverse layup to follow made it 43-22 with 5 1/2 minutes left. The margin at halftime saw the Grizzlies' ahead 55-33.

Boston got its offense on track in the third quarter, nearly matching the output for the first half with a 30-point frame. The C's used a quick 9-0 burst to get within 14 on a Pierce three at the seven-minute mark, but Memphis' lead remained in double digits, 82-63, beginning the final period.

Memphis shot 55 percent from the floor compared with Boston's 43.8-percent effort...The Grizzlies halted a six-game losing streak in this series. Memphis last defeated the Celtics on December 6, 2006...Michael Finley scored 10 points in his second game with the Celtics. Kevin Garnett was 3-of-9 from the field for six points and added seven boards, while Nate Robinson was scoreless in nearly 15 minutes off the bench...Conley had 12 points, Young scored 11 and Marc Gasol secured 10 boards with seven points and five assists in the win...The Grizzlies' last road loss came at Minnesota on February 6.

Auburn Hills, MI (Sports Network) - Deron Williams paced a balanced attack with 18 points and 12 assists, and the Utah Jazz trounced the Detroit Pistons, 115-104, at the Palace at Auburn Hills.

Mehmet Okur and Paul Millsap each added 18 points for Utah, which secured its fifth consecutive winning season with its 42nd win and its 21st winning campaign in 22 seasons under head coach Jerry Sloan. Kyle Korver and Wesley Matthews each had 14 points, while Andrei Kirilenko and Carlos Boozer both finished with 11.

Boozer also had 12 rebounds, while Millsap had nine, as the Jazz beat the Pistons for the 10th consecutive time dating back to the 2004-05 season.

Charlie Villanueva paced the Detroit attack with 19 points, and Richard Hamilton put up 16 in the defeat, the Pistons' seventh in eight games. Will Bynum had 14, Jonas Jerebko 13 and Tayshaun Prince and Ben Gordon each had 11.

Jason Maxiell provided 10 points and 11 boards for the Pistons.

Detroit held a 29-28 lead after one quarter, but Utah dominated the Pistons, 35-14, in the second.

The Jazz began the frame on a 14-0 run, as Korver, Ronnie Price and Millsap each hit a pair of shots. Millsap's basket with eight minutes until halftime made it 42-29, and the margin escalated to 20, 61-41, on a pair of Okur free throws with 1 1/2 minutes left.

The halftime score was 63-43.

Detroit made a late run in the third to cut its deficit to as small as 11, but Utah still went to the fourth with an 87-74 advantage.

Okur and Korver hit back-to-back three-pointers early in the fourth to make it a 93-76 contest, and the outcome was never in doubt down the stretch.

Utah improved to 2-0 on a four-game trip that will take it to Milwaukee and Oklahoma City...Detroit guard Rodney Stuckey was cleared to exercise Wednesday after a scary collapse in last week's loss to Cleveland...The Jazz improved to 17-14 on the road, while Detroit fell to 15-18 at home...The Pistons' last win in this series came on March 13, 2005...Utah has won four straight overall...The Pistons clinched their second straight losing campaign after going to the Eastern Conference finals in six of the previous seven seasons.

As Notre Dame reeled off season-saving win after season-saving win without injured star Luke Harangody to close the regular season, a once-unthinkable question surfaced in the minds of fans of the Fighting Irish.

Could Notre Dame actually be better without Harangody?

We now know the answer to that question is an emphatic "no" after watching Harangody lead the Irish to their biggest win of the season on Wednesday night. In just his second game back from a bone bruise in his right knee. Harangody came off the bench to score 20 points and grab 10 boards in 24 minutes, propelling Notre Dame to a 68-56 victory over Seton Hall that removed any remaining doubt that the Irish are at-large-worthy. 

If this victory brought sweet relief for Notre Dame, it will mean four anxious days for Seton Hall. The Pirates played their way into at-large consideration largely by winning the games they were supposed to this season, but they needed another marquee victory over a team like the Irish to feel comfortable at all about their chances. 

Seton Hall seemed to have a great chance to get that victory until Harangody checked into the game four minutes into the first half with tentative-looking Notre Dame already down 9-2. The senior ignited the Irish with his scoring, rebounding and hustle, posting 15 points and nine rebounds before the break to help give his team a 28-21 lead that it never relinquished.

With the Irish now safely in the field, take a few seconds to reflect on what they've done to get there.

After a Feb. 17 loss to Louisville, Notre Dame had an injured star, a 6-8 record in Big East play and no marquee wins besides a home victory over West Virginia in early January. Now the Irish have rattled off wins over Pittsburgh, Georgetown, Connecticut, Marquette and Seton Hall, a five-game win streak impressive enough that it might vault the Irish all the way to an eight or nine seed.

You can credit coach Mike Brey for slowing down the tempo, getting his team to work for better shots and better masking Notre Dame's defensive inadequacies. You can credit Harangody's co-stars Tim Abromaitis, Ben Hansbrough and Carleton Scott for shouldering more of the scoring load now that they couldn't simply stand around after dumping it inside. 

Just don't attribute Notre Dame's success to Harangody's absence. We learned today that with a healthy Harangody and an improved supporting cast, the Irish are more dangerous than ever.