The first half was rather difficult to watch. Someone mentioned that the game reminded him of the Bennett era game vs. Southwest Missouri State. Commentary around the country:

• Ivan Carter:
  

  If James Naismith had been around to witness Wisconsin’s 65-56 region semifinal victory over North Carolina State on Friday night, he might have wished he had invented something other than basketball.

• Joe LaPointe
  

  Explaining his team’s strategy for coping with Hodge, Ryan said: “You show respect, and then you play. Make him go right a little bit. Make him go left a little bit. I really liked our help defense. We kept him from getting to the rim.”

• Herb Sendek Remarks
  

• Roger Van Der Horst
  

  This was supposed to have been a renaissance for college basketball in the Triangle, and for a week it was just that, a time when once again all three of its major men’s basketball teams — Duke, N.C. State and North Carolina — were playing deep into the NCAA Tournament. For Duke and State, those sweet few days ended with a thud Friday night, courtesy of two methodical, strong, defensive-minded Big Ten teams.

• Google News (lots of links)

Meanwhile, Ed Cone is pleased that one ACC team survived. Rather unusual for 3 Big Ten teams to make it this far, with only UNC left from the ACC.