NCAA Tournament 2012: Michigan's Loss and What We Learned from Friday

Madness!  That is the only word to describe Friday's crazy action, which saw No. 2 seeds Missouri and Duke fall to No. 15 seeds Norfolk State and Lehigh.  What did we learn from these amazing upsets?

We learned never to believe too deeply in our brackets.  All that research can go down the tube in one quick day of action.

But, what else did we learn about those teams and all of college basketball?

Duke's Terrible Backcourt Defense Sealed Its Fate

All year fans have worried about Duke's porous backcourt-defense and over-reliance on three-pointers.  On Friday, the Blue Devils showed them why in their upset loss to Lehigh.

Duke's loss can primarily be attributed to its guards. Duke's star back court shot under 30% from distance and allowed Lehigh guard C.J.  McCollum to score 30 points.  It was enough to sink the ship.  

Missouri's Rebounding Problems Were an Achilles Heel

Missouri looked like a top team all year.  They won 30 games, scored at will and hit threes, but they were not over-dependent on them and played solid defense.

But they could never get enough rebounds, and it proved to be an Achilles heel.

On Friday, Missouri kept giving Norfolk State second chances because they could not rebound the ball effectively.  As a result, they lost 86-84 at the buzzer.

Teams That Depend on Threes Don't Win the Tournament

For your next bracket (since everyone's this year is already ruined), remember this cardinal rule: teams that depend on threes will never win the tournament.  

In at least one game, the threes will not fall and that team will bow out, regardless of their regular season record.

Duke and Michigan, the most three-dependent teams in the tourney, proved that Friday.

Of course, you can often expect them to advance to the Sweet Sixteen or Elite Eight.  But, when you combine that over-dependence with poor rebounding, it's a killer in any round.  

College Basketball Has More Parity Than Ever

Have you ever seen so much parity in the tournament?

Now, with most NBA-bound players gone in a year or two while still immature, the gap between programs is closing.  Now teams with a great crop of talented, experienced upperclassmen can break through.

By the same token, the elite teams relying on young talent are much more prone to upsets than in years past.

So, in future tournaments, it really will be madness!