Midwest Regional Final: #1 Indiana 77, #10 LSU 76 at Cincinnati.

The Hoosiers had been ranked anywhere from 8th to second all year, mainly 2nd to 4th and were 27-4 at tipoff. LSU fresh off a surprise Final Four run in 1986 completed a truly exasperating season barely making the tournament after a strong run in the SEC Tournament.

The Tigers limped into the SEC Tournament at the Omni in Atlanta at 18-13.The regular season finale was a disaster getting blasted at Auburn by 38 in what was Joe Dean's last game as TVS/SEC Game of the Week color analyst as he would become LSU's AD in April 1.

The 1986-7 Tigers never could get traction. They never did win more than 3 games in a row. A win over #16 Georgia Tech was followed up a few days later with a home loss to New Orleans, albeit a UNO team that went to the second round of the NCAAs.Still a 12 point home loss to UNO... LSU hands Kentucky its worst home loss at Rupp Arena, 76-41 comes home and loses to Florida by 24. You get the point. Up and down off the charts.

Until LSU met Mississippi State in the first round of the SEC Tournament, the Tigers had been the only SEC team to not have had to play in the opening round of the tourney when it was revived 8 years earlier.While Dale Brown had been known to express his displeasure for the SEC-Tournament, he knew LSU had to make it to the Finals for a shot at the NCAA's.

The Tigers disposed of Miss State for the third time and then shocked 2 seed Florida, 72-66 after being blown out by the Gators home and home.Georgia fresh off a buzzer beater over Ole Miss was up next.

Georgia had won both games in the regular season. In shades of the '85 buzzer beater at the PMAC after a bad pass, the Tigers had scored to go up by 1 with :06 left. In year one of the 3 pt shot, LSU guarded the perimeter loosely, but Alec Kessler ,needing only two nailed one at the buzzer for the win.In Atlanta, LSU went up 63-43 only to have the Bulldogs tie it up on a questionable 3 at the buzzer. But the Willie Anderson's floater did everything but go in and LSU hung on for a 89-88 win.

Now 21-14 and with Brown saying he was staying up all night to demonstrate to the team 4 games in 4 days is mind over matter,regular season champ Alabama was up next.Alabama which swept the regular season series, won this one 69-62 but the Tigers battled to the end trailing by only 2 with a few minutes left.

The close loss was evidently enough to put LSU over the selection committee's last hurdle. This team actually was seeded one slot higher than '86, 10 in the MW vs 11.

Friday the 13th was good luck as LSU downed Georgia Tech in Chicago,85-79. MW#2 Temple was up next and in that game, the famed "Freak Defense" was announced to the world. LSU out muscled seemingly taller and more rugged Temple, 72-62 to advance to Cincinnati vs DePaul.

The Blue Demons were the 3rd seed,but were ranked #5 in the final polls. LSU led, 58-57 with under a minute, forced a turnover to go up 3. DePaul then made 1 of 2 free throws and Bernard Woodside made an old fashion 3 with :04 to win, 63-58.

Up next was #1 seed Indiana for a trip to the Final Four.The game was nip and tuck early with both teams' offenses playing lights out.But midway in the first half, Bob Knight was teed up for pounding the table in front of an NCAA selection committee member. However, he was not teed up any further in the immediate aftermath as he kicked a chair and went on the court to confront an official. (these officials were the one of four regional finals officials to not call one of the Final Four games the following week.)

Indiana led 47-46,but LSU soon roared out to a 63-51 lead. The Tigers hung on and led 75-66 with 4:38 left. IU chipped away and cut it to 4 on a Joe Hillman basket and foul shot which fouled out Woodside who had draped Steve Alford.Daryl Joe made a FT with :50 left to score what would be LSU's final point in the last 4:38 to go up 76-73.Daryl Thomas scored for IU and it was 76-75.

Fess Irvin was fouled with :26 and missed the front end (LSU shot 10 free throws to Indiana's 24).Indiana rebounded and elected not to call timeout. The Hoosiers broke to the basket and Thomas shot an air ball from the foul line. But Ricky Calloway banked one end to give Indiana the lead 77-76 with :06 left.

Both teams called time and Nikita Wilson, who was named the regional's MVP, missed a jumper at the buzzer and Indiana escaped and went on to win it all in New Orleans.

After the game Knight said, "I wasn't sure we could beat this team.I thought this team was as good a collection of athletes playing hard as I'd seen all season long."

This post was edited on 3/22/17 at 3:57 pm