Linking Laconically is still admiring Delvon Roe's "heads down" play*

*Full credit for this corny-but-brilliant turn of phrase to LVS.

• Adversity bringing Spartans closer - George Dohrmann - SI.com
  "I got your back. All us here got your back."
• Basketball Prospectus | Articles | The First Weekend
  BP guys like Northern Iowa on Friday.  Gasaway salutes Roe's duck.
• Big Ten Geeks's Blog - Big Ten Network
  "This was a close shave, America, close shave Barbasol."
• X’s & O’s of Basketball: To Call Or Not to Call a Timeout, Izzo Pulls Back, MSU Wins
  Better to not call TO with veterans on court; Draymond Green is a sophomoric veteran.
• Video: Michigan State star loses tooth on block attempt - The Dagger - NCAAB Blog - Yahoo! Sports
  In a game with some weird moments, this was perhaps the weirdest.
• The Mid-Majority : Northern Iowa, Pride of the Valley
  Read this.  How UNI became what it is.
• Trey Zeigler Narrows List to Five | UM Hoops.com
  Still no word on whether we have the scholarship slot to offer him, but we're on the list.
• Jefferson's 6-10 center will face two 5-5 guards in semifinal | High School Huddle
  Block some shots, Adreian.
• Detroit Pershing's Keith Appling to play for USA? | freep.com | Detroit Free Press
  Offseason play against quality opposition never hurts.
• The Audacity of Hoops: Prediction System Bracket Challenge: Rd 2 Update
  Obviously not a scientific study, but interesting to see the balanced Sagarin ratings winning at this point.
• Analyzing the Roster Shakeup " "Battle Does It Again"
  Talor Battle losing some teammates to transfers: Chris Babb and Bill Edwards.
• MSU's Kalin Lucas injury confirmed: Ruptured Achilles tendon; out for season | detnews.com | The Detroit News
  Official.

Nonlaconic Commentary on Losing Our Star to a Terrible Injury

Obviously, the immediate impact of Kalin Lucas' achilles tear is losing our best player for the duration of this NCAA Tournament, which significantly reduces the expected value of said duration.  The injury also means next season may not get off to a slower start, as Lucas will still be rounding back into playing shape (4-6 month recovery time--maybe up to 8).  Hopefully, Korie Lucious will have a healthy offseason this time around to further develop toward being a consistently-starter-level point guard.  And Keith Appling (that's Mr. Basketball to you) will get some time running the show this summer in informal workouts.

Most of all, this stinks just because any 21-year old athlete with the potential to go on to professional success in his sport suffering a injury of this seriousness stinks.  I'd much rather have lost Lucas to the NBA early than have had him deal with this.

The injury, of course, makes it all the more sweet that MSU held on to win yesterday's game.  A lost game combined with a lost star would have been doubly tragic.  Bittersweet beats the heck out of bitterbitter.