Final Four Basketball

Purdue's hardcourt legacy hard to top

Headliner: Men's basketball. The Boilermakers have had a long tradition on the hardcourt, dating to the days when John Wooden starred in West Lafayette, Ind. But much of Purdue's basketball legacy lately should be credited to coach Gene Keady, who managed to keep the program relevant despite playing second fiddle to powerhouse rival Indiana. The Boilers haven't reached a Final Four since 1980, which taints their r�sum� a bit from a national perspective. But they're not without several other accomplishments: a league-leading 22 Big Ten titles; 28 players named All-Americans; 25 NCAA tournament appearances; 13 consecutive first-round NCAA tourney wins; and two No. 1 overall NBA draft picks.

Heartbreaker: It was 2004. ESPN's “College GameDay” was in town for the first time. Purdue's football team was undefeated and ranked in the Top 10, fresh off streak-ending wins at Notre Dame and at Penn State. Quarterback Kyle Orton was even in the early Heisman race. But Wisconsin played spoiler, beating the Boilers 20-17. It was the start of a four-game skid for Purdue, which hasn't been in the national spotlight since.

History-maker: In 1996, Purdue clinched an outright Big Ten regular-season basketball championship for the third year in a row, a feat that had been accomplished only once in league history. The Boilermakers compiled a record of 80-18 in that span, though they reached the Sweet 16 only once.

Nebraska connection: KK Houser, a standout at Lincoln Southeast, plays for the Purdue women's basketball team. Houser, a sophomore, redshirted this season after suffering a knee injury in the season opener. … Former Nebraska defensive backs coach Phil Elmassian joined the Purdue staff this winter. He'll be coaching the linebackers.

Did you know? Hundreds of Purdue students rioted on campus after the women's basketball team won its first national title in 1999. Dumpsters were burned. Tear gas was deployed. Arrests were made. Similar pandemonium occurred after the men's team lost in the Elite Eight in 2000 and after the women lost the national title game in 2001.

Battling Big Red: Nebraska and Purdue have met once on the football field (a 28-0 Purdue win in 1958). Nebraska has played the Boilermakers four times in men's hoops, winning once in 1966. The Huskers' 78-56 loss in 1979 came against a Purdue team that eventually reached the Final Four.

Final Four Basketball Floor, Made in the Upper Peninsula | Upper ...

This is Governor Jennifer Granholm.

This weekend, basketball fans around Michigan and across the country will watch some of the nation’s best college players – including the Michigan State University men and women – continue their march to the NCAA Final Four championships. I think you’ll agree that at a time when the news of the nation’s credit crisis and rising unemployment rates is so painful, the fun and the frenzy of March Madness is a welcome diversion.

For those of us in Michigan, the anticipation of the Final Four is magnified, because for the first time, the men’s championship will be played here in Michigan at Ford Field in Detroit. But as the late Paul Harvey used to say: And now, for the rest of the story. When the men take to the floor in Detroit and the women take to the floor in St. Louis, Missouri, for their championship games – they’ll be playing on beautiful, maple hardwood floors that were manufactured right here in Michigan by Connor Sport Court International in the Upper Peninsula town of Amasa.

As the exclusive supplier of the championship floors for both the Men’s and Women’s NCAA Final Four and the floors for more professional sporting events than any other company in the world, Connor is a great example of the kinds of great businesses that can be found in Michigan. The Iron County plant has been part of the Amasa community since 1872, and the 100 employees who work there embody Michigan’s proud manufacturing tradition. They are using our plentiful renewable resources – in this case, our forests – in ways that honor our commitment to being good stewards of our land, air and water.

This week, as the truck carrying the maple flooring bound for Detroit made the trip from the U.P., there was excitement and pride at every stop. I hope that fans across our state will turn to their friends next weekend and say, “Did you know that floor was made right here in Michigan?”

The pride we feel for Connor and its talented workforce is the pride we feel for all our Michigan companies, companies whose names are easily recognized: Whirlpool, Stryker, and, of course, our Big Three auto companies and their workers that we’re fighting hard for in the face of a daunting worldwide recession.

In the coming days, more than 70,000 people will visit Detroit to see the Men’s Final Four with a direct economic impact to our state of $30-$50 million, which is a great boost to our local economy. Day in and day out, though, it’s Michigan’s workers and Michigan businesses like Connor that keep our state going. They truly are our champions, and they deserve both our pride and our support.

The comprehensive guide to careers in sports

Indiana University Basketball Encyclopedia

The physics of basketball

Play-by-play, radio, television, and big-time college sport

Indianapolis Monthly