And nobody else emerged with two No. 1 seedings. The NCAA selection committee, with Solomon-like wisdom, decided that both were No. 1 seeded teams and that North Carolina, beaten badly Sunday by Duke, was not. Among his awards, he was named 1989 Wisconsin Sportswriter of the Year and in 1987 the best columnist by the Milwaukee Press Club. Michigan State did not suffer for its quarterfinal loss to Penn State. Illinois did not suffer for its semifinal loss to Indiana.
Life is good in the Big Ten.
Life is getting even better in the Big Ten. Penn State was a mere seventh-seeded team in the conference. There were rumblings that coach Jerry Dunn's contract, which has not yet been extended, might never be extended. And yet with the upset over Michigan State, Penn State finds itself seeded seventh in the big tournament. And Iowa looked to be a team in real decline after Luke Recker went out with a fractured knee cap, going 2-7 in his absence.