The 2001 men’s basketball team used a strong finish, including an upset of defending national champion Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament, to earn a No. 7 seed in the NCAA tournament. After an opening victory over Providence, the Lions faced No. 2 seed North Carolina. Titus Ivory ’00 H&HD and Joe Crispin ’07 Com (pictured) each scored 21 points to secure the win and a berth in the Sweet 16—the program’s first since 1955. Crispin says the Michigan State win was key. “After that, we knew we could compete with anyone,” he says. “That put us in a perfect frame of mind heading into the tournament—free, aggressive, and ready to go.”  —BR