When a Michigan State upsets a Louisville or a Tiger Woods tracks down a Sean O’Hair on Sunday, it often comes about because of one criteria: who forced the other to play their game? The Trojans made the Mid-West Regional Final a defensive halfcourt battle and Tiger Woods started erasing the five-stroke margin as soon as he took the course.
The winner of the battle of wills was decided during the months before. Who has the discipline to stick to their gameplan? Who has the desire to do the little things which are part of the program? Who has the pride to develop positive habits? Who has the motivation to set a tone as soon as the ball is tipped? Who has the determination to head into the corner for the puck?
Those answers determine whether Wildcats can shut down Blue Devils and whether Tigers from Missouri can outrun those from Memphis. Tom Izzo may be a master coach but a great deal rests inside each athlete, like Tiger Woods showed on the back nine Sunday.