UCLA’s NCAA Tournament matchup with an experienced Michigan State squad is an opportunity for men’s basketball to make a statement

Ah, Selection Sunday.

The announcement of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket is the most thrilling moment in the sports world completely devoid of any actual athletic activity (which somehow makes it even more special, if not incredibly nerdy).

With the simple reading of a list, dreams are made true, hearts get broken and a country begins making plans to evade any obligations it had foolishly scheduled for Thursday or Friday.

Though UCLA’s invitation was no surprise to anyone involved, coach Ben Howland acknowledged the significance of the moment, considering it was notably absent from last season’s scant accomplishments.

“It’s always a big deal to be in this tournament,” he said. “This is the most exciting sporting event in our culture.”

For fans of college basketball, the bracket announcement also marks the release of a thousand storylines for each and every one of the 68 teams invited to the Big Dance.

When UCLA’s name appeared on the screen, it came with a whole slew of informational tidbits that will have monumental implications on the Bruins’ season. They were tagged as a No. 7 seed. They were paired with perennial power No. 10-seeded Michigan State. And by the time they tip on Thursday night, they’ll be playing in faraway Tampa, Fla.

Make no mistake: UCLA’s entire year will be evaluated on how it performs this week, so every detail is important.

Forget last week’s horrific early exit from the Pac-10 Tournament to lowly Oregon. Forget the colossal beat-down of Arizona two weeks before that so fittingly filled the last page of Pauley Pavilion’s history.

Forget that this time last year the Bruins were sitting at home wallowing in the embarrassment of their exclusion from this event.

Forget that since then, they have re-established themselves into the Pac-10’s upper echelon.

All of that is good and well, but those facts are just the path that has brought this team to this one unique scenario where so much is at stake ““ a bout in the Everglades between two of the sport’s most storied programs.

That brings us to the power of the Michigan State brand.

Though the Spartans have struggled this year (hence, their seed), the program under coach Tom Izzo has a ridiculous pedigree. Over their 13-year streak of Tournament appearances, they have reached six Final Fours, produced NBA names like Jason Richardson and Shannon Brown, and won the NCAA Championship in 2000.

It’s no secret that this UCLA team comes out flat against less favored opponents, with Oregon being the most recent example. But with a program like Michigan State, you couldn’t overlook it if you stood on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s shoulders.

“They are a team not to take lightly,” junior guard Malcolm Lee said. “I’m sure we all know that.”

There is a similar argument in that vein that says UCLA plays well under the bright lights, citing the victory over Brigham Young (No. 3 seed) in the Wooden Classic and home wins over St. John’s (No. 6) and Arizona (No. 5).

“We stepped up to the big games and to have a big game the first game of the tournament is great for us,” redshirt freshman center Anthony Stover said. “We’re going to have to step up right away.”

The fact of the matter is UCLA is not going to win any game in the NCAA Tournament if it doesn’t act like its opponent has a very real chance of killing its season right then and there, whether the other team’s jersey says Michigan State or Alabama State.

In addition, this particular Michigan State team is perhaps the most experienced in the entire tournament, having gone to the last two Final Fours.

Freshman center Joshua Smith will play in his first-ever Tournament game on Thursday and will no doubt be the target of much of Tom Izzo’s game planning this week. Smith is well aware of the challenge that faces UCLA right off the bat.

“This is going to test us,” he said.

Smith might be making his first appearance in the event, but he is plenty used to watching all of it play out on television. He knows how things go the way you least expected them to for the team you were most sure about.

“Anything can happen in the tournament,” he said.

With this team, that seems especially true, given its record of confidence-boosting victories and head-scratching defeats.

Regrettably, we, as a society, have still not found an accurate way to predict what exactly will happen in the NCAA Tournament (especially in those pesky 5-12 matchups).

However, it is without a doubt that if adolescent UCLA does find a way to get past this infinitely more battle-tested Michigan State team, the Bruins’ past troubles will pale in comparison to how bright their future prospects will shine.

“Next year” is already a phrase on people’s lips with this team, given the lack of graduating seniors and the arrival of David and Travis Wear to the roster. Adding a win over a Tom Izzo-coached team this Thursday would be a statement to the entire college basketball world, which always loves to hear from the good folks out in Los Angeles that brought you the Pyramid of Success and the Sky Hook.

A victory here could propel UCLA’s reputation and its own self-perception into the stratosphere for the rest of this Tournament and for its already much-anticipated encore season.

The Bruins were dealt a particular hand. It’s not a full house by any means ““ No. 7 seeds rarely get one of those ““ but if they play it right, they could come away with more than just a few chips.

Smukler co-hosts “Overtime with Daily Bruin Sports,” which airs every Monday at 6:30 p.m. on UCLAradio.com. E-mail him at [email protected].