Well, it's over. The matchup hasn't taken place yet, but I already know who is going to emerge victorious when the MSU basketball squad takes on the Duke University Blue Devils tomorrow night.

I want you to know that we fought. We were strong in the paint, had a presence behind the three-point line and exhibited decent defense. In the end, however, the noise in Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium was just too much for our players. We fell to the Blue Devils 68-74.

OK, so I'm exaggerating. I have no idea who's going to win. Based on the outcome of the same contest played on "NCAA March Madness 2005," though, we go down.

It's nobody's fault, really. Sure, I could've more deftly maneuvered the thumb sticks, allowing Mo Ager to hit one more three pointer. I could've been at least competent on defense, something I've always had a problem with in basketball games. And I definitely could have tuned out my roommate - who was next to me, controlling the Duke squad - and not allowed him to get into my head with his taunts.

Instead, I got angry. I began committing sloppy fouls and taking wild shots and the No. 5 Spartans fell to the No. 7 Blue Devils. Sorry, fellas.

You know what, though? If we can trust old clichés, it's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game. And I, for one, had a great time losing to the Blue Devils.

For those who are familiar with past games in the series, "March Madness 2005" provides you with the solid game play you've come to expect, but it also offers a number of brand new features - just to keep you on your toes.

For instance, one of the reasons I might not have been able to edge out the Blue Devils is that Cameron Indoor Stadium is ranked No. 1 on the game's list of the 25 toughest places to play.

With even the slightest hint of momentum from the Duke team, the crowd erupted and the "Arena Pulse" meter in the top right corner of the screen would inch up a bit. Consequently, the entire screen shook each time I had the ball.

Another feature that has not appeared in past "March Madness" titles is "Floor General" play calling, which allows you to set up formations and call plays while the game is in progress.

The feature can take some time to get used to, but will almost certainly be a help to players who establish a mastery of the system.

Although "March Madness 2005" has many of the strengths of past titles and some cool new features, the graphics leave something to be desired. The players and courts aren't as sharp as they could be. Still, college basketball fans - including all 1.8 million members of the new Izzone - will enjoy the game.

I'm going home now. My roommate and the Duke Blue Devils have a defeat coming to them.