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Smart anticipates the comparisons, but he shrugs them off.
"Honestly, we won 29 games already this year. Last year's team only won 28. We won our conference tournament. Last year's team lost in the conference championship game," Smart said. "So in a lot of ways we've done better that what last year's team did. Only difference is obviously last year's team went to the Final Four. And we've still got a long way to go before we can approach that."
The Rams will get their next test against the Hoosiers, who defeated New Mexico State 79-66. Jordan Hulls went on a second-half shooting spree and finished with 22 points for Indiana, which is back in the NCAA tournament after a five-year absence.
Wendell McKines led New Mexico State (26-10) with 15 points and nine rebounds.
In the earlier games at the Rose Garden, Kendall Williams scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half and New Mexico held off Long Beach State for a 75-68 win in the West Regional. Casper Ware, the Big West player of the year, finished with 17 points on 5-of-19 shooting for the 49ers (25-9)
The day started with Louisville advancing in the tournament for the first time since 2009 with a 69-62 victory over Davidson (25-8). Guard Peyton Siva, boosted by a big contingent of fans from his hometown of Seattle, had 17 points and six assists.
Jake Cohen had 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Wildcats, who were making their first tournament appearance since 2008, when Stephen Curry led the underdog Davidson to the regional finals.
The Cardinals, coming off a four-win-in-four-days run to the Big East tournament title, are making their sixth straight appearance in the NCAAs -- but they haven't managed to get out of the opening round for the past two seasons.
"We just wanted to carry the Big East championship over to the NCAA, playing relaxed, playing loose," Louisville guard Chris Smith said. "We just came out with a lot of confidence."
Smith didn't mince words when it comes to the Cardinals' ultimate ambition.
"Our goal right now is to get to Phoenix, and after Phoenix, we want to get to New Orleans," he said. "Right now we just want to take it one game at a time and just win."
[Associated Press;
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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