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Indiana’s Tom Crean keeps a sign in his office that reads: JUST COACH THE TEAM.

It’s a reminder, said former top assistant Steve McClain, to block out all the noise and negativity that accompany an insanely scrutinized gig.

“We’re all human,” said McClain, now the UIC coach. “We all say we don’t hear it, but we do.”

After Crean’s Hoosiers got thumped in their first Big Ten tournament game, the coach accepted a visitor in his office and calmly explained why he was so, well, calm.

“It would be so different if I felt we didn’t play hard; we did,” he said. “We’ve just got to play a little smarter a little longer.”

Indiana coach Tom Crean celebrates defeating Kentucky 73-67 during the second round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday, March 19, 2016, in Des Moines, Iowa.
Indiana coach Tom Crean celebrates defeating Kentucky 73-67 during the second round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday, March 19, 2016, in Des Moines, Iowa.

They produced 40 good minutes Saturday against Kentucky in what had the feel of an Elite Eight game. And now a tough draw gets waaaaaaay tougher as Indiana takes on top-seeded North Carolina, which scored 51 second-half points to take down Providence.

Other winners (and losers) from the weekend …

Winner: The ACC. An all-time understatement. The league has a tournament-record six (UNC, Virginia, Miami, Duke, Notre Dame, Syracuse) of the Sweet 16. It’s kind of like how the SEC dominates the bowl season — but without the advantages of oversigning recruits and quasi-home games.

Loser: The Pac-12. Colorado, Cal, Arizona, Oregon State and USC all lost in the opening round. Utah got obliterated by Gonzaga. Oregon was the league’s last survivor.

Winner: Mike Brey. Notre Dame’s affable coach has a program that should be the envy of every high-major in Illinois. His players win — and stay out of the police blotter.

Notre Dame players celebrate around head coach Mike Brey after beating Stephen F. Austin in their ssecond-round NCAA tournament game, Sunday, March 20, 2016, in New York.
Notre Dame players celebrate around head coach Mike Brey after beating Stephen F. Austin in their ssecond-round NCAA tournament game, Sunday, March 20, 2016, in New York.

Loser: The Big Ten tournament. Sure, it helped get Michigan into the NCAAs and possibly kept Northwestern out of the NIT. Other than that, the games were glorified exhibitions. Michigan State players got a ring but no No. 1 seed. And as it turned out, playing Hampton or Holy Cross would have been preferable to dueling Middle Tennessee.

Winner: Las Vegas. Wild guess that the sports books sold more Michigan State wins-it-all tickets (11-2) than Middle Tennessee money-line bets of 25-1.

Middle Tennessee's Darnell Harris, Perrin Buford and Jaqawn Raymond celebrate their first-round NCAA tournament win over Michigan State Friday, March 18, 2016, in St. Louis.
Middle Tennessee’s Darnell Harris, Perrin Buford and Jaqawn Raymond celebrate their first-round NCAA tournament win over Michigan State Friday, March 18, 2016, in St. Louis.

Loser: Las Vegas. Favorites won 31 of the first 40 games. Generally speaking, bettors dig favorites.

Winners: Kenny Smith and Seth Davis. They consistently provide the smartest analysis, though Smith needs to remember it’s pronounced Yogi FERR-ull, not like “Happy” singer Pharrell Williams.

Losers: Johnny Dawkins and Charles Barkley. The former Stanford coach is too serious. Chuck is great on the NBA and should stay there. We don’t need to hear that “losing just sucks.” And props to Smith for calling out Barkley’s claim that this was John Calipari’s “best coaching job” because Kentucky lacks talent.

Winners: Former Chicago point guards. Tyler Ulis was sensational in Kentucky’s 73-67 loss to Indiana, scoring 27 points. “The little guy with the big ticker,” is how analyst Bill Raftery described him. And Jalen Brunson (12 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 turnover) excelled for Villanova.

Villanova guard Jalen Brunson avoids pressure from Iowa's Anthony Clemmons in the second half during the second round of the NCAA tournament at Barclays Center on March 20, 2016 in Brooklyn.
Villanova guard Jalen Brunson avoids pressure from Iowa’s Anthony Clemmons in the second half during the second round of the NCAA tournament at Barclays Center on March 20, 2016 in Brooklyn.

Losers: Chicago hoops fans. Virginia-Iowa State and Gonzaga-Syracuse could be classics, but we Big Ten folk wanted to see Michigan State and Purdue at the United Center. And to make matters worse, the North Carolina-Indiana game also will be played on Friday night.

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Winners: Former Illinois coaches. Bill Self (Kansas) and Lon Kruger (Oklahoma) surged into the Sweet 16. At least Illini fans can swap tales of misery with Bruce Weber’s K-State devotees.

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Twitter @TeddyGreenstein