Inside the Final Four

The biggest star in this year’s March Madness was released from the hospital Tuesday.

Louisville guard Kevin Ware, who suffered a horrible compound fracture of his right leg in Sunday’s victory against Duke, tweeted a picture of himself on crutches Tuesday as he prepared to leave an Indianapolis hospital, along with the comment, “Back to my brothers I go.”

The former Rockdale County High School standout was headed to Louisville, and then will join his team on the bench in Atlanta later this week when the Cardinals play Wichita State in the Final Four.

Ware, who might not be able to play for at least a year, remains the center of media attention — which appears to make him uncomfortable. Ware was selected to be on this week’s cover of Sports Illustrated.

He told the Louisville Courier-Journal that he had received calls from Dwight Howard and Charles Barkley, a visit from NCAA president Mark Emmert, and Twitter messages from NBA stars such as LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony and Rajon Rondo.

“I’ve never had this much support in my life,” Ware said. “Like, I’m just so grateful for it, you know?”

Izzo on rival Michigan: Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said earlier that he would support the Big Ten teams, and he's still sort of saying that about rival Michigan, the only Big Ten team left, in an interview with the the Detroit Free-Press.

“You know, I’ll stick by my stance that nobody pulls for their rival. Mike (Krzyzewski) doesn’t pull for Carolina, and Roy (Williams) doesn’t pull for Duke. I’m not sure, but Urban Meyer’s probably not pulling for Michigan’s swim team to win. …

“I have stood by that. I’m pulling for our conference, number one. There’s a difference between a dislike for your rival and no respect. Am I gonna carry the Michigan banner? Probably not. And if my kid does, he’s dead. But am I pulling for Big Ten, and do I think they’ve accomplished a lot? Yeah, I do, and that’s the way I’ll probably leave it. I have respect, and I think what they’ve done and the way they’ve won a couple of those games, it’s been good.”

Izzo’s son Steven, 13, has been the subject of joking since last week when picked Duke to beat the Spartans in the Sweet 16.

Pizza in Wichita: Wichita State students will get to eat pizza for free for one day if the school's basketball team wins the NCAA tournament.

Wichita is the birthplace of Pizza Hut, which is sponsoring the promotion (and getting the requisite free publicity).