We're all for trying to distract opposing players when they're shooting free throws: shouts, streamers, Thundersticks, giant heads, what-have-you. But Michigan State has a particularly potent weapon. Take a listen:

Dear heavens, what is that shrieking? An animal with its leg caught in a trap? A freelancing soprano? A valkyrie from Valhalla?

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Nope, turns out it's Julie Trice, mother of Michigan State senior Travis Trice. Julie Trice has been making these noises whenever Travis' opponents go to the line ever since high school, and if you think that yelping is bad in a cavernous arena, imagine them in a high school gym. Lord have mercy. There's no documented proof that Julie's having any effect, but there's no proof she isn't, either.

(Fun fact: it's not the volume that causes most distraction, it's a sudden change. You can block out a solid wall of sound. If fans really wanted to mess with a shooter, they'd scream their heads off, then go tomb-silent right as he was about to shoot.

"I love her, but she's loud," MSU junior center Matt Costello said a few weeks back. "My freshman year, I was like, 'What is that?' But it's what she does."

And we'll get at least one more chance to hear that ululation next week in the Sweet 16. Lucky us.

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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter.



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