Don’t bet against Spartans to pull off an upset
Underrated Michigan State fully deserves to be among the Final Four powerhouses
Kentucky is going for the first perfect season in nearly four decades. Duke and Wisconsin look gaudy enough with their No. 1 seeds.
It would be easy to forget about the Spartans at this Final Four. That also would be a mistake. Overlooked and underrated, Michigan State is not some cuddly underdog that made its year simply by getting it to Indianapolis.
It wouldn’t even be that much of an upset.
“I would be the first to admit that a month and a half ago, I questioned where we are,” coach Tom Izzo said Friday. “But we’ve earned our right to be here, too. So we’re not going to apologize anymore.”
Granted, the Spartans (27-11) have lost more games than the other three teams combined.
But they’ve won 12 of their last 15 and two of the defeats went to overtime. The only game in which the Spartans weren’t competitive in during that span was a 68-61 loss at Wisconsin, when they trailed by 22 in the second half.
“They’re six possessions away from having 30-something wins or being a No. 1 or No. 2 seed,” said Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, whose team will face the Spartans Saturday.
What makes us believe Michigan State has a chance to finish the job in Indy?
Start with the guy on the sideline. Given the coaching royalty that reached the Final Four — Krzyzewski, Kentucky’s John Calipari and Wisconsin’s Bo Ryan are certainly no slouches — Izzo might be the best of them at getting the most out of his team in March and April.
His record in the NCAA tournament is 46- 16, a winning percentage of .741 that is only slightly behind Coach Cal (.770) and Coach K (.767), even though those two clearly had more talented teams over the years.
Beyond Izzo, the Spartans have plenty of experience and depth in the backcourt. For all the talk about Kentucky’s imposing size, it’s tough to win a championship without stellar guard play.
Michigan State fits the bill. The top scorers are senior Travis Trice and junior Denzel Valentine. Junior Bryn Forbes provides the best three-point threat off the bench. Freshman Lourawls ‘Tum Tum’ Nairn Jr. adds energy, quickness and leadership beyond his years — not to mention the most dazzling name at the Final Four.
Izzo remembers being done in a year ago by UConn guard Shabazz Napier in the regional final. While the coach wouldn’t compare either of his starters to Napier, he sure has plenty of confidence in what they can do.
The Spartans are a bit undersized, which will become an even bigger headache if they get past Duke and face Kentucky (380) in the championship game (assuming the Wildcats beat Wisconsin in the other semi).
Michigan State’s rotation includes only two players taller than 6-foot-6; Kentucky’s ninedeep behemoth has only one player shorter than that. Everyone struggles to match up with the Wildcats’ front line, but the 6-0 Trice and 5-10 Nairn would also have their hands full against Aaron and Andrew Harrison.
But don’t expect the Spartans to be intimidated by anyone.