Michigan State seeking to survive opening weekend of NCAAs
DES MOINES, IOWA — It seems as though coach Tom Izzo has Michigan State poised to make a Final Four run nearly every year.
The Spartans need to focus on surviving the first weekend this time around. It has been four years since Michigan State made it to the Sweet Sixteen, the longest such drought of the Izzo era.
The Spartans were stunned by 15th-seeded Middle Tennessee State in the opening round in 2016 before a pair of secondround losses: blown out by top-seeded Kansas two years ago and knocked off by 11th-seeded Syracuse last year.
But this version of Michigan State, seeded second in the East Region, looks poised for big things over the next few weeks.
The Spartans, who open NCAA Tournament play on Thursday against No. 15 Bradley, won a share of the Big Ten title and followed that up by winning the league tournament, besting rival Michigan 65-60 in the championship game. Michigan State has one of the best point guards in the country in Big Ten Player of the Year Cassius Winston, and he's surrounded by a strong supporting cast of veterans like Nick Ward, Matt McQuaid and Kenny Goins.
Still, three straight years of packing for home in the first weekend has Michigan State wary. The Spartans promise they are not overlooking Bradley, which advanced after rallying from 18 points down to beat Northern Iowa in the biggest comeback in Missouri Valley title game history.
As the East Region opens play on Thursday, Louisville faces Minnesota in Des Moines and Jacksonville, Florida, is the site for LSU vs. Yale and Maryland against Belmont.
LSU players are moving on without coach Will Wade. They don't have much choice.
University officials won't allow Wade to resume his duties unless he speaks with the school about the reports of an FBI wiretap that resulted in his suspension. LSU lost to Florida last week in its first game in the Southeastern Conference Tournament. But the third-seeded Tigers feel like they're starting to find their footing under interim coach Tony Benford, just in time for Thursday's game against 14th-seeded Yale.
For all the talk about Minnesota's Richard Pitino coaching against a Louisville team that fired his father Rick, this is a very important game for the Gophers' program.
Minnesota hasn't won an NCAA Tournament game since 2013, and Pitino has been in Minneapolis for six seasons without a breakthrough in March. The 10th-seeded Gophers, who beat Purdue twice in March to snag a bid, are led by veterans Jordan Murphy and Amir Coffey.