The Michigan State Spartans made sure that the Big 10 at least sends one team to the Sweet 16.
Marquette kept coming back and the Spartans kept pulling away. With 3 1/2 minutes left in the game, Marquette made it a one point game from the free throw line. But then MSU’s Tyson Walker drove to the basket and scored. And then MSU’s AJ Hoggard drove to the basket and scored. Then, MSU got a key offensive rebound, which led to Tyson Walker getting into the lane and hitting a jumper. And the Spartans had built their lead back to 7 with about 80 seconds to play.
With around 40 seconds, Walker made a steal at half court and took it to the basket with a dunk that would wrap up the game. Michigan State would knock off the 2 seed in the East with a 69-60 victory.
With that, the East region is suddenly 3 seed Kansas State, 4 seed Tennessee, 7 seed Michigan State and the winner of the 9 seed Florida Atlantic / 16 seed FDU game. It also means that 4 of the 8 best teams in college basketball will not make it out of the first weekend. We have lost the Big 12 regular season champion, the Big 10 regular season and tournament champion, the Pac 12 tournament champion, and the Big East regular season and tournament champion. Which is funny, because if Florida Atlantic beats Cinderella FDU, the only double digit seed to advance to the Sweet 16 will be 15 seed Princeton.
When I started handicapping this game, especially with the tight line, I thought to myself, I should lock the Big East champion. The Big 10 is falling apart like it usual does. Marquette has played so awesome to end the season. It seems like an easy win. And then, something that I have learned for so many years came to my head. I still picked Marquette, but I didn’t lock the game – and that is because…….
NEVER bet against Tom Izzo in March. Based on an article from 247 Sports, this is Michigan State’s 13th Sweet 16 since 2000. The only schools that have that many are Kansas (13) and Duke (15). Whenever you think the Spartans are done, Izzo’s teams find a way to win again. Watch out Madison Square Garden – the Spartans are coming to town.