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NCAA Tournament Upset (?) Alert: 3 Thoughts on Michigan State’s Win

By Daniel Tran

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Another NCAA Tournament Upset is in the books with Michigan State beating a No. 2 seeded Virginia Cavalier team that many believed to be under-seeded.

1. Don’t call it an upset. They’ve been here for years.

When Virginia drew the second seed in the East Region, many believed that they would be the best No. 2 seed in the tournament with Justin Anderson returning from a broken finger and appendectomy. No one told Tom Izzo or the Michigan State Spartans.

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No matter how poorly his team looks in the regular season, Tom Izzo always has the Spartans playing their best basketball in March. Under Izzo’s leadership, Michigan State has failed to reach the Sweet Sixteen only once in the last seven years.

Virginia should know that. The Cavaliers lost to the Spartans last year in the NCAA Tournament when Tony Bennett’s team was a No. 1 seed.

Severely under-seeded at No. 7 this year, the Michigan State Spartans should not be sneaking up on any teams. However, Izzo will take your underestimation and smile while he sends you home.

2. Though, they may want to box somebody out on defense.

Tough to criticize a team on defense when they hold Virginia to 29.8 percent from the field, which is impressive considering Virginia usually averages 46.3 percent on their field goal conversion rate. However, that defense would have been boosted if they could finish off their defensive possessions with a rebound.

Virginia was able to grab 17 offensive rebounds. Virginia has some size with 6’10 Mike Tobey, who is tough to counter for Michigan State, but 6’8 forwards like Darion Atkins and Anthony Gill should not be allowed to get 11 offensive rebounds combined with Gavin Schilling, Matt Costello, and Branden Dawson to help box out.

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    • With potential matchups with Louisville, Oklahoma, or North Carolina State down the line, the Spartans may want to shore that up.

    3. Tom Izzo can ride Travis Trice through the tournament

    Denzel Valentine, Branden Dawson, and Travis Trice came into the NCAA Tournament as the players that Michigan State will be leaning on to help them succeed in the tournament. Valentine and Dawson have been good, but Trice has been nice.

    In the two games the Spartans have played, Trice has averaged 19 points while shooting 44.4 percent from beyond the three-point line. With Lourawls Nairn in foul trouble today, Trice showed he could run the show and produce on both ends of the court.

    Trice has shown the ability to handle the ball in big time situations and score when the team really needs a basket. Look for Izzo to put the ball in his hands when Michigan State needs a boost.

    Next: Coaches Feeling the Heat After Early Exits

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