NCAA Basketball: Mock 2020 NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen predictions
2) Florida State Seminoles vs 3) Michigan State Spartans
Jacob Salcido
Florida State is in the midst of a special season. Whereas Michigan State had a rougher start to their season than anticipated, but kept the ship afloat with an impressive showing late in Big 10 play, earning their share of the Big 10 title in the process. The Seminoles have all of the momentum going into this game. The Spartans struggle to contain Florida State’s stellar trio of Devin Vassel, Trent Forrest and M.J. Walker, falling behind early on in the first half of the game.
Enter Cassius Winston – The primary reason Michigan State had high title hopes at the beginning of the season. Winston isn’t quite ready to wrap up his collegiate career yet, and goes on a scoring frenzy, leading a wild comeback for the Spartans. The Seminoles are stunned, as their dream season comes to an end.
Michigan State 79, Florida State 77
David Ackert
Wow. What a battle we have here between two teams that I had marked to be Final Four contenders no matter where in the bracket they were placed. It apparently wasn’t meant to be for one of these schools as the two powerhouses meet in the Sweet 16.
Florida State has been, along with Louisville, the best team in the ACC all year. Thus helping Leonard Hamilton climb the all-time wins list in ACC history, putting himself with very elite company. Now, they look to make a run at not only the Final Four but a National Championship to help cement what should be a HOF career. The length and depth of this Florida State team is remarkable and should come as surprising when you watch their games. But this has seemingly become a trend over the last few years with Hamilton’s squads. Anyone on this team can score double-digit points on any given night.
Michigan State might have one of the best stories in all of college basketball this year, sadly in tragic fashion. The pre-season unanimous number 1 team in the country tumbled in the middle of the season after all-star Cassius Winston’s little brother took his own life. Tom Izzo and the team were finally able, somehow, to turn things back around by March. They went on an incredible last season through the NCAA’s toughest conference and now find themselves in another Sweet 16.
How could anyone route against this team after hearing a story like that? Tom Izzo and the Spartans are Juggernaut’s in this sport come March; In normal years you could probably find just as many haters as band-wagon fans. This year, the world seems to have a different vibe surrounding the team, for all the right reasons. The world is backing Cassius, his team and his family.
But the game has to be played and the hardwood has no feelings. The depth of the Seminoles is just too much coming down the stretch for Xavier Tillman, Cassius Winston and the Spartans.
Florida State 86, Michigan State 82
Joey Loose
Everything seemed to be coming together for both of these teams at the right time. After earlier struggles, Michigan State had really come into their own in the final weeks of the regular season. On the other side, Florida State surprised everyone by taking the ACC crown. The metrics and ratings greatly underrate Florida State’s success, though turnovers is a battle they can certainly win against the Spartans. If Cassius Winston can take over this game on both ends, then the Spartans could find themselves closer to a return trip to the Final Four.
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However, Florida State has plenty of talent themselves. If they figure out their outside shooting and play better interior defense, then this is their game to lose. The lights shine brightest in March, and I’m going with the Spartans, who have already walked the walk in recent years.