Michigan State Spartans
Record: 29-5 (13-5 Big Ten)
Head Coach: Tom Izzo (21st season)
Season Recap: Once again, an Izzo-coached squad seems to be peaking in March. The Spartans have won nine straight entering the Big Dance, and avenged their only loss since Jan. 21 with a tight victory against Purdue to capture the Big Ten tournament title. The championship in Indianapolis was not enough to propel Michigan State onto the one line, though, as the Spartans wound up as the No. 2 seed in the Midwest, grouped with No. 1 seed Virginia. Izzo's team has bounced the Cavaliers from each of the last two NCAA tournaments.
National Player of the Year candidate Denzel Valentine has taken his game to new heights this season, averaging 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game in addition to his 44.7 percent clip from downtown. Izzo's squads are generally known for their grittiness and ability to crash the offensive glass. Led by big men Matt Costello and Deyonta Davis, this group of Spartans does that well—grabbing 12.3 offensive rebounds per game—but also rank as the most prolific assortment of long-range shooters Izzo has ever had in East Lansing. The Spartans have knocked down 310 triples this season and are shooting 43.5 percent as a team from deep, the best mark in the country by nearly a full percentage point.
How they make a run: The Spartans ride Valentine's poise and facilitating abilities to outscore their opponents on their way to a second straight Final Four, possibly navigating around Virginia for a third straight season in the process.
How they falter: Michigan State was at its most vulnerable with Valentine sidelined with a knee issue in nonconference play, nearly losing to Oakland and getting blown out at Iowa. If the senior finds himself on the bench in foul trouble against a hot shooting team, the Spartans might find themselves out of the tournament much quicker than expected.
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