Spartans storm back from early deficit and eliminate Hurricanes from NCAA Tournament

As I’m sure most people remember, in 2015 the Shockers were a No. 1 seed that landed in the same pod as an 8-seed Kentucky team that made a run to the national title game, handing Wichita State its first loss of the season and in heart-breaking fashion in the process.

The Spartans will play the No. 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks on Sunday at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla. The freshmen Izzo anxious so much about all week were graying his hair before anyone even considered breaking a sweat.

Bubble team? You can say that.

“You saw us struggle early in the year to get stops.” said Lonergan.

It was all about putting some teeth into the defense, and that’s where the growling dog mascot came into play.

But rather than change the game plan, Walton followed the script, steadied his team and the shots started going in. I could honestly see MI in the Elite Eight if they get past Louisville, but I won’t believe that until I see it. Cannot afford to look past this game Friday, though. You go 11-of-15, that’s hard to do in a gym by yourself. “You just got to keep working and I wanted a shot at Kansas”.

Michigan State continued to roll in the second half, to shooting 16/25 (64%). “That’s the way it’s been for us”.

Ward made his first six shots and capped his night with a putback dunk in the closing minutes, and Joshua Langford added 13 points in a win that improved Izzo’s record to 47-18 in the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans began the second half on an 8-2 run and refused to let Miami back in the contest. As a team, MSU shot 57 percent from the floor. The Spartans led by as many as 22 as they cruised to a 78-58 win. Michigan State won in 2009, Kansas in 1986.

Then it became, “If you live by the 3-pointer, you’ll die by it”. After a quick Miami bucket, the Spartans scored the next eight to tie the score at 21 and took their first lead, 25-23, on a drive to the lane and layup from Alvin Ellis.

They aren’t finished yet after making 16 3-pointers – including 11 of 15 in the second half – to outpace the 10th-seeded Cowboys (20-13). I’m not sure if he was at West Virginia when we won the Big East championship, but then he had a group – talk about shooting, he had seven guys.

No one physically walked over to Izzo and told him “don’t worry coach, we got this”. “Once the momentum shifted from our side to their side we could never get it back”.

Jaquan Newton led Miami with 16 points.

If their performance against Miami is any indication, Michigan State should be up to the challenge.

In Sacramento, with star big man Chris Boucher cheering in a bulky knee brace from the sidelines, Tyler Dorsey scored 24 points to lead four players in double figures, and No. 3 seed OR rolled past 14th-seeded Iona.

That was when the game was close and the Canes still had life, before Izzo’s bunch pounded it out of them with a bruising style they’ve shown off in this month before.