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Many people are aware of the Michigan State Spartans‘ March success as well as Tom Izzo‘s dominance during this madness. Taking down No. 2 seed Virginia in the round of 32 was a huge upset, but now that it has happened, don’t expect the Spartans to be labeled as ‘underdogs’ for the remainder of the tourney.
Oklahoma, on the other hand, has been solid this season, posting a 24-10 record and making its third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and first Sweet 16 since 2009. Can this team, led by junior Buddy Hield, make some noise and come out of the East Region?
While No. 3 Oklahoma will likely be favorites in this Sweet 16 matchup, don’t be surprised if the Spartans play them as hard as if they are better than a No. 7 seed.
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What to Watch For
Oklahoma has two players who could potentially give Michigan State some serious issues. Buddy Hield is one of the best guards in the nation and Ryan Spangler is the best rebounder on one of the top board-grabbing teams in the country. Hield has averaged 15 points and 3.5 assists per game in his two tourney games while Spangler could be a force in the post, averaging 10 points and 8.0 rebounds on the campaign.
The Spartans are one of the most unselfish teams in college basketball, averaging 17.1 assists per game as a team — good for fourth in the nation in that category. Travis Trice has been dominant in this tournament and is one of the senior leaders for the Spartans who continues to make big shots. Don’t sleep on Branden Dawson or Denzel Valentine, either. Dawson is a double-double machine and a freak athlete while Valentine can literally do it all.
Prediction
Oklahoma has one of the best rebounding teams in the country, and if it continues that in this one, they will surely take care of business against the Spartans. However, Izzo will have his squad ready to take on a rebounding mismatch and with a week to prepare, the Spartans will be doing war drills until their physicality matches that of the Sooners.
Michigan State has been here before and has the experienced players to get it over the hump to the Elite Eight for the second straight year. Oklahoma gave everything it had to beat a lowly Dayton squad while the Spartans held a lead for most of their first two games. This will end up as one of the best games of the tourney thus far.
Oklahoma 67, Michigan State 71
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