Michigan State NCAA Tournament profile: sizing up USC’s opponent
Michigan State, making its 25th straight NCAA Tournament appearance, naturally expects big results in March Madness. Accordingly, our friends at Spartans Wire are not trying to downplay this latest edition of the Big Dance.
Spartans Wire analyst Robert Bondy wrote the following:
“This is the third straight year where the Spartans enter the NCAA Tournament with relatively low expectations, but that hasn’t stopped them before from going on a magical run in March. Let’s take a look at the potential path to a Final Four appearance for the Spartans, and the chances of it actually happening for Michigan State.
“Michigan State will open the NCAA Tournament with a battle against a future Big Ten peer in the USC Trojans. The Spartans should enter this game as the favorite and expected to win this matchup if they get strong guard play and continue to shoot the ball well from outside. I personally like this draw for the Spartans, and while nothing is easy in March, this is a game where Michigan State fans should expect their team to pick up the victory.”
Let’s give you some fast facts, figures and more on the 2023 Michigan State men’s basketball team which will play USC this Friday in Columbus, Ohio:
CONFERENCE FINISH
Mar 10, 2023; Chicago, IL, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Isaac Likekele (13) is defended by Michigan State Spartans guard Tyson Walker (2) during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Michigan State finished fourth in the Big Ten with an 11-8 record and a 19-12 overall mark.
BIG TEN TOURNAMENT RESULT
Michigan State Spartans forward Joey Hauser (10) is defended by Ohio State Buckeyes guard Isaac Likekele (13) during the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament game, Friday, March 10, 2023, at United Center in Chicago.
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Michigan State lost to Ohio State in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
Feb 7, 2023; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard A.J. Hoggard (11) celebrates a big basket against the Maryland Terrapins in the second half at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports
Michigan State beat Kentucky in November as well as a pair of previously ranked teams, Rutgers and Wisconsin. The Spartans topped Indiana by 15 toward the end of the regular season.
SEASON LOWLIGHTS
Nov 30, 2022; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Michigan State Spartans center Mady Sissoko (22) loses the ball as Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward Nate Laszewski (14) and guard Dane Goodwin (23) defend in the first half at the Purcell Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Michigan State lost to 11-21 Notre Dame by 18 points. Yikes.
NONCONFERENCE SCORES
Feb 7, 2023; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans forward Malik Hall (25) and guard Jaden Akins (3) celebrate a basket against the Maryland Terrapins in the second half at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports
Here is a list of the Spartans’ nonconference scores:
Win over Northern Arizona, 73-55
Loss to Gonzaga, 64-63
Win over Kentucky, 86-77
Win over Villanova, 73-1
Loss to Alabama, 81-70
Win over Oregon, 74-70
Win over Portland, 78-77
Loss to Notre Dame, 70-52
Win over Brown, 68-50
Win over Oakland, 67-54
Win over Buffalo, 89-68
BIG TEN RESULTS
Feb 21, 2023; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans forward Malik Hall (25) dunks in the second half against the Indiana Hoosiers at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports
Loss to Northwestern, 70-63
Win over Penn State, 67-58
Win over Nebraska, 74-56
Win over Michigan, 59-53
Win over Wisconsin, 69-65
Loss to Illinois, 75-66
Loss to Purdue, 64-63
Win over Rutgers, 70-57
Loss to Indiana, 82-69
Win over Iowa, 63-61
Loss to Purdue, 77-61
Loss to Rutgers, 61-55
Win over Maryland, 63-58
Win over Ohio State, 62-41
Loss to Michigan, 84-72
Win over Indiana, 8-65
Loss to Iowa, 112-106
Win over Nebraska, 80-67
Win over Ohio State, 84-78
Loss to Ohio State, 68-58 (Big Ten Tournament)
POINTS LEADER: TYSON WALKER
Mar 10, 2023; Chicago, IL, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Isaac Likekele (13) is defended by Michigan State Spartans guard Tyson Walker (2) during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Tyson Walker leads the Spartans with 14.6 PPG, just 0.4 points ahead of Joey Hauser.
LEADER IN REBOUNDS
Michigan State Spartans guard Davis Smith (14) head coach Tom Izzo, forward Joey Hauser (10) and forward Jaxon Kohler (0) watch the final seconds of the 68-58 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals at United Center in Chicago on Friday, March 10, 2023.
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Joey Hauser leads Michigan State with 6.9 rebounds per game.
LEADERS IN ASSISTS
Michigan State’s A.J. Hoggard, right, talks with head coach Tom Izzo after the game against Ohio State on Saturday, March 4, 2023, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.
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AJ Hoggard averages 6 assists per game to lead the team. The next highest is 2.8, which is Tyson Walker.
LEADER IN STEALS
Mar 10, 2023; Chicago, IL, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Isaac Likekele (13) is defended by Michigan State Spartans guard Tyson Walker (2) during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Tyson Walker also leads the Spartans in steals with 1.2 per game, and Jaden Akins is right behind with 1.1.
LEADER IN BLOCKS
Michigan State Spartans center Mady Sissoko (22) talks to Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo during the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament game against the Ohio State Buckeyes, Friday, March 10, 2023, at United Center in Chicago. Ohio State won 68-58.
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Spartan center Maddy Sissoko is a problem for opposing offenses; he averages 0.8 blocks per game.
