NCAA tournament - Tom Izzo, Michigan State roll past Mississippi State
Jason Fitz, Krysten Peek and Danny Green analyze the Spartans' victory over the Bulldogs, speculating on what might be next for MSU.
Video Transcript
JASON FITZ: In the Battle of the MSUs, Michigan State takes down Mississippi State, 69-- nice-- to 51. Krysten Peek, Danny Green. I'm Jason Fitz, Yahoo Sports. KP, what'd you see in this one?
KRYSTEN PEEK: I mean, it's Tom Izzo. He's Mr. March. And you saw a Michigan State team that came out and said, oh, you think we're a nine seed? Let us show you something. They came out calm. They shot the ball extremely well. Jaden Akins, this is probably the best I've seen him play all year. He only averaged 10 points a game per season. He had 15 points. And then, of course, Tyson Walker, he's their go-to guy. And he just came through. And there was-- I mean, they led the entire game. It was awesome.
KRYSTEN PEEK: Yeah, Akins is very good. He's athletic. He came up big for them in this game. He was the X factor for me for sure. They got up and down. I liked the lineup change for them too. But I will say the way they were very-- Mississippi State hung around. And then hot and cold. I like my chances if Carolina can get to this next game.
JASON FITZ: Well, and let's get to that. Because Izzo, as you mentioned, greatness when he's the lower seed. He's won 16 times coming into this game, now 17 times as the lower seed, the most of any coach in NCAA history. You getting a little-- getting a little nervous there?
DANNY GREEN: I think it stops here. The lower seed is not winning this next game. Whoever comes out-- I'm assuming North Carolina will come out of this next game. If Wagner comes out next game, then they won't be the lower seed. But if Carolina comes out, I like our matchup on the perimeter and inside. I think inside, we'd give them trouble, except for when they go to that lineup where they have the two thinner bigs that can get up and down a lot faster.
Armando should do what he's supposed to do on the boards. And our guard play with RJ Davis and Elliott, I think they can control what Michigan State has going on. So I like our chances. They don't scare me at all. And I think I'll see them in LA soon.
KRYSTEN PEEK: I think he nailed it right on the head. I think where they're going to have the advantage is in the inside game. But the guard play especially, when you look at North Carolina, their facilitating between RJ Davis and Elliott Cadeau is where they'll have the advantage. But if Michigan State gets hot again from 3-point range-- I mean, they shot 43.5% on this game-- then it could be very interesting.
JASON FITZ: What is going to be interesting is that we get to sit next to him and watch it while it goes down.