+5 vs Duke

[johnny2x2x]

Going to take our best effort, but we have a shot.

 

[Sbee]

It's a long shot but we did beat the ACC champ already

 

[LuciousGameWinner]

Bigger than the Virginia game? I don't remember

 

[Spartan23MSU]

Line is right on at +5. Duke rarely has a bad game so best effort indeed. I dont feel as excited as prior years on the notion its hard to comprehend a team like this winning it all. I expected this last year but a banner is a banner in the rafters. This aids in recruiting and I expect this should do it to get Swanigan (youd fuckin think)

 

[johnny2x2x]

Bigger than the Virginia game? I don't remember

UVA game was +4.5.

 

[Spartanmack]

Line is right on at +5. Duke rarely has a bad game so best effort indeed. I dont feel as excited as prior years on the notion its hard to comprehend a team like this winning it all. I expected this last year but a banner is a banner in the rafters. This aids in recruiting and I expect this should do it to get Swanigan (youd fuckin think)

I was at the game at MSG last year. In 2011 I told my friend if everyone stays we would win it all in 2014. That was a tough loss. Amazing that this team gets there after such a rough year. If any squad could pull it together after so much adversity I would have bet so much more money on last year's roster.

 

[Spartan23MSU]

I was at the game at MSG last year. In 2011 I told my friend if everyone stays we would win it all in 2014. That was a tough loss. Amazing that this team gets there after such a rough year. If any squad could pull it together after so much adversity I would have bet so much more money on last year's roster.

If ever I assumed we'd win a NC was 1999-2000 and last year.Health issues were the clear downfall last year and its still annoying to think about. I EXPECTED MSU to be in the NC game and like you, I figured they would be knocked out of the 1st or 2nd round if they made it in at all this year. There was a 3 game window we were really on the bubble. Weve launched into some sort of bizzare survival mode and managed to upset some quality opponents this tournament.

 

[Spartanmack]

If ever I assumed we'd win a NC was 1999-2000 and last year.Health issues were the clear downfall last year and its still annoying to think about. I EXPECTED MSU to be in the NC game and like you, I figured they would be knocked out of the 1st or 2nd round if they made it in at all this year. There was a 3 game window we were really on the bubble. Weve launched into some sort of bizzare survival mode and managed to upset some quality opponents this tournament.

It really has been pretty amazing. I figured we'd beat Georgia but that UVA game was pretty weird - if we played that same game against any 1 of 5 teams that aren't as offensively challenged as the Cavs I'd give us about a 10% chance of winning. After that the draw was pretty favorable with over-seeded Oklahoma - a tough game but of all the 3 seeds that's probably the one you want to play. But then, with the exception of a few stupid plays by Valentine (which he seems to be good for every game) I think they played really well against a good and well coached team.

 

[Spartanmack]

Is this the 3rd of Izzo's 7 to be a multi-B1G Final Four or has there been more? Off the top of my head 2000 (wisco), 2005 (ill) and 2015 (wisco).

Edit: fourth - 1999 (osu).

That's pretty amazing - 4 of 7. Have there been others that didn't involve MSU? Kinda feel like there was one w/ OSU and IU but dont' feel like looking it up at the moment.

 

[Sbee]

Is this the 3rd of Izzo's 7 to be a multi-B1G Final Four or has there been more? Off the top of my head 2000 (wisco), 2005 (ill) and 2015 (wisco).

1998 OSU but that was vacated, Scoonie Penn and Michael red. the FF was MSU, Duke, Uconn, and OSU

 

[Sbee]

I've decided I'm going full on kool aid mode, we're beating Duke. I think Duke's a young team, they already beat us this year relatively easily, we got a few easy baskets late to get it down to 10. i think we were down 6 with about 5 minutes left in the ebb and flow of a game, it was played between 6 and 14 in the last 10 minutes. Duke is a young team, I think it's easy for them to think that they're going to beat MSU again like they did before and they're thinking about playing UK right now, Coach K will try to bring them down to earth but I think they'll look past us.

In the November game, Okafor scored a lot early, just abused Costello and Schilling but those guys are leaps and bounds better on defense now. We adjusted and did a good job on him as the game went on, we doubled a little bit and were solid, he had good numbers but I think he had 10 of their first 12 or something. Winslow is a stud that Dawson will have to lock up on, he's a handful and he won't be able to provide the help defense that he does against other teams but he can take him out of the game.

Like I said, no objectivity here, going with my heart and saying we advance. Also, I think we'll have a huge MSU crowd for a few reasons. we're the first game and all of the UK and Wisconsin fans think they have a better chance of beating us than Duke so they'll cheer for us, plus a lot of MSU fans going with it being close to Michigan. Another factor in our favor

 

[Spartanmack]

1998 OSU but that was vacated, Scoonie Penn and Michael red. the FF was MSU, Duke, Uconn, and OSU

wasn't that '99 (see my edit above) or did we both make the FF in 98 as well?

 

[Sbee]

wasn't that '99 (see my edit above) or did we both make the FF in 98 as well?

99, confusing my senior and junior years, 98 we lost to UNC with Antwain Jameson and Vince carter in the sweet 16. 99 was redd and penn (later vacated)

 

[johnny2x2x]

2014 UCONN
- Started season ranked #18
- Conference record: 12-6
- Conference standing: 3rd
- Conference tournament: lost in final to regular season conference champs
- Received a 7 seed in the East Region
- Tournament road to get to final four: Beat a 10, 2, 3 and 4 seed (6 point victory)
- Set to play the winner of Kentucky and Wisconsin in the championship if victorious

2015 Michigan State
- Started season ranked #18
- Conference record: 12-6
- Conference standing: 3rd
- Conference tournament: lost in final to regular season conference champs
- Received a 7 seed in the East Region
- Tournament road to get to final four: Beat a 10, 2, 3 and 4 seed (6 point victory)
- Set to play the winner of Kentucky and Wisconsin in the championship if victorious

 

[everyoneneedsasmil]

2014 UCONN
- Started season ranked #18
- Conference record: 12-6
- Conference standing: 3rd
- Conference tournament: lost in final to regular season conference champs
- Received a 7 seed in the East Region
- Tournament road to get to final four: Beat a 10, 2, 3 and 4 seed (6 point victory)
- Set to play the winner of Kentucky and Wisconsin in the championship if victorious

2015 Michigan State
- Started season ranked #18
- Conference record: 12-6
- Conference standing: 3rd
- Conference tournament: lost in final to regular season conference champs
- Received a 7 seed in the East Region
- Tournament road to get to final four: Beat a 10, 2, 3 and 4 seed (6 point victory)
- Set to play the winner of Kentucky and Wisconsin in the championship if victorious

Spooky

 

[Sbee]

uncanny, UCONN played a #1 seed in the FF in Florida, we'll play a #1 in Duke.

the big differnce is last years UK team was an 8 seed, this years is 38-0

 

[biggunsbob]

If anyone is counting out a Izzo team in this spot they are just dumb.. Every game that they took a lead in the second half none of the NCAA teams had a response to get back. #3 Oklahoma lead until they didn't and it was over. #3 Louisville had a eight point halftime lead and thought it was over. They were 94 or 95-0 when leading by 6+ at halftime and could not match MSU energy in the second half. They did force OT but that was that.. #2 Virginia just never did get the game back after trailing..

Sbee could be right. Get a lead and maybe the younger Duke team will crumble or tighten up a bit.. Same thing could happen to Kentucky although their last ten minutes on offense verses ND was something.. Not one missed shot on offense.
Wisconsin Presents different challenges but both games were close enough to say MSU can hang in that game..
Very impressive run for sure.. Congrats for sure..

 

[Sbee]

MSU has lost 11 games, the other 3 teams combined to lose 7. 3 of our losses have come to final four teams

 

[Spartanmack]

MSU has lost 11 games, the other 3 teams combined to lose 7. 3 of our losses have come to final four teams

And only 4 of them didn't make the tournament!

 

[Sbee]

And only 4 of them didn't make the tournament!

Nice trolling attempt, I see you're trying to trash this thread here with obvious baiting