Michigan State Basketball Ready to Take Advantage of Opportunities

Despite receiving its lowest seed in 33 NCAA Tournament appearances, Michigan State is ready to take advantage of its opportunities.

EAST LANSING – Michigan State closed the regular season with six games in 13 days and took down three top-5 teams in Illinois, Ohio State, and Michigan.

As a reward, the Spartans drew a play-in game against UCLA Thursday night for its lowest seed in 33 NCAA tournament appearances.

Typically teams play two games in three days to get out of the first weekend of the tourney, but because MSU takes on the Bruins, it might play three games in five.

"The fact of the matter is we have an opportunity; at the end of the day, that is all we can ask for, and so we have to take advantage of that opportunity, and we have to make the choice as a team," fifth-year senior Joshua Langford said. "We all have to make a collective decision that we are all going to give 110 percent because it is win or go home."

Luckily, Michigan State's brutal stretch to round out the year meant Tom Izzo approached every game as if it was the big dance. In other words, the Spartans have been in tournament mode for weeks.

"We are battle-tested, we've been through it all, and I'm proud of them for that," said Izzo. "I like the way we went; we had our backs against the wall, we had to win, we played all those games with one- or two-day prep anyway ... We played some of the best teams in the country."

Despite the altered scheduling, MSU's philosophy in March remains the same.

"We play this for the weekends. That's the way we always have; I'm never changing that; I don't care what seed they put me," Izzo said. "The object is to win the weekend."

It's a mantra Spartan fans have become accustomed to seeing from its Hall of Fame coach; basically, some staffers start looking ahead and planning for potential opponents, even before MSU has advanced. It's risky, but a gameplan for BYU is in the works; however, Izzo's 23-6 record in the second game of March Madness speaks for itself.

"I can't think of a team that's more prepared to play one-day preps back-to-back-to-back more than we are ... We got through it in a way that I think few could, and I mean that," said Izzo. "I'm proud of my tea; I'm proud of my players; I'm happy for them."

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