A Look at MSU's First-Round Match-Up, Bryant
The Michigan State Spartans have learned their region and their first-round opponent in the NCAA Tournament. Tom Izzo’s team earned a No. 2 seed and will face off against the No. 15-seeded Bryant Bulldogs in the South region on Friday afternoon.
The South is a tough region, featuring the No. 1 overall seeded Auburn Tigers. The Spartans are also in the region with Michigan, which won the Big Ten Tournament, earned a No. 5 seed, and will play UC San Diego.
This is the first time MSU will take on the Bulldogs in either program’s history.
So, what will the Spartans see when they take on Bryant?
The Bulldogs are 23-11 and just won the America East Tournament over Maine. They rank 141st in NET and 149th on KenPom.
Bryant is led by Phil Martelli Jr., son of former Michigan assistant coach and Saint Joseph’s head coach Phil Martelli. The 43-year-old has coached the Bulldogs for the last two seasons and has a 43-24 record.
As good of a rebounding team MSU is, Bryant may be better. They were the best rebounding team out of any mid major squad, bringing down 41.2 boards per game, which tied for fourth in the country.
The Bulldogs also averaged 13.4 offensive rebounds per game, tied for 18th in the country.
Bryant likes to push the pace. They want to grab rebounds and run, similar to the Spartans.
The Bulldogs have great size and defend well. Every starter is 6-foot-6 or taller, posing match-up problems for MSU.
They also have four players who average double figures, so the Spartans must be disciplined defensively.
Bryant’s top player is Earl Timberlake, a former four-star high school recruit who began his career at Miami (FL) and spent time at Memphis. He is a point forward who can score it well and handle the ball.
Rafael Pinzon is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 18.5 points per game. The St. John’s transfer shoots it at 38.5 percent from three-point range on high volume.
MSU’s depth will be key against the Bulldogs to avoid another 2-15 upset. The Bulldogs are about seven players deep, which is something MSU can counter.
Tip-off is set for approximately 10:00 p.m. EST.
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