The Biggest Threat to Michigan State in the Round of 64
The 2-seeded Michigan State Spartans begin their NCAA Tournament run against the 15-seeded Bryant Bulldogs in the Round of 64 on Friday.
The Spartans must be wary of Bulldogs’ guard Rafael Pinzon, who fits the mold of a guard who can take over a March Madness game at any time and carry his team to an upset.
Pinzon isn’t afraid of taking shots, as the guard regularly takes more than 10 3-pointers in a single game.
Bryant's strategy for pulling off the upset is to make the game a high-scoring track meet. According to KenPom, the Bulldogs have the seventh-highest adjusted tempo in the country.
Pinzon dominated other opponents in the America East Conference, scoring 27 or more points on five occasions in conference play.
Pinzon struggled when Bryant faced St. John’s, another two-seed in March Madness with a similar playing style to Michigan State. The defensive pressure of the Red Storm forced Pinzon to make poor decisions, as he committed six turnovers and only scored nine points in the 22-point loss.
Even when Pinzon isn’t shooting the ball well, he typically continues to fire. The senior has many games where he shoots less than 20 percent from 3-point range on seven or more attempts this season. If the Spartans can disrupt Pinson’s rhythm early on, they will be able to capitalize and make quick work of the Bulldogs.
However, the Spartans’ defense showed some faults in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals against Wisconsin. Badgers guard John Tonje completely dominated the game, scoring 32 points while knocking down four three-pointers.
Spartans guard Jaden Akins will most likely be responsible for guarding Pinzon. Akins has been one of the best perimeter defenders for Michigan State, earning a spot on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team.
The Spartans need to make sure they do not allow another performance like this from the opposing team’s leading scorer. One of the strengths of Tom Izzo’s squad is that they can switch multiple defenders without allowing significant mismatches. However, at 6-foot-6, the size of Pinzon could pose a threat to Spartans’ guards Jeremy Fears Jr. and Tre Holloman.
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