Izzo, MSU Seeking to Show High-Major Pedigree vs. NDSU

BUFFALO, N.Y. --- Tom Izzo seems perfectly content with the chilly, semi-snowy weather a short distance from Niagara Falls (which he hasn't been to).

"Weather's fine for me," Izzo said on Wednesday. "No distractions. Man, I don't have to worry about my guys out at the beach or anything. We're just hunkering down and looking forward to an incredible weekend."

Outlook for Tourney No. 28

Mar 18, 2026; Buffalo, NY, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo observes and stretches during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Izzo, obviously, has been in this position before. This is the 28th time in a row that Izzo has led Michigan State to the NCAA Tournament, with 2026 being the 11th time the Spartans have been at least a 3-seed.

Higher seeds don't guarantee wins, though, just like how being a lower seed doesn't guarantee an earlier exit. Izzo has lost in the first round as a 2-seed, but has also reached the Final Four as a 7-seed. The former situation means this year's team has to be prepared for Thursday's battle against (14) North Dakota State. Izzo called it the "David and Goliath" thing.

"I was a Division II player [at Northern Michigan] and got the chance to play Al McGuire and Marquette," Izzo said. "It was one of the greatest things in the world to have a chance to go up against somebody that everybody's talking about.

"They're [NDSU] not on TV every day. We are on TV every day. That's gotta be some of the motivational talks to their players, is you get a chance to prove yourself amongst the best."

It's the position where one team has everything to gain and nothing to lose. Michigan State beating North Dakota State to reach the Round of 32 is the expectation; hardly anyone would actually remember it in a decade, and no one will really be faulting the Bison for it.

A victory for NDSU becomes one of the stories of the tournament, and it also becomes one of the more embarrassing losses in MSU's history. The Spartans are certainly going to flex their high-major muscles on Thursday, but Izzo still sees a bit of the inherent motivation advantages North Dakota State has in this matchup.

"What makes them scary is they're well-coached, they've got good players, but I think what makes them scary is this is their Christmas, Fourth of July," Izzo said. "They get a chance to pit themselves against the people they watch on TV, and I think that's a strong way to put it."

Tip-off is slated for 4:05 p.m. ET on Thursday on TNT. The winner of MSU-NDSU advances to Saturday's second-round game against the winner of (6) Louisville against (11) South Florida.