Michigan State Spartans
Record: 26-8
Head coach: Tom Izzo (19th season)
Season summary: After they began the season on a 18-1 tear, the Spartans struggled in the latter half of the season, finishing 8-7. The team's slide coincided with the loss of junior forward and leading rebounder Branden Dawson, who missed nine games with a broken hand. Michigan State knocked off six ranked teams throughout the year and managed to finish the season on a hot streak, winning the Big Ten tournament by defeating Northwestern, then-No. 12 Wisconsin and then-No. 8 Michigan. The Spartans are led by sophomore guard Gary Harris and senior center Adreian Payne, as the duo combined to average 32.9 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. Senior guard Keith Appling and Harris have run the backcourt well all season, as Michigan State ranks sixth in the nation in assists per game at 17.1.
How they make a run: Harris, Payne and the rest of the cast spread the wealth and have teams scrambling to try and stop one star player, leaving another open to have a big game.
How they falter: The Spartans look too far ahead and underestimate a Cincinnati defense that ranks sixth in the nation in points allowed at 58.3 per game and fail to put up points like they did against Illinois and Ohio State earlier in the season.Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
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