2018 NCAA tournament preview: No. 3 Michigan State

Michigan State Spartans: 29-4, 16-2 in the Big Ten

Head coach: Tom Izzo (23rd season)

Players to watch: Miles Bridges (16.9 PPG, 6.9 RPG); Nick Ward (12.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG); Cassius Winston (12.6 PPG, 52.6 3PT%)

Season recap: Few teams have had as dominant of a year as the Spartans. In a season filled with upsets in every conference, Michigan State has shown control and consistency through a roster brimming with talent at all positions. Despite falling to the Blue Devils in the Champions Classic, the Spartans cruised through their regular season with minimal missteps, seizing the Big Ten regular-season title from the likes of Ohio State and Purdue. 

However, an upset 75-64 loss to rival Michigan in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament not only snapped a 13-game winning streak, but also nested Michigan State as a No. 3 seed in a challenging region.

In a conference that is admittedly not the most competitive among the Power Five, the Spartans' resume is highlighted by a 68-65 thriller against the then-third-ranked Boilermakers. Sophomore Miles Bridges put the team on his shoulders to keep Michigan State in the conversation and knocked down the tiebreaking dagger with just 2.7 seconds left.

In fact, the Spartans can attribute much of this year’s success to Bridges—the Flint, Mich., native averages 16.9 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game that sets him as the tip of the spear for Michigan State’s offense. Rounded out by Nick Ward, Cassius Winston and the hulking presence of 6-foot-11 freshman Jaren Jackson Jr. in the paint, Bridges has a team surrounding him that is a clear contender for the national title he turned down the NBA last spring for.

How they make a run: With Winston spreading the floor and Bridges, Ward and Jackson crashing through the paint, Michigan State’s top-10 offense forms a wrecking ball that smashes through the tournament.