Back in mid-November, at the prestigious Champions Classic, the McDonald’s All-American-starved Michigan State Spartans looked like the odd team out among themselves, Duke, Kansas, and Kentucky—aka the giants of college basketball. (In all fairness, it was my Jayhawks, thoroughly embarrassed by Kentucky 72−40, who were clearly the odd team out.)
More than four months later the Spartans, who lost to Duke 81−71 at that same star-studded venue (and lost to Kansas 61−56 two weeks later), have proven they belong with the big boys after another vintage Tom Izzo tournament run—his seventh Final Four appearance.
Only Kansas, which lost in the Round of 32 (again), failed to make the Final Four after starring in that early-season matchup of titans. But in their place is 35−3 Wisconsin, which likely poses the biggest threat to topping 38−0 Kentucky in a highly anticipated rematch of last year’s Final Four. The Badgers play tough defense, operate at a deliberately slow pace, and, oh yes, they have the most difficult player to defend in senior forward Frank Kaminsky.
