Michigan State Basketball: 5 Reasons Spartans Will Beat Duke

By Connor Muldowney | Apr 3, 2015

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Apr 2, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo speaks to the media as Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski listens during a press conference before the 2015 NCAA Men

Michigan State basketball is in the midst of one of the most spectacular runs in the history of the program and Tom Izzo should be credited for a ton of the success. The Spartans’ head coach has stuck with this team through the ups and downs of the season and right when it looked as if they wouldn’t make the NCAA Tournament, they surprised everyone and went on a winning streak.

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For Izzo, this has to be one of the most special runs since becoming the head coach in 1995. Here you have a team with a ton to prove and very little result to show for it, but the players all count on and trust each other. The team becomes a family and the family becomes successful, making a very improbable run to Indianapolis and the 2015 Final Four.

Travis Trice and Branden Dawson have waited four years for this moment and they’ve finally gotten it. They didn’t want to become the second straight senior class under Izzo to miss out on a Final Four appearance — as every senior class before the 2014 one had made at least one Final Four.

The two seniors have cemented their footprint. This run has been so special to everyone involved with MSU and Trice and Dawson have given their all to be here.

Now Michigan State must face a young, talented Duke team that is hungry for a national title. While the Blue Devils may be mostly freshmen stars, there is still some veteran leadership that will help carry them in times of need.

The Spartans will need to bring their ‘A’ game if they play on winning this one and advancing to the title game on Monday night.

Let’s take a look at the five things the Spartans need to do to beat Duke.

Next: Trice Needs to be Trice

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