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Michigan State Basketball: Preview, prediction vs. Syracuse in second round

By Connor Muldowney

DETROIT, MI - MARCH 16: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans coaches during the second half against the Bucknell Bison in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 16, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 16: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans coaches during the second half against the Bucknell Bison in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 16, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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Michigan State’s second-round opponent has been locked in as Syracuse defeated TCU to earn a matchup with the Spartans.

A heavyweight Hall of Fame battle between Tom Izzo and Jim Boeheim is what college basketball fans deserve in round two. The coaches will go at it just a year after Boeheim complained about the Spartans making the tourney with 14 losses and his Orange being left out of the field.

Must Read: MSU Basketball: 5 reasons Spartans can make the Final Four

Well, Syracuse (22-13) made the tournament this year with 13 losses, so his complaints apparently landed in the right hands. His team will get a chance to prove itself worthy of a tourney bid with a third straight win.

Michigan State (30-4) isn’t going to roll over and let that happen, though. Syracuse might be an 11-seed, but the Orange are dangerous and the Spartans know what type of obstacles a zone defense can deliver. This game is going to be one of the better second-round matchups and you can throw seed lines out the window.

Here’s how you can watch Sunday’s Michigan State versus Syracuse game:

Date: Sunday, March 18
Time: 2:40 p.m. ET
Location: Detroit, Mich.
Venue: Little Caesars Arena
TV: CBS
Live Stream: March Madness Live

Keys to victory

Offensively, the Spartans must find a way to break that zone. It’s been the Spartans’ kryptonite as long as Tom Izzo has been at the helm and while he has beaten Syracuse before, it doesn’t happen as often as he’d like. The Orange aren’t as talented this year as in seasons past, but that defense ranks 14th in the country in terms of points allowed. Find soft spots in the zone — like the top of the key — and make smart passes to get to the hoop. Ball movement is going to be a major key.

Defensively, it’s going to be important to force the Orange to settle for jumpers. Protecting the paint and forcing everything outside will benefit the Spartans as Syracuse isn’t the most accurate shooting team in the country. They made just 36 percent of their shots against TCU in the first round and 21 percent from long range. This isn’t saying MSU should leave the Orange open on the perimeter, because that’s never an option, but force them to settle for contested jumpers.

Syracuse players to watch

The Orange aren’t exactly known for their depth nor their offense, but they have a few players who can go off on any given night. They average just 67 points per game (315th nationally) to go along with 10.9 assists (335th). This team prides itself on rebounding (37.4 per game) and defense (63.9 points allowed). Which players stand out?

  • Tyus Battle — 19.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 40% FG shooting
  • Oshae Brissett — 14.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 34% 3-point shooting
  • Frank Howard — 14.7 points, 4.8 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 33% 3-point shooting
  • Marek Dolezaj — 5.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 53% FG shooting

Next: MSU Basketball: 5 biggest concerns before NCAA tourney

Prediction

The Miles Bridges show is going to continue on Sunday afternoon as the Spartans’ star sophomore will account for 30 points and play with a mean streak yet again. The game will be tight for a majority of the first half and just like the Bucknell game, Michigan State will make necessary adjustments at halftime and extend the lead to double-digits. Syracuse will make the Spartans work for the victory, but Cassius Winston will hit some dagger 3-pointers down the stretch.

Final Score: Syracuse 68, Michigan State 78

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