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Michigan State Basketball: Why Spartans can become 2019 national champs

By Patrick Kayser

Tom Izzo, Michigan State basketball (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
Tom Izzo, Michigan State basketball (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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3 Apr 2000: Mateen Cleaves #12 (C) of Michigan State celebrates with his teammates after defeating Florida 89-76 to win the final round of the NCAA Men”s Final Four at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana.
3 Apr 2000: Mateen Cleaves #12 (C) of Michigan State celebrates with his teammates after defeating Florida 89-76 to win the final round of the NCAA Men”s Final Four at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana. /

1. Plenty of eerie similarities

There are lots of correlatives with this year, and this team, that have the signs pointing towards a national title. Let’s name them. Forty years ago, Michigan State won its first national championship in 1979. Forty years later, the Spartans could win their third overall.

The last time all 1-3 seeds made it to the sweet 16 was 2009, the year Michigan State went to the Final Four and lost in the national championship game to a very good North Carolina team. This year, my prediction is they’ll get to the national championship and beat a very good North Carolina team.

In 2009, they were also in a region with the No. 1 overall seed (Louisville) and they beat them by 12. Whether they face Duke this year or not, they should be winning their Sweet 16 and Elite Eight matchups.

When the Spartans won the national title in 2000, Morris Peterson earned Co-Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors and Cassius Winston has both of those this year.

In 2000, they also won the Big Ten Tournament title, and they also beat Michigan on senior day, as well as winning the Big Ten regular season title.

Also, statistics are on MSU’s side. Since KenPom was released, every national title team, except 2014 Connecticut, has been in the top 25 of AdjO and AdjD efficiency. Well what do you know, MSU is within those ranges this year.

These correlatives mean nothing in terms of whether this team can get it done or not. But there’s so many of them that they’re overwhelming, almost as if there’s no way they can’t relate to a sign meaning this team is destined to win it all.

This overwhelming article of optimism should let Michigan State fans feel good about this upcoming weekend. This Michigan State team can win it all. They will win it all. Is it time for the LSU game yet?

Next. 5 keys to victory over LSU in Sweet 16. dark

Again, disclaimer: This is a gut feeling. It’s more an article to try and stay positive while most MSU fans across the country are probably going to be nervous wrecks come Friday. Just use this as your source of optimism. Unless they lose. Then whoops, sorry, I guess I won’t listen to my gut again.

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