Michigan State Basketball: 5 reasons Spartans will beat LSU in Sweet 16

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DES MOINES, IOWA – MARCH 21: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts to a play during their game in the First Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament against the Bradley Braves at Wells Fargo Arena on March 21, 2019 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

1. Tom Izzo’s constant adjusments

If there’s one area of Tom Izzo’s coaching that has improved tenfold from last season, it’s his in-game adjustments. He went from struggling to figure out Syracuse’s defense for 40 minutes last season to coming from behind to solve Michigan’s and beat the Wolverines three times — accounting for nearly half of their losses.

Izzo has been adjusting in-game and at halftime as well as any coach and it’s shown. He has compiled his second straight 30-win season and this year’s team looks like a much more cohesive bunch with more mental toughness.

Not many coaches can lose two lottery picks and be even better the following season, winning both the Big Ten Tournament and regular season titles as well as beating a top-10 rival three times in three weeks. He has the Spartans playing as well as anyone in the nation and doing so with all of the injury issues they’ve faced.

This is the same coach that found a way to beat Michigan twice and hold on for the regular season title without Nick Ward and Josh Langford. Now that’s impressive.

You can bet he’s ready to make necessary adjustments and he knows everything that LSU will throw the Spartans’ way.

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There’s a reason he was a national coach of the year candidate.

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