Michigan State basketball slays Goliath to get to 2019 Final Four

Michigan State basketball pulled off the unthinkable as it beat Duke to get back to the Final Four for the first time since 2014-15.

Tom Izzo was constantly reminded of his 1-11 record against Mike Krzyzewski and Duke, but none of that mattered on Sunday evening as this year’s mentally tough Michigan State team was able to down Zion Williamson and the Blue Devils.

Down three with just over a minute to go, the Spartans looked as good as cooked, but Cassius Winston found Xavier Tillman on an alley-oop to cut it to one.

Then it was the senior, Kenny Goins, who came up with the biggest shot of the tournament. He had been struggling all game long but he slipped open at the top of the circle and drained a huge three with about 34 seconds left to give Michigan State the lead.

A make and a miss at the free throw line by RJ Barrett later and the Spartans were able to inbound it and run out the clock to win by a single point.

Izzo was visibly emotional after the game, and for good reason.

His team which lost Josh Langford and Kyle Ahrens before the tourney and faced injury issues all season long was headed to the Final Four, making this arguably the best team he’s coached in over a decade.

No one thought Michigan State could do it. Heck, after Langford was injured and ruled out for the year, this team didn’t even think it could get the job done with a three-game skid, but the Spartans continued to show mental toughness and got to slay Goliath (Duke).

And of course, Winston was named the East Region’s Most Outstanding Player after putting the team on his back yet again.

The drought is over, not only against Duke, but in the Final Four which it hasn’t reached in four seasons. Michigan State basketball is back and Izzo couldn’t be prouder of this hard-nosed team.