Michigan State is looking to make its second straight Elite Eight for the first time in over a decade, but the team that denied them a Final Four back in 2013-14 is standing in the way.
The Spartans have a winning record against UConn all-time, but the last time these two teams met in the NCAA Tournament, it did not go Tom Izzo’s way. And this time, the Huskies have a way better head coach leading the way. To say this game is going to be really tough for the Spartans would be a massive understatement.
What should we all be slightly concerned about entering the Sweet 16 matchup?
1. Rebounding
When these two teams met back in October, UConn out-rebounded the Spartans by four, which may not seem like much, but the Huskies didn’t have Tarr Reed for that one.
The Huskies out-toughed Michigan State on the glass without their best rebounder and a guy who pulled down 27 boards in UConn’s first-round game against Furman. That would’ve added about 8-10 more boards for the Huskies and the discrepancy would’ve been way bigger.
I’ll admit, Michigan State is a much better team than it was back in October, but that doesn’t lessen this concern.
2. Coen Carr ghost mode
Though it hasn’t happened yet in the postseason, Coen Carr has been guilty of going ghost mode. During the regular season, he would drop 20 points one night and then two the next. He would have a stretch of five straight good games and then he would go ghost mode in the sixth.
Michigan State needs more consistency from him on the offensive end, and if he’s aggressive on that end of the floor, it usually makes life very easy on Jeremy Fears Jr. and the rest of the lineup.
Carr has been really good three games in a row, so let’s hope he doesn’t follow up his hot start to the 2026 NCAA Tournament with a dud.
3. Three-point defense
This has been a concern of mine ever since the first Rutgers game, but it disappeared for a while and then resurfaced after Michigan State struggled with UCLA in the Big Ten Tournament. The Spartans couldn’t keep up with the Bruins’ 3-point barrage and they were looking silly defensively on the perimeter.
Louisville got a ton of threes up, too, but the Cardinals didn’t make enough to make a difference. UConn has some big-time shooters, too, in Alex Karaban, Solo Ball, and Braylon Mullins who have all made at least 60 threes this season.
Lock down the perimeter, and Michigan State will be in good shape.