Michigan State the Story of NCAA Tournament - North Carolina the Favorite
I love northern Michigan with its sweeping shoreline, crystal clear lakes and pine forests. But head into the heart of Michigan commerce; Detroit, Lansing, Flint - those are cities hard by the industrial demise. Places where factories choke their skylines, where pot-hole streets pass boarded up storefronts and people have this far away look back to the time when American manufacturing was King.
Into this scenario comes the Michigan State Spartans, back home to Detroit’s suprisingly well set up Ford Field. Coach Tom Izzo’s veteran squad featuring 8 native sons, proceeds to eliminate a supposedly superior UConn team with a combination of sticky man to man defense coupled with heads up shooting when it counted.
In the end the Spartans prevail, sending Coach Calhoun back east to explain away the recruiting scandal that awaits him.
How great for the State of Michigan to pack Ford Field Monday night and cheer on their very own state university.
But this is probably where all the shouting ends as North Carolina followed the Michigan State victory with a door to door thrashing of the befuddled Villanova Wildcats that served notice the Tarheels didn’t show up to this dance with anything less than that elusive championship in mind.
The thing about North Carolina’s roster is that they not only have 3 mega studs in Hansbrough, Ellington and the sterling Lawson, but role players like Green, Fraisor and others come at you in waves, each one capable of scoring inside or out.
Which leaves Michigan State somewhat undermatched at each position.
Here’s why I think North Carolina will steal Cinderella’s pumpkin Monday night.
While the Big East and Big 10 conferences have the bad boy, bangin’ n bumpin’ reputation for hard play, ACC teams have been beating on the Tarheels all season long. So I don’t think Michigan State’s in your face, man to man defense is going to surprise North Carolina all that much; especially with a fast, heady guard like Lawson to direct the offense.
If Michigan State chooses to clog the middle and force North Carolina to shoot from outside they could be buried in a 3pt barrage as any Tarheel is apt to shoot the long ball if he’s open. Remember, UNC feels they can outscore any opponent.
Once Michigan State gets behind by 8 or more, they don’t have the get back into it offense that generates a lot of points in a big hurry. While they rely on their defense to create scoring, I don’t see UNC turning over the ball a bunch.
Final score: North Carolina 84 - Michigan State 72 Lawson scores 28, is named MVP and wins $24,400 at the casinos later that night.