HoopsHD continues its simulation of what would have happened in TTTW (The Tournament That Wasn’t). Up next it is time to continue with the First and Second rounds of the NCAA Tournament with a look at the third of the four pods in the Midwest Region. Michigan State, the preseason #1 team in the nation, entered the NCAA Tournament as the 3 seed in the Midwest and the clear favorite to advance to the Sweet 16. However, the Spartans would have to first get past a tough North Dakota State team and then a possible matchup with Bob Huggins’ West Virginia team, should the Mountaineers be able to get past Utah State. Who would get the Sweet 16 spot? It is time to find out!
FIRST ROUND – MIDWEST REGION – CLEVELAND, OHIO
(6) West Virginia vs (11) Utah State
Bob Huggins’ West Virginia Mountaineers had a roller-coaster ride of a season, losing a handful of games that they simply should not have lost, while at the same time capturing several noteworthy wins including a late-season home win over Baylor. Their first round opponent was the automatic bid-winner out of the Mountain West, Utah State. The Aggies seemed destined for a stressful Selection Sunday until they pulled off the huge upset of San Diego State in the Mountain West title game to capture the automatic bid. That one win both locked them into the Big Dance and solidified them as a serious threat to win once they got there.
Utah State came out strong in the first half of this game, building an early 6 point lead. From there, the game was back-and-forth until the halftime buzzer sounded, and the teams went to their lockerrooms with the Aggies on top 35-33. The second half appeared to have the teams set for a great finish, as they traded shots back and forth. A Jordan McCabe 3-pointer with 5 minutes left to play gave the Mountaineers a 67-65 lead, however, that they would not relinquish the rest of the way. A combination of solid free throw shooting and strong defense allowed West Virginia to dominate the final five minutes of play and walk off the court with a 78-67 win. Oscar Tshiebwe had a double-double for the winners, scoring 13 points and pulling down 15 rebounds.
Final Score: (6) West Virginia 78, (11) Utah State 67
(3) Michigan State vs (14) North Dakota State
The Michigan State Spartans had started the season ranked #1 in the nation and as the odds-on favorite to win the national championship. Finishing in a tie for the Big Ten regular season championship, advancing to the Big Ten Tournament title game and winning 24 games overall can hardly be looked at as a disappointing season, but 10 losses heading into the Big Dance were quite a few more than Spartans’ fans had expected. However, the slate is wiped clean in the NCAA Tournament, and Michigan State was the same six wins away from cutting down the nets as everyone else in the Round of 64. Their first opponent was the Summit League regular season and tournament champion North Dakota State Bison, appearing in their fourth NCAA Tournament in the last seven years.
Michigan State may have had the most talent on the court, but the Bison came ready to play in this game, hanging tough with Sparty for the entire first half and heading to the break only down by 4 points. The second half started with warning bells going off throughout the state of Michigan as NDSU was able to tie the game at 46 six minutes in on a Tyson Ward jumper. Coach Izzo quickly called timeout in an attempt to get his players to regroup, and that is exactly what they did. A quick 8-0 run put the Spartans up 54-46, and they never let the Bison make another serious run the rest of the way. When the dust settled, Michigan State had won 77-64, led by 24 points from Cassius Winston and 15 from Xavier Tillman. The Bison’s season was over, and the Spartans were looking forward to a second round game against West Virginia.
Final Score: (3) Michigan State 77, (14) North Dakota State 64
SECOND ROUND – MIDWEST REGION – CLEVELAND, OHIO
(3) Michigan State vs (6) West Virginia
Another great coaching matchup was in store in the second round in Cleveland as Bob Huggins’ West Virginia Mountaineers were matched up against Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans. Despite Michigan State being the clear favorite on paper, going up against “Press Virginia” is never an easy task for any team, making the spot in the Sweet 16 in Indianapolis far from being a lock.
The first half of the game was a defensive struggle, with West Virginia controlling the pace early and eventually opening an 11 point lead at 27-16. The Spartans fought back, however, with Cassius Winston leading his team, finishing the first half on a 23-5 run and taking a 7-point lead at the break. The second half saw the Mountaineers regain the lead early again, but Sparty had an answer every time. A basket by Rocket Watts opened up the Michigan State lead to 7 points late, and key free throw shooting down the stretch locked up the win and the berth in the Sweet 16. Xavier Tillman’s double-double led the Spartans, who had an 86-82 win and a trip booked to Indianapolis for the Midwest Regional.
Final Score: (3) Michigan State 86, (5) West Virginia 82
