Michigan State Spartans Defeat North Dakota State Bison In 1st Round Of NCAA Tournament
In a month completely defined by busted brackets, nail-biting buzzer-beaters, and mid-major miracles, the No. 3 seed Michigan State Spartans simply refused to play along with the chaos. Head coach Tom Izzo’s squad marched into Buffalo, New York, and handed the 14th-seeded North Dakota State Bison a rather impolite 92-67 blowout loss to effortlessly punch their ticket to the Round of 32.
We’ve seen Michigan State teams in the past play down to their competition in the early rounds, making the fanbase collectively sweat through their shirts. This game, thankfully for the Spartan faithful, was an entirely different animal.
Michigan State Flips the Switch Early On
For about three minutes, the Bison made things just interesting enough to raise an eyebrow. North Dakota State jumped out to an early 8-5 lead, hitting a few crafty looks at the rim. You could almost feel the collective gulp from the Michigan State fanbase. Was this going to be a slugfest?
Not exactly. Point Guard Jeremy Fears Jr. decided it was time to take over, not by jacking up shots, but by dealing the basketball like a seasoned blackjack dealer at a high-stakes table. Fears piloted the Spartans to a massive 18-2 run that effectively ended the competitive portion of the broadcast before the popcorn was even ready.
Fears finished the game with 11 assists while taking a backseat in the scoring department with just 7 points. He was perfectly content pulling the strings and watching his frontcourt absolutely feast on the undersized Bison. By the time both teams retreated to the locker rooms, Michigan State was sitting on a cozy 45-25 cushion.
Carson Cooper and the Frontcourt Dominance
If you were looking for the MVP of the afternoon, you don’t need to look much further than senior Center Carson Cooper. The guy simply played out of his mind. Cooper tied his career-high with 20 points, pulled down 10 rebounds for a double-double, and put on a clinic in offensive efficiency.
And Cooper wasn’t alone in the paint. The Spartans bullied North Dakota State inside all afternoon. Coen Carr chipped in 17 points, treating the KeyBank Center rims with absolute disrespect by throwing down a series of gravity-defying dunks that probably violated some local airspace regulations. Meanwhile, true freshman Cam Ward matched Cooper’s perfect shooting, going 6-for-6 for 13 points, and senior Jaxon Kohler added a near double-double with 12 points and 9 boards.
How Michigan State Shut Down the Perimeter
Coming into this matchup, the one glaring red flag for Michigan State was perimeter defense. Over their last five games, the Spartans had been letting opponents shoot a blistering 40% from behind the arc. Giving a 14-seed open looks from three-point land is usually the exact recipe for an early flight home in March.
Instead, the Spartans locked in. They completely suffocated the Bison on the perimeter, holding North Dakota State to an abysmal 2-for-15 from deep in the first half. The Bison eventually finished a frigid 6-for-25 from three-point range. On the flip side, the Spartans were casually knocking down half of their own outside looks, finishing 10-for-20 from deep. When you win the battle of the boards, own the paint, and shoot 50% from three, you aren’t just going to win—you’re going to embarrass people.
Looking Ahead To Louisville
So, what’s next for Izzo’s veteran squad? Things are about to get significantly tougher. On Saturday, Michigan State will lace them up against the No. 6 seed Louisville Cardinals, who managed to survive a late, frenzied comeback attempt from South Florida earlier on Thursday. Louisville shot a scorching 52% from beyond the arc in their first-round matchup, meaning the Spartans’ newly repaired perimeter defense is going to get a massive stress test.
But if Thursday’s dominant, physical, and highly entertaining performance was any indication, this Michigan State roster has the hunger, the size, and the swagger to keep on dancing all the way to the Sweet 16.
