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NCAA Tournament Predictions: 3. Michigan State vs. 14. Valparaiso
- Updated: March 18, 2013
Guard Gary Harris
3. Michigan State (25-8, 13-5 Big Ten)- The Spartans don’t have many stars, but they are led by steady point guard Keith Appling, who averages 13.5 points, 3.5 boards and 3.5 assists per game. The junior guard is one of the more underrated players in the nation. Bruising guard Gary Harris and 6-10 junior forward Adrian Payne give the Spartans are also key offensive contributors, averaging 12.9 and 10.4 points respectively.Derrick Nix also adds plenty of size and bulk inside.
The Spartans own wins over Michigan, Kansas, Ohio State and Wisconsin. They reached the Big Ten semifinals and somehow went 13-5 in the rugged Big Ten despite not having the talent that some other teams have. Never count out Tom Izzo; he is an exceptional coach.
KEY STATS:
55th Rebounds Per Game (37.3)
50th Field Goal Percentage (.460)
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Ryan Broekhoff
14 Valparaiso (26-7, 13-3 Horizon)- The Crusaders got here thanks to leading scorer Ryan Broekhoff, who hit this crazy game-winner to keep their season alive in the Horizon League semifinals. Broekhoff is obviously a clutch scorer, but he also puts up 15.9 points and 7 boards per game. He was named the Horizon League Player of the Year.
They probably can’t match up with Michigan State’s size though, and it’s tough to think that anyone is going to out game-plan Tom Izzo. They also don’t rebound well enough to beat the rugged Spartans, ranking 248th in rebounds per game.
Still, the Crusaders are a terrific shooting team, ranking sixth in the nation in field goal percentage.
KEY STATS:
6th Field Goal Percentage
248th Rebounds Per Game
