Spartan head coach Tom Izzo isn’t too concerned about being a one-point underdog as he prepares for his third-straight Final Four appearance.
“It doesn’t bother me that we’re not the favorite,” Izzo said. “We have been in plenty of wars before, so this is nothing new. I still think Duke is still the favorite by many people to win it all, but at the same time this will probably be one of the toughest Final Fours in recent years where it could be a toss-up.”
Regardless, the situation will be unfamiliar for the Spartans when they face Arizona for a 5:42 p.m. tip-off Saturday in the NCAA Tournament semifinal.
The two teams will square off at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minn., for the opportunity to face either Maryland or Duke in Monday’s championship game.
The Wildcats (27-7) are led by shooting guard Gilbert Arenas, who averages 16.5 points per game, and 7-foot-1 center Loren Woods, who contributes 13 points and six rebounds per game.
Sophomore guard Jason Richardson, who arguably had the most incredible dunk in Spartan history in a 79-68 loss to the Wildcats last season, said the team will have to make adjustments to avoid a second defeat in as many years.
“I’m looking forward to this game. It’s definitely going to be fun to go against these guys since both teams really match up well,” Richardson said. “We really got ran against last year, so we’ll definitely have to take better care of the ball this time around and really make a solid commitment to defend.”
Richardson said MSU (28-4) has focused on the big weekend and knows the importance of being prepared for a battle against the Wildcats, who handed the Spartans their second loss of the year last season.
“We’ve all made a commitment to this team going into this big weekend that we won’t be out late partying or have any other distractions,” Richardson said of the team’s off-days in East Lansing before its trip to Minneapolis. “Now is a time to get rest and get prepared for what should be a very tough game.”
Senior forward David Thomas said he feels a sense of urgency to win another championship because his days of putting on a Spartan jersey are numbered.
MSU would be the first to win national titles back-to-back since Duke did it almost a decade ago.
“Us seniors had our last practice on campus the other day, so we all know that things are ending fast,” Thomas said. “Since most of us have the experience of being to at least one Final Four, we have to treat this like a business and get some work done.”
Preparing for the first Final Four matchup of his MSU career, freshman guard Marcus Taylor said he’s excited to get the opportunity to compete.
He said he’s used to watching the tournament action on TV, but now as a member of the Spartan squad, he’s thrilled to be taking to the court.
“This is a great situation for us, especially for me since I’m getting my first taste of the Final Four,” Taylor said. “It’s like a fairy tale.
“All we need right now is a happy ending.”
Eric Lacy can be reached at lacyeric@msu.edu
