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Buffaloes boast Big Ten style, 4 scoring threats

March 21, 2003

Who are the Colorado Buffaloes?

After MSU received its No. 7 seed and was slated to face No. 10 seed Colorado, the Spartans (19-12) had little time to find the answer to that question.

"This is a Big Ten-type team," MSU head coach Tom Izzo said. "It's a very, very physical team. (Center) David Harrison and (forward) Stephane Pelle are two inside guys that are very, very physical. They have great athleticism and can get up and down the floor."

Colorado (20-11), which finished tied for fifth in the Big 12 this season with a 9-7 conference mark, traditionally finds four players in double figures.

Point guard Michel Morandais' 17 points per game lead the squad and forward Blair Wilson adds 12.9 ppg. Wilson is the Buffaloes 3-point specialist with 80 makes on the year.

The other two offensive forces are double-double threats every game. Pelle adds 12.2 points and a team-high 9.4 rebounds per game. Harrison pours in 13.9 points a game, while grabbing 8.4 boards per contest. The only flaw in Harrison's game is his free-throw shooting. On the season, the 7-footer is shooting 56.7 percent with more than 200 free-throw attempts.

Nebraska assistant coach Mike Broughton, who scouted Colorado both times his Cornhuskers and Buffaloes met, says the Spartans will have their hands full.

"They beat the very best teams in the Big 12 and on any given day, they may be one of the 10-15 best teams in the country," Broughton said. "They are a very athletic team and are strong talent wise. With their 20 wins and being in the Big 12 conference, their No. 10 seed is very deceiving."

He also added there are three keys to Colorado's game.

"Harrison has to stay out of foul trouble," Broughton said. "If he does, they are a totally different team. Pelle has had some fantastic games and if he is playing really well it makes Harrison better. The third thing is how well Wilson shoots the ball. If he shoots well, that stretches the defense and the inside guys have their way a little more."

Harrison provides the biggest challenge as he was donned one of the conference's best big men.

"I definitely know he's one of the best big fellas out there," senior forward Aloysius Anagonye said.

On defense, Broughton said the Buffaloes are a man-to-man team, but sparingly, will switch into a zone.

Offensively, Colorado will push the ball up the floor on missed shots and on forced turnovers, Broughton said. He also said in their half-court offense, the Buffaloes like to use an inside-out attack.

Nebraska split the season series with Colorado despite finishing last in the conference. Aside from the Cornhuskers' win coming at home, Broughton said his team aggressiveness played a big role in Nebraska's 80-77 overtime win.

"In that game, we were able to get to the free-throw line," he said. "We were able to penetrate and we got to the foul line over 30 times and that was the difference. They got in foul trouble because we were able to drive the ball."

If the Spartans get past Colorado, either Florida or Sam Houston State awaits.

Like Colorado, the second-seeded Gators (24-6) spread the offense. Four Gators score in double-figures on average, with forward Matt Bonner leading the way with 15.8 points. Forward Matt Walsh and guard Anthony Roberson each add 12.8 points while forward David Lee chips in 10.8.

Florida likes to push the ball up the court, scoring more than 80 points in nine games. When the Gators top the 74-point mark, they are 15-1.

Sam Houston State entered the tournament after capturing the Southland conference tournament crown. Though the chances of upsetting the Gators are slim, 15-seed Bearkats (23-6) are winners of 14 of their last 15 games.

Center Donald Cole leads Sam Houston State with 17.4 points per game while shooting 40 percent from 3-point land. He is assisted on offense by guard Robert Shannon's 10.6 points and guard Felton Freeman's 10.3.

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