MSU coaches, from left, assistant coach Dane Fife, head coach Tom Izzo, and assistant head coach Dwayne Stephens react in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans defeated Memphis, 70-48, Saturday, March 23, 2013, at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Mich. Justin Wan/The State News
The quest for the Spartans’ third national championship continues this weekend, when MSU heads to Indianapolis to face one of the most storied programs in NCAA Tournament history.
The No. 3 seed MSU men’s basketball team (27-8) has advanced to the Sweet 16 and is set to take on the No. 2 seed Duke Blue Devils (29-5) in the Midwest Regional semifinals on Friday (9:45 p.m., CBS) at Lucas Oil Stadium.
To win the region and advance to head coach Tom Izzo’s seventh Final Four, the Spartans will need to nab wins against two of the following three teams.
Hometown: Durham, N.C.
Head coach: Mike Krzyzewski (956-296 in 38 seasons, four national championships)
Top player: The Blue Devils have balance up and down their starting lineup, but forward Mason Plumlee is the best player on one of the nation’s top teams. The 6-foot-11 forward leads Duke in rebounding, blocked shots and total points, averaging 17.2 points and 10 rebounds per game, and has skill around the basket.
Summary: Duke doesn’t have tremendous depth, but their starting five is potent, with all five players averaging 11.7 points per game or more, and four of the five shooting at least 39 percent from beyond the arc. The Blue Devils use screens to free up their outside shooters and make defenses pay for not communicating.
Hometown: Louisville, Ky.
Head coach: Rick Pitino (660-239 in 28 seasons, one national championship)
Top player: Russ Smith is of the country’s elite scoring guards, but Peyton Siva is the man that makes the Cardinals run. The senior captain leads Louisville in assists, steals and free-throw shooting, while scoring nearly 10 points a game. His ability to push the ball and penetrate defenses fuels Louisville’s offense.
Summary: The Cardinals play an up-tempo, fast-paced game, led by Siva and the explosive scoring of Smith. Center Gorgui Dieng is a physical presence inside that wreaks havoc on opposing offenses with his rebounding, shot blocking and toughness. Louisville plays eight players 16 minutes or more and nearly all of them can score, as part of a balanced attack that’s difficult to defend.
Hometown: Eugene, Ore.
Head coach: Dana Altman (483-279 in 24 seasons)
Top player: Forward E.J. Singler is a do-it-all player, leading his team in scoring, assists and 3-point shooting,while ranking second on the squad in rebounding. Singler entered the season as the Pac-12’s active leader in scoring is one of just 13 Ducks to score more than 1,000 career points with 500 rebounds.
Summary: Oregon is one of the Cinderella teams of the tournament, advancing to the Sweet 16 as a 12 seed. To continue their run, the Ducks must continue the balanced production that’s defined their success with six players averaging between 8.4 and 11.6 points per game.
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