In the case of the MSU men’s basketball team, that’s exactly what it has — in bunches.

Notably, MSU has two seniors that have been to NCAA Tournament each of their first three years, and a junior in Branden Dawson that has overcome multiple injuries to become one of the most important players on the team.

Even younger guys such as sophomores Gary Harris and Denzel Valentine have had to step up in big games when the older players have been sidelined for one reason or another.

“I don’t have a problem with guys leaving early and I don’t have a problem — contrary to popular belief — I don’t try to recruit guys that are staying four years or one year,” head coach Tom Izzo said. “I’m going to say until I’m done with this profession, I feel sorry for those freshmen and sophomores. I think there’s so much pressure put on them, and I think it’s wrong.”

There’s been a trend in this year’s NCAA Tournament that teams with more experience are the ones that have had the most success.

Remaining powers such as Florida and San Diego State feature multiple seniors in their starting lineup, and teams that pulled off major upsets like Dayton, Mercer and MSU’s third-round matchup, Harvard, are led by seniors.

“I thought that was the reason why we were able to have the kind of season we had all year, because of the veterans,” Harvard head coach Tommy Amaker said after Harvard lost to MSU. “These older guys know what it takes, and I thought they showed that a lot in this particular game.”

Amaker said it wouldn’t be possible for Harvard to win the conference outright three of the past four years without the contribution of his upperclassmen.

Despite scoring just six points and picking up seven fouls in the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, MSU head coach Tom Izzo called Keith Appling the unsung player for the Spartans.

Appling also dished out eight assists across 52 minutes of play over the two games.

“I think Keith Appling is the toughest guy I’ve got,” Izzo said. “I feel a little different sense of urgency. This senior class has got to worry about the President picking you, the last game, the streak that we have. He’s got added pressures.”

Izzo said MSU’s opening game against Delaware might have been the best floor game from an assist and defensive standpoint that the senior has played all year.

For Appling, it doesn’t matter what’s on the stat sheet, as long as there’s a tick in the Spartans’ favor in the win column.

“I just look to do whatever I can to help the team win,” Appling said. “Whether it’s being the superhero, the unsung hero, or nobody. Whatever I can do to help the team win, I’m satisfied.”

When MSU faces off against No. 1 seed Virginia at about 10 p.m. on Friday at Madison Square Garden in New York City, it will be against another senior-laden team in the Cavaliers.

Izzo said Appling is allowed to be nervous that it could be his last game, but he’s not allowed to be scared.

“I’m just going to tell Keith that there’s nothing wrong with being nervous,” Izzo said. “There’s something wrong with being scared. Nervous is like preparing for a test and you go and you’re nervous for the test. If you did your work, you’re allowed to be nervous. You’re not allowed to be scared, not in this program.”