Where: Capital One Arena, Washington D.C.

TV: CBS

Radio: Spartan Sports Network/94.9 WMMQ-FM (Lansing)

Line: MSU -6

WASHINGTON D.C. — Cassius Winston doesn't know much about LSU point guard Tremont Waters.

Winston, an MSU captain and Big Ten Player of the Year, does know the Spartans are in for perhaps their toughest matchup of the season Friday night, when they play the Tigers in the NCAA Tournament East Region semifinals. Winston and Waters are the leading scorers for their team.

And though the matchup between the points was frequently asked to players of both teams during media availability Thursday, Winston said he doesn't concern himself with matchups.

"I don't get into individual battles, you know?" Winston said. "We both do a lot for our teams. And if we're playing our best then usually our team is playing their best, too. So the victory in itself is just winning the game."

Waters, co-SEC Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-conference selection, shared a similar opinion.

"That's for everyone else to evaluate," Waters said. "I go in knowing that I have to run my team. It's about myself and my teammates and the coaching staff."

Winston will enter Friday averaging 18.9 points and ranks third nationally with 272 assists (7.5 per game), while Waters averages 15.0 points, 5.9 assists and became LSU's single-season leader in steals (95) in the 69-67 win over sixth-seeded Maryland in the second round of the tourney, in which Waters also came up with the game-winning layup as time expired.

Winston scored 26 points in MSU's 76-65 tournament opening win over No. 15 Bradley and played an instrumental role in the Spartans' game-winning run to beat 10th-seeded Minnesota in the second round last Saturday.

The way MSU coach Tom Izzo sees it, LSU poses "probably the most athletic" opponent the Spartans have faced.

"And usually everybody hopes for two good quarterbacks," Izzo said. "And in the Super Bowl, you always look for two good quarterbacks. We've got two great quarterbacks here, and I am looking forward to seeing how it works."

Izzo said, as enticing the point guard matchup might be, the frontcourt play may heavily favor Friday's outcome. The Tigers average 38.9 boards per game with a +4.8 rebounding margin, compared to MSU's 40.9 average and +9.5 edge.

Izzo likened the rebounding aggressiveness of LSU starting forwards, 6 foot, 10 inch freshman Naz Reid and 6 foot, 11 inch senior Kavell Bigby Williams, to that of his 2001 team that featured Jason Richardson and Zach Randolph off the bench, who each became NBA veterans. Izzo also said rebounding will be largely important to set up Winston and MSU's wings in transition to score early and often.

"These guys are linebackers on the perimeter and huge size inside," Izzo said. "I said I love watching them if I didn't have to play them."

Between Nick Ward, the tallest in MSU's rotation at 6 foot, 9 inch, Xavier Tillman (6 foot, 8 inch) and Kenny Goins (6 foot, 7 inch), LSU will also have a hard time crashing the boards.

"(Like) Physical, defensive linemen," interim head coach Tony Benford said. "They're pretty physical. They're good players." 

And stopping MSU on the fast-break could be the best way to stop the Spartans.

"They're one of the best teams in the country in transition," Benford said. "They get their points in transition. We the have to do a good job in defense getting back and protecting the paint."

Predictions:

Casey Harrison: MSU 79, LSU 75

Chase Michaelson: MSU 79, LSU 73