Carson Cooper led all Spartans with 20 points on 8-for-11 shooting, showing the entire East region that he isn’t your average big man. Both he and Jaxon Kohler executed the game plan to perfection. MSU exploited its height advantage, scoring 30 points in the paint.

After the game, Spartans head coach Tom Izzo said he was proud of how his team didn't crumble on a big stage with a lower seed "shooting" after them.

"I don't take anything for granted. I've been a part of those upsets, and I've been a part of doing the upsets," Izzo said. "I like when people are shooting at you, that means you're somewhere at the top, right there where it matters."

Following Cooper were Coen Carr with 17 points and Kohler with a smooth 12. MSU’s core four continued to lead, combining for 55 points.

MSU’s chemistry was on full display after a brief early dry spell. The Spartans used ball screens against a smaller NDSU squad, creating easy scoring opportunities when defenders were separated. Jeremy Fears Jr.’s connection with his two bigs was sharp, with lobs to Cooper and pick-and-pop plays on the wing to Kohler. By the six-minute mark of the first half, Fears had already recorded eight assists.

"Us playing together for three years, it's gotten better every year," Cooper said. "And now the fact that we're kind of on our last leg, and kind of at the end of our college career, we're hitting our best drive together."

MSU now earns the right to face No. 6 seed Louisville in the Round of 32 on Saturday. Before MSU took the floor, Louisville held on late to beat South Florida 83-79. MSU has reached the second round in five straight tournaments, its longest streak since a nine-season run from 2006-2015.

MSU’s perimeter defense has been its Achilles heel in the past two weeks. The Spartans allowed their opponents to shoot 49.7% from three in their past three games. Tonight, NDSU shot 24% on 25 attempts.

As MSU commanded the paint, they also showcased their threat from beyond the arc. The Spartans shot 52% from three, led by Kohler’s 3-for-6 and Jordan Scott’s 2-for-3. MSU used down screens on NDSU’s bigs, creating space for Scott and Kur Teng to wrap around the top and knock down open threes.

MSU’s defense rebounded in a big way, especially against a shifty Bison team. Carr and Kohler displayed some of their quickest lateral movement of the season, walling off defenders from driving to the paint. MSU kept NDSU to 25 points in the first 20 minutes.

Izzo said his team played desperately, a change from previous weeks. 

"I had to look in the mirror and say I wasn't pushing [the players] hard enough. So, we got back, we had meetings, we talked about it," Izzo said. "If we play desperately on Saturday, I'd be happy as hell."

And on the other end, Carr was found all around the rim gathering rebounds, but more profoundly, punctuated MSU scoring runs on breakaway slams and backdoor lobs.

This season, MSU has clenched its teeth when Fears sees the bench. Denham Wojcik, his replacement, displayed a rare confidence not previously seen, scoring a season-high four points and attacking the rim with authority despite his smaller stature.

NDSU went on a run late, putting MSU’s defense to the test. With their season on the line, the Bison went on an 8-0 run, cutting the lead to 17. With five minutes left, NDSU outscored MSU in the second half, but MSU turned up the heat on defense.

An NDSU airball at 79-62 turned Carr three sealed the game and was ultimately too much for the Bison to come back from.

Ten Spartans saw playing time in their 25-point win, a departure from their usual eight-man rotation. Nine of them scored in MSU’s punishing offensive attack.

"I had to look in the mirror and say I wasn't pushing [the players] hard enough. So, we got back, we had meetings, we talked about it," Izzo said. "If we play desperately on Saturday, I'd be happy as hell."