Spartans’ collapse is one for the ages
In one of the biggest upsets in the history of the NCAA tournament, Michigan State — a No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region and the co-tournament favourite with Kansas — never led and fell 90-81 to No. 15 Middle Tennessee State.
Brackets were broken en masse as Tom Izzo’s squad stunningly fell way short of expectations.
It was only the eighth win by a No. 15 against a No. 2 ever (Florida Gulf Coast did it most recently, in 2013 against Georgetown) and will go down as an all-timer.
Steve Nash-led Santa Clara knocked off Damon Stoudamire’s Arizona powerhouse in 1993, but this one is up there with any tourney shocker ever.
How big of a surprise was it? ESPN said 97.8 per cent of their brackets had Michigan State winning; stats maven Ken Pomeroy had it as the second- biggest upset in the past 15 years and College Basketball Reference said the Spartans were the secondstrongest team ever to get bounced in the opener.
If anybody claims they saw this coming — well, they are lying.
The offence was fine, but the defensive trademark of Izzo-led clubs was completely absent as the Blue Raiders also shot 55 per cent from the field. Izzo claimed luck was with the underdogs as well.
“In my wildest dreams, I didn’t think they’d hit some of the shots they hit,” Izzo said.
“We didn’t guard them good, but man, they made some shots.”
It was a rough ending to a season that also included the death of Izzo’s 90- year- old father.
Reggie Upshaw scored 21 points for the winners, who got double- figure scoring from each starter, and 11-of19 shooting from beyond the three-point arc. Giddy Potts, the best three-point shooter in the NCAA this season, had 19 points. Spartans superstar Denzel Valentine had 12 assists, but only 13 points and six turnovers in his final NCAA contest. He’ll probably win national player of the year, but he’d also likely trade it in for not having this game on his resume.
ANOTHER DOG HAS ITS DAY
That wasn’t Friday’s only big upset. No. 14 Stephen F. Austin surprised Bob Huggins’ No. 3 West Virginia Mountaineers, turning the tables on a team known for its stifling defence.
Senior Thomas Walkup had one of the best performances of the tournament so far, scoring 33 points, along with nine rebounds, four steals and four assists.
His teammates couldn’t hit anything — less than 30 per cent from the field — but neither could anybody on the Mountaineers ( 18.8 per cent shooting on threepointers) so Walkup’s heroics were enough.
CAL- APSE
Earlier this week, Hawaii star Stefan Jankovic told Postmedia “we really feel good about this matchup.”
His words proved prophetic, as the Mississauga native’s 16 points and five rebounds helped No. 13 Hawaii earn its first- ever tournament win, 77- 66 over highlytouted, No. 4 California.
California star Jaylen Brown had seven turnovers and fouled out in a brutal performance a school already missing its starting point guard/ leading scorer and assist- maker due to injury definitely didn’t need.
CAN- CON
Led by its Canadian connection, top- seeded Oregon pasted No. 16 Holy Cross 9152.
Montreal’s Chris Boucher scored a game- high 20 points and Mississauga’s Dillon Brooks added 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the rout.
The Ducks defended well and scored with ease.