Michigan State basketball will experience a momentous challenge on Thursday evening as the team enters the NCAA tournament to face the Marquette Golden Eagles. The Spartans, who are the No. 2 seed in the East region, are set to face Marquette, the No. 10 seed, in the first round at 7:45 p.m. EST in Hartford, Conn.
Head Coach Tom Izzo’s squad, which is a staple of the tournament, is hoping to make its way to its eighth Final Four in program history. Michigan State is coming off a Big Ten tournament championship victory over Michigan. The Spartans have a strong lineup of experienced veterans, making them a serious contender in the competition.
Marquette, meanwhile, is no stranger to the NCAA tournament, either. Under head coach Steve Wojciechowski, the Golden Eagles have made appearances in each of the last four tournaments. Marquette relies heavily on junior guard Markus Howard, who is the leading scorer in the Big East.
The Spartans and the Golden Eagles have faced off four times in program history, with Michigan State holding a 3-1 advantage in the series. The last meeting between the two sides came in the 2009 NCAA tournament, in which the Spartans defeated Marquette 74-66.
The winner of Thursday’s matchup will face the winner of sixth-seeded Buffalo and 11th-seeded Arizona State in the second round of the tournament.
Michigan State and Marquette will battle it out in the NCAA tournament on Thursday evening, offering fans a compelling matchup between two experienced and well-seasoned programs. With both sides boasting impressive lineups, the contest is sure to provide an exciting evening of basketball.
Michigan State basketball will be locked in a pivotal contest on Thursday evening, as the Spartans clash with Marquette in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The second-seeded Spartans, led by head coach Tom Izzo, are looking to make their eighth Final Four appearance in the program’s history and will face off against the Golden Eagles, the No. 10 seed and Big East’s leading scorer Markus Howard. The two teams have faced off four times before, with Michigan State holding a 3-1 advantage in the series, and their last meeting occurring in 2009, a 74-66 Spartans victory. Tipoff is slated for 7:45 p.m. EST at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn., with the victor to take on the winner of sixth-seeded Buffalo and 11th-seeded Arizona State in the second round of the tournament. This matchup is sure to be an engaging clash between two veteran teams, and one that promises to be an exciting evening of basketball.