MSU Wins Another Game in Similar Fashion

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Mar 29, 2025 8:37 AM ET

Another double-digit deficit? No problem.

The Michigan State Spartans pull off the comeback against the Ole Miss Rebels, 73-70. They will now play in the Elite Eight.

This is Tom Izzo’s 11th Elite Eight appearance. Only 11 programs in college basketball history have more, and four have the same.

It was an uphill battle for MSU for much of the game. It was turning the ball over and getting outrebounded by a team that they should have dominated on the glass.

Despite the Spartans trailing by double digits at one point in the game, they dug deep again and made the plays they needed to move on to the next round. It has become a theme for this MSU squad to win games when it trails.

This is due to their mentality and belief in one another. MSU does not have a bona fide star (although Jase Richardson is vying for that title), but it has so much depth that opposing teams cannot keep up.

It is a bit of a nerve-wracking formula and one that many believed the team could not sustain, but the Spartans have made a deep run in the NCAA Tournament following it.

While they could lose their next game, it would be hard to argue that they have not been able to sustain the formula. It certainly isn’t fun for many Spartan fans.

MSU might be the deepest team in college basketball. Not many teams can counter with the amount of bodies Izzo puts on the court with fresh legs.

Ole Miss was rebounding at a much higher rate than expected. There was no reason for Izzo’s team to get beaten on the glass the way it did, and it will be something he harps on this weekend.

If they had rebounded better, they could have turned the tide and won by double digits. However, it was a poor rebounding and defensive effort for the Spartans.

But they still got it done, thanks to timely offense and opportunistic defense.

MSU is on the verge of Izzo’s ninth Final Four. It will have to be better in some areas for that to happen, but a double-digit deficit isn’t the end of the game.

This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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