Game one hero Reggie Upshaw (21 points vs. MSU) finished with only two points on a 1-10 shooting performance while grabbing eight rebounds in the losing effort. “This team is hungry”, senior forward Perrin Buford said. If that’s pressure – as hard as these guys worked – if it’s pressure to have to come into this tournament, that’s sad, because the pressure was what they did when nobody was watching. “I feel like we did enough to get in and now that we’re here, we’re just having fun with it”.
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Michigan State forward Matt Costello (10) fights Middle Tennessee forward Darnell Harris (0) and guard Giddy Potts (20) for a rebound in the second half of their NCAA tournament first round game against Middle Tennessee at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Friday, March 18, 2016. It was the first time the Spartans, heavily favored to reach the Final Four, were bounced from the tournament in the first round since 2011. This year marked the 10-year anniversary since that miracle run.
“They outplayed us”, Izzo said.
Of course, we all know how Middle Tennessee got here.
His voice strained after 40 minutes of yelling, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo remained steadfast that his second-seeded Spartans had the makings of a national championship contender.
Izzo called the loss to MTSU one of the most devastating of his career behind Weber State.
They are a scrappy team that plays with a lot of energy, a fast pace, and high intensity at all times. “But this one was a similar deal”.
Jackson is scheduled to play in the McDonald’s All-American game later this month along with Miles Bridges and Joshua Langford, both of whom have already signed to play with the Spartans along with a another pair of highly touted players, Cassius Winston and Nick Ward.
The basketball world now knows what the acronym MTSU stands for.
With all five starters scoring in double figures, the Blue Raiders scored a stunning 90-81 Midwest Region first-round win for the school’s biggest victory in at least two generations.
The Blue Raiders hit 58 percent of their 3-point attempts. The Blue Raiders, who outplayed the Spartans start-to-finish, nearly seemed to take it in stride.
“I’d say the mood in the locker room is definitely excited”, Upshaw said. “We got a second grader, I guess everybody in their class probably picked the team”.
Prediction: Right now, Middle Tennessee is the Cinderella of the tournament. The long, athletic guards were able to cut off the Blue Raiders before they could drive to the basket, forcing them to take a series of off-balance jumpers.
“I was upset, it was disappointing”.
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At the end of the day, players and coaches alike didn’t listen to what the skeptics said. Some think it is the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history. “I could tell they were all proud of what I’ve accomplished and what my teammates have accomplished”. Top-seeded UAB, which beat MTSU by three games during the regular season, was upset early in the tournament and left the door open for the Blue Raiders.
