Michigan State coach Tom Izzo knows better than to consider his ninth-seeded Spartans an underdog against No. 8 seed University of Miami on Friday night in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Although some TV commentators — and former President Barack Obama — picked the Spartans to beat the Hurricanes, Izzo is well aware that UM’s dancing, fun-loving coach Jim Larrañaga can work miracles in March with players often lacking the pedigree of those who wear Spartan green.
Eleven years ago, Larranaga took a band of mid-major kids from commuter school George Mason and rocked the college basketball establishment in one of the most memorable Final Four runs in NCAA Tournament history.