TULSA, Okla. -- Most people see the names Tom Izzo and Jim Larranaga and think of Michigan State and George Mason.
But Larranaga thinks of a different name.
Steve Smith.
Larranaga -- who will lead No. 8-seeded Miami against No. 9 Michigan State on Friday during an opening-round NCAA Tournament game in Tulsa -- spent some time Thursday recalling the time he first encountered Izzo some three decades ago.
Like most coaching relationships, it happened on the recruiting trail.
"I took the head coach job at Bowling Green State University in 1986 and Tom was an assistant at Michigan State at the time.