EAST LANSING — As often as Michigan State has made the NCAA tournament in the past 40 years, it’s been considerably rare for the Spartans to open it as an underdog.
Friday’s game against No. 8 seed Miami (Fla.) will be just the fourth time that No. 9 seed MSU begins play as the lower seed. And history hasn’t been very kind to the Spartans when they have been.
Tom Izzo is just 1-2 in opening-round games against higher-seeded opponents. The Spartans are 0-3 all-time as a 10-seed in first-round games, including a 1985 loss to Alabama-Birmingham.