Michigan State basketball is gearing up for their 28th consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament, where the Spartans check in as a No. 3 seed in the east region. With the festivities getting ready to begin, and March Madness returning, all eyes in the Michigan State fanbase are on their 14-seeded opponents from the Summit League, the North Dakota State Bison.
This will be the first time in history that the Spartans and Bison square off on the hardwood, and it will come on the biggest stage in the sport.
Check out everything you need to know about NDSU before Thursday afternoon's match-up, below:
The School
Location: Fargo, North Dakota
Head Coach: David Richman (12th season; 238-149)
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 4 (last in 2019)
NCAA Tournament Record: 2-4
North Dakota State is coached by longtime man David Richman, who has led the Bison to three NCAA Tournament appearances (a fourth had the 2020 NCAA Tournament not be cancelled). In 2014, as a No. 12 seed, Richman led the Bison to a win over Oklahoma before falling in the round of 32.
The Stats
Record: 27-7 (Summit League regular season and tournament champions)
KenPom rank: 114 out of 365
Points per game: 80.7 (No. 71 in the country)
Points given up per game: 69.6 (No. 66 in the country)
Offensive Rating (KenPom): 111.7 (No. 124 in the country)
Defensive Rating (KenPom): 106.6 (No. 124 in the country)
The Players
The Bison have four players that are scoring in double figures coming into this game.
- Damari Wheeler-Thomas, senior guard, 14.4 points per game
- Trevian Carson, junior guard, 12.0 points per game
- Markhi Strickland, senior guard, 11.8 points per game
- Treyson Anderson, senior forward, 10.4 points per game
These four main guys are the leading cogs, but three more Bison players are just below the 10 points per game mark, showing the balance that this team has coming into the game. With two 6-foot-10 players, there is some length in the frontcourt, but that length drops off significantly, as no one else in the playing group is taller than 6-foot-5.
Summary
NDSU has a solid team, with a lot of veterans and a cohesive unit that has been together for several years. The make-up of their roster is very homegrown, something Tom Izzo will love to see, and will give the Bison a good sense of togetherness. The matchup for the Spartans is honestly favorable, although the Bison shoot the three well, so the Spartans will need to upgrade their perimeter defense.
The Bison don't have a lot of length, which is something Michigan State will be able to take advantage of in this game.
NDSU shouldn't be taken lightly, like every NCAA tournament opponent, as NDSU has already pulled off one upset in their history. If Michigan State can dominate the glass, like the numbers show, and play good three-point defense, the Spartans will have a good shot at moving on.
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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Previewing NDSU, Michigan State's first NCAA Tournament opponent