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Predicting the March Madness 1st Round Matchups in St Louis

By Chris Olszewski

Mar 13, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Denzel Valentine (45) cuts net after winning the Big Ten Championship against the Purdue Boilermakers 66-62 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 13, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Denzel Valentine (45) cuts net after winning the Big Ten Championship against the Purdue Boilermakers 66-62 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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Michigan State vs Middle Tennessee State

ncaa tournament
Mar 13, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Denzel Valentine (45) is guarded by Purdue Boilermakers guard P.J. Thompson (3) during the Big Ten conference tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Michigan State defeats Purdue 66-62. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

The Michigan State Spartans shouldn’t even be playing in St. Louis. They should be in Raleigh, beating the snot out of Hampton. Instead, they’ll get the opportunity to play the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders, the champions of Conference USA. Tom Izzo coaches one of the deepest teams in the country and arguably its best player in Denzel Valentine.

Valentine averages close to a triple double a game and there are certain games that he may not even be the biggest offensive threat. Bryn Forbes and Matt Costello also average double digits in points,  and Costello in particular average 8.4 rebounds per game (RPG) as well. They are the best three-point shooting team in the nation, making 43.4 percent of their shots from beyond the arc, as well as having a penchant for tossing the ball around; their 699 total assists rank first in the nation.

What’s more, Sparty also owns one of the nation’s top defenses. The Spartans are 17th in points allowed (63.4) and 2nd in field goal percentage (34.4 percent). They are slightly weaker guarding against shots inside the perimeter, but are top of the class defending the three.

Unfortunately for the Blue Raiders, the three will likely be key to an upset against the Spartans. Middle Tennessee has the 17th best three-point shooting percentage, and their top scorer Giddy Potts makes more than half his threes, while at the same time attempting more threes than twos. Giddy Potts having a career night will be essential for the Blue Raiders to advance. However, that’s very unlikely. Michigan State is just too good, and will steamroll the Blue Raiders.

Prediction: Michigan State Spartans

Next: Dayton vs. Syracuse

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