Two of college basketball’s top-shelf coaches will compete for a trip to the Final Four in a Sunday afternoon chess match at State Farm Arena.
Auburn’s Bruce Pearl and Michigan State’s Tim Izzo will also enter the 5:05 p.m. tipoff with two of the sport’s top rosters. The Tigers and Spartans won regular season championships in college basketball’s top two conferences this season.
Auburn and Michigan State won Sweet 16 games at State Farm Arena Friday night to advance to Sunday’s weekend finale.
Both coaches are fiery motivators with elite in-game adjustment aptitude. It’s a big reason they’re still in Atlanta on Saturday after both teams had ugly starts in the Sweet Sixteen.
Michigan State trailed Ole Miss 29-19 in the first half and didn’t take its first lead until the 7:50 mark of the second half.
The Spartans began to outmatch the Rebels physically, scoring in the paint while pressuring nearly every shot the Rebels took down the stretch.
“I think for us in the first half we weren’t being as aggressive as we should have been,” Michigan State guard Jase Richardson said. “I feel like they were kind of just punking us in the beginning. We couldn’t get to the paint.
“I think second half it really opened up for us. We were being more aggressive, getting downhill and getting driving kicks. I felt like we were at our best in that second half.”
Auburn’s worst deficit actually came in the second half. Michigan led 48-39 with 12 minutes left before the Tigers started making stops and roared back offensively.
“The defensive end, we lay our hats on our defense,” Auburn center Johni Broome said. “But then we have guys who can make plays. Denver (Jones) went on a 10-0 run by himself. Tahaad (Pettiford) went on a 10-0 run by himself.
“Just guys like that who can create shots, it takes the load off of me. I wasn’t playing my best game today, but I had my guards come through and take big shots.”
Players on both teams also harped on the connectivity during frustrating stretches. Richardson, who struggled in Michigan State’s cardiac win against New Mexico last week, talked about responding well on Friday for his teammates.
“I told them after the New Mexico game that I owe them a game because I felt like I wasn’t that good in that game,” Richardson said. “So I knew I had to come out here and make one up for these guys.”
The freshman led the team with 20 points and six rebounds in the win.
Several Auburn players were clearly agitated with each other as they trailed the Wolverines Friday night. The Tigers were having emotional discussions on the floor, but Broome attributed it to the winning culture Pearl has established.
“We’re brothers at the end of the day,” Broome said. “Brothers going to bump heads.”
Broome dominated the paint despite Michigan’s duo of seven-foot centers, leading the team with 22 points and 16 rebounds.
“We’re a player-led team sometimes,” Broome said. “A couple guys said what we wanted to say, and you’ve got to listen to what your teammate has to say. After that, you shake it off and go out there and play hard for the coach, for Coach Pearl.”
Izzo will enter the game with more postseason experience, as Michigan State’s 27-straight NCAA Tournament appearances is the longest active streak in the sport. The Spartans are also going to their third Elite Eight in the last decade.
Izzo’s intensity could be key in a clash between two of college basketball’s chief powerhouses.
It’s the same intensity that helped rally the Spartans Friday night. Izzo revealed the kind of messaging he used to spark his struggling team in one of the timeouts.
“Asked them what the hell they’re doing,” Izzo said. “We went out dirty. We went out not doing a good job offensively. They hit slips. The real killer was the turnovers. We had turnovers, and they were kind of ridiculous turnovers, would you guys agree?”
In the blue (and orange) corner, Pearl brings a similar fire, though his team is newer to the Elite Eight scene. The Tigers are headed to their third Elite Eight in school history.
Pearl, who gave the SEC a shoutout for sending four teams to the Elite Eight, will try to end the Big Ten’s hopes of winning a national title. The Spartans are the only remaining team from the conference after Purdue, Michigan and Maryland lost in the Sweet Sixteen.
Pearl celebrated on the court but quickly challenged his guys from the postgame press conference podium minutes later.
“If Michigan can turn us over 15 times, Michigan State can turn us over 25 times,” Pearl said. “So that’s a concern, and these guys know it. So we slopped through our offense.
“We have to execute better and work harder and be more physical offensively and take better care of the ball to be able to win the next game.”
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