CLEVELAND — Tom Izzo looked every bit a championship-winning head coach of 30 years when Michigan State was down 10 points in the first half, stoic on the sideline, hands in pockets. He directed his typical fits of fire and fury at the officials or his own players, but he never showed an ounce of panic.
Izzo had the same posture in the second half, as the No. 2 seed Spartans flipped that early deficit into a 71-63 victory over 10-seed New Mexico, advancing to the Sweet 16.
It looked like Izzo has been here before because he has: The legendary head coach is through to his 16th Sweet 16 at Michigan State, in his 27th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. The 16 trips to the second weekend are good for fourth all-time and tied for the most among active coaches with Arkansas’ John Calipari.
A game that started entirely at New Mexico’s pace completely flipped in the Spartans’ favor over the final 25 minutes. Michigan State slowly but surely chipped away, winnowing the Lobos’ early 10-point lead to two by halftime, then wresting away control in the second half. The Spartans’ top-five defense slowed New Mexico’s blistering pace and attacked the paint on the opposite end. The biggest statistical disparity was Michigan State’s advantage at the free-throw line, where it converted 19 of 28 attempts compared to just 5 of 10 for the Lobos.
Michigan State survived a dreadful shooting night by star freshman Jace Richardson, who finished 1 for 10 from the field with just 6 points, though his only bucket came on a dagger putback in the final minute. Fellow guards Tre Holloman and Jaden Akins picked up the slack, combining for 30 points.
New Mexico cut it to as close as five with about two minutes left, but forward Nelly Junior Joseph fouled out on the next possession with 16 points and seven rebounds, and the Lobos never recovered. New Mexico made 4 of 13 from 3-point range and Michigan State made 4 of 15 in a matchup of two defensive-minded teams.
The loss made for a tough weekend for the Pitino family, with New Mexico head coach Richard Pitino bowing out of the tournament with his father, Rick, looking on, one day after Rick Pitino’s St. John’s team lost to Arkansas in Providence. This was the first time both father and son had reached the second round in the same NCAA Tournament, but neither will make it to the second weekend. New Mexico has not made it to a Sweet 16 since the bracket expanded to 64 teams in 1985.
Izzo and Michigan State, however, are in familiar territory yet again. The Spartans move on to face 6-seed Ole Miss in Atlanta in the third round of the South Regional.
(Photo: Nick Cammett / Getty Images)
