Cleveland, Ohio – NCAA Tournament Preview
Michigan State, the No. 2 seed in the South Region, will commence the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 21, at 10 p.m., facing No. 15 seed Bryant University at Rocket Arena. This marks Michigan State’s 27th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament under Coach Tom Izzo, further extending the longest tournament streak in Big Ten history.
Izzo’s continued success has also solidified his record for the most consecutive NCAA Tournament selections, bringing Michigan State’s appearances to 27 in a row. The team’s current streak is not only a Big Ten record but also ranks as the third-longest in NCAA history, and it is recognized as the longest active streak by the NCAA. This will be the Spartans’ 38th appearance in the NCAA Tournament overall.
The game will be broadcast live on TBS, featuring commentary from Spero Dedes, Jim Spanarkel, and Jon Rothstein. Fans can also tune in to the Spartan Media Network for the radio broadcast, available statewide and online at MSUSpartans.com, with Will Tieman providing play-by-play, Matt Steigenga as the color analyst, and Zach Surdenik as the studio host. Additionally, listeners can catch the game through SiriusXM channels 202 or 209 and on the SiriusXM app, as well as on Westwood One Radio with Scott Graham and Jon Crispin covering the action.
About the Spartans
- Michigan State heads into Friday’s matchup with a solid overall record of 27-6 (17-3 in the Big Ten) and holds the No. 8 spot in the Associated Press and No. 6 in the USA Today Coaches polls.
- Ranked No. 11 in the NCAA Net Rankings and No. 8 by KenPom.com, the Spartans also sit at No. 11 in the ESPN BPI.
- The team boasts 13 Quad 1 wins, the third-most in the nation, and has achieved 8 victories against ranked opponents—the most in the Big Ten—while winning eight consecutive games against Quad 1 teams.
- Michigan State clinched the Big Ten regular season title outright with an 91-84 win over Iowa on March 6, marking the 11th title under Coach Izzo, which ties him for the most in Big Ten history.
- Under Izzo, Michigan State has shown remarkable consistency, with 22 wins in the last 26 games and a record of 29-8 in their first games of the NCAA Tournament.
Series History
- This matchup will be the inaugural meeting between Michigan State and Bryant University.
About the Bulldogs
- This marks Bryant’s second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance at the Division I level, following their first appearance in 2022.
- The Bulldogs achieved a school record this season with 23 wins and rank 17th in scoring offense nationally.
- Fifth-year senior guard Earl Timberlake has earned accolades such as the America East Player of the Year and has impressive averages, leading the conference in assists and free throws made.
- Other standout players include junior Barry Evans, who was named the America East Newcomer of the Year, and senior Rafael Pinzon, a first-team America East selection, who leads his team in scoring.
- Bryant has also shown strength in defense, ranking third nationally in blocks per game, with a record 15 blocks in a game earlier this season.
