Daily Word: Michigan State's hot streak

By ESPN.com | ESPN.com

Each day, some of our college hoops experts discuss the biggest issues, trends and themes in and around college basketball.

1. Michigan State has won four of its past five. How dangerous are the Spartans?

Andy Katz: Very. Michigan State has found itself lately. The Spartans aren't the most talented crew Tom Izzo has had in East Lansing, Michigan, but this team finally gets it and how hard it must play to win for Izzo.

C.L. Brown: The Spartans could easily be 5-for-5 had Wisconsin not stormed back in regulation of the Big Ten tournament title game. It's no coincidence that it's March and Izzo has his team playing well. They match up well with No. 2 Virginia (a potential Sunday matchup), so who knows how far they can go?

Myron Medcalf: Very dangerous. Izzo's crew is the hottest Big Ten team in the field that is not named Wisconsin, which needed overtime to finish off the Spartans in the Big Ten tournament. MSU has wins over Purdue, Indiana, Ohio State and Maryland in recent weeks. But its subpar free throw shooting could be a problem.

2. Buffalo over West Virginia is a popular upset pick. What's to like about the Bulls?

Katz: The backcourt and the toughness. And the main reason to pick against the Mountaineers is the unknown. Bob Huggins said Juwan Staten and Gary Browne are healthy, but they still haven't played lately. Oh, and it's a 5-12 game.

Brown: Bobby Hurley has instilled a lot of toughness in this team. That's why they were able to go into Kentucky and Wisconsin and lead both teams for a half. Forward Justin Moss, though nursing a knee injury, has a relentless motor and leads the team in both scoring and rebounding. As you'd expect from a Hurley-coached team, the guard play is sharp with Shannon Evans and Lamonte Bearden. Both players will have to take care of the ball against West Virginia's pressure.

Medcalf: They don't commit a lot of turnovers, and they're solid on the offensive glass. Shoot well, too. Buffalo is ranked 54th in Ken Pomeroy's ratings. It held a halftime lead against Kentucky. The Bulls are capable of pulling off the upset.

3. Northern Iowa's Seth Tuttle (15.3 points per game) vs. Wyoming's Larry Nance Jr. (16.1). Who you got?

Katz: I'm leaning toward Northern Iowa. I loved the way the Panthers played defense at times this season. Tuttle and Nance are both sensational players. But the Panthers have been more consistent this season (even when Wyoming was 100 percent healthy, this team wasn't as reliable as UNI.)

Brown: In an individual matchup, maybe Nance will score more points, but I'd take Tuttle. Ken Pomeroy has Tuttle rated as one of the nation's most efficient offensive players. It takes a special kind of player to lead across the board in scoring, rebounding and assists, and Tuttle does it all for Northern Iowa.

Medcalf: Nance might have the bigger game, since Wyoming will make sure he gets an abundance of touches, but Tuttle will also play well and lead UNI to a win. This will be a fun matchup either way.

Earlier Words: 3/19 » 3/18 » 3/17 » 3/16 » 3/15 » 3/14 » 3/13 » 3/12 » 3/11 » 3/10 »

Games To Watch

Wyoming vs. Northern Iowa, 1:40 p.m. ET, TBS

Those who follow advanced stats love Northern Iowa as the Panthers are the ninth-most efficient team in the country, according to Ken Pomeroy. The Cowboys, meanwhile, stole a bid out of the Mountain West Conference when they upset San Diego State.


Buffalo vs. West Virginia, 2:10 p.m. ET, TNT

This one should be entertaining because both teams like to play fast. West Virginia ranks 25th in adjusted tempo, according to Ken Pomeroy, while Buffalo likes to speed it up even more. The Bulls rank 21st.


Indiana vs. Wichita State, 2:45 p.m. ET, CBS

Some are picking Wichita State to get to the Sweet 16 with a potential matchup against suddenly vulnerable Kansas coming on Sunday. First, the Shockers have to get by Indiana. The Hoosiers can get hot from deep, as they hold the nation's eighth-ranked 3-point percentage (40.3).


St. John's vs. San Diego State
9:40 p.m. ET, CBS

San Diego State allows the second-fewest points in the nation, but its offense could use some work. St. John's will be without its leader in blocks because Chris Obekpa, who averages 3.1 per game, was suspended for two weeks on Sunday.

They Said It

Tell us what you think!

Take Survey Now » No Thanks »