Tom Izzo reveals his initial thoughts on matchup vs. Mississippi State

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo has led the Spartans to their 26th straight NCAA Tournament appearance, earning a nine-seed in the West Region of this year’s bracket as they’ll take on Mississippi State for their round one matchup.

Thursday will be far from Izzo’s first rodeo in March Madness, and ahead of the game, he gave a detailed breakdown and scouting report of the Spartans’ upcoming opponent.

“Mississippi State is one of the bigger teams that we’ll have played,” Izzo said on Monday. “Spent a lot of time yesterday and this morning on them, they’ve won 21 games but they’ve also beaten a team like Tennessee twice that I know really well and they’re as big and strong as anybody we’ve played. I guess it’s good to come off a game where you played Purdue, which is a very physical team, but this team might be more mobile. Especially at the center position.”

The Bulldogs boast a front line with three players standing at 6-foot-7 or taller, complimented by guards that can get the job done too. Headlined by Second-Team All-SEC and All-Freshman Team selection Josh Hubbard.

“They have a freshman named Hubbard who was playing like 10 minutes a game and all of a sudden he caught fire in one game and since then he’s been unbelievable,” Izzo said. “He went through a three or four game stretch where he averaged 29 [points] a game, he’s averaging 17 or 18 I think for the season.”

“The kid [Tolu] Smith inside is a bigger Dain Dainja, he’s kind of like him. He can score it in there, he’s a little bit better at putting the ball on the floor,” Izzo added. “They have two very good passing big men in Smith and a kid named [Cameron] Matthews. Matthews is a 6’7 kind of a point forward, he handles the ball, he passes the ball, doesn’t shoot it very well.”

Thursday’s matchup should be an interesting one given Mississippi State’s strength in the frontcourt and the Spartans’ strength in the backcourt. As Izzo further broke down the strengths and weaknesses of Michigan State’s upcoming opponent.

“Strengths: size, rebounding, defense, athleticism. Weaknesses: don’t shoot it great from the line, don’t shoot it great from the three. But when you beat Tennessee twice, I think Kentucky, they’ve got enough good wins that we’ll have our hands full,” Izzo concluded.

The Bulldogs were not quite able to beat Kentucky this season after losing by two points thanks to a nearly buzzer-beating shot from Reed Sheppard. But they’ll definitely be looking to get their first NCAA Tournament win since 2008 against the Spartans.

Michigan State and Mississippi State will tip off this Thursday at 12:15 p.m. ET in a first-round NCAA Tournament matchup airing on CBS.