Michigan State Spartans 2010 Final Four Odds, Picks & Predictions: Michigan State's Final Four hopes took a major shot this week as it was confirmed that point guard and leading scorer Kalin Lucas did, in fact, suffer a torn Achilles tendon; however, all is not lost. Oddsmakers at Sportsbook.com think enough of the Spartans, even without Lucas, that they are favored to beat giant killer Northern Iowa on Friday. Tom Izzo's squad is not the favorite to win the region, though, as the bookmaker has Michigan State listed at +400 moneyline odds to do so in their 2010 Final Four Odds, Picks & Predictions.
Tom Izzo knows how to get his teams ready for March basketball as evidenced by the Spartans stellar NCAA Tournament 
record under his watch. Michigan State has made the Final Four fives times in his 15 year tenure and they won the National Championship in 2000 with the Northern Michigan grad patrolling the bench area. And the Spartans have certainly been a handful in the Sweet 16 recently, posting a 6-1 record in their last seven visits to the Regional Semifinals.
Last year Michigan State ousted Kansas from the Sweet 16 before eventually moving on to the Final Four, but that was with Lucas in the lineup. The Spartans barely survived the first two rounds of action this year, even with the ultra-quick floor general. New Mexico State and Maryland both had big second halves against State's defense, scoring 38 and 44 after the break, respectively.
Now a sharp shooting Panther team awaits them in St. Louis, looking to hand Izzo and company the same kind of Regional Semifinals beating that Memphis did in 2008 (74-92). Do the Spartans have what it takes to wheather another storm and earn a trip to Indy? Izzo is not sure, but history is certainly in his favor.
"We're going to need everybody we have in uniform to step up," Izzo said. "There were times we had two walk-ons, a freshman and a sophomore on the court [against Maryland] and that probably won't be the last time in this tournament."
Sportsbook.com Michigan State Spartans 2010 Final Four Odds, Picks & Predictions:
To Win Midwest Region +400
To Win National Championship +3000
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