Tom Izzo looks to lead his Michigan State Spartans squad to the schools third ever NCAA Championship Title, but they must do it with the odds stacked heavily against them despite being in their own back yard. MSU is playing 92 miles away from East Lansing at Ford Field in Detroit and the crowd is expected to be north of 72,000 people when they take on the North Carolina Tar Heels. The odds makers at Sportsbook.com have the Michigan State Spartans listed as 8 point underdogs in the 2009 NCAA Title Game against the North Carolina Tar Heels.
"If we play good and they play good, we're losing," stated Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo when asked about the 2009 NCAA National Championship Game between Michigan State vs North Carolina. "I don't mean that as a negative. They're the best team in the country."
While the Spartans got crushed by North Caroina earlier this year by 35 points, their center Goran Suton was sidelined in that game with a knee injury. Suton is ready to go tonight and Raymar Morgan is starting to heat up after slumping towards the end of the season. Morgan scored 18 points, 9 rebounds and 5 steals in MSU’s victory over Connecticut in the Final Four. Big Ten Player of the Year Kalin Lucas will also be a force on the court too but most experts do not give the Spartans a chance. Bet on the MSU vs UNC 2009 NCAA Championship Title Game at Sportsbook.com.
"The Tar Heels might have played their best game of the season when they dominated Michigan State in the ACC/Big Ten match up at Ford Field," stated ESPN Basketball Analyst Dick Vitale in his column on USA Today before the start of the 2009 NCAA Tournament. "Familiarity with the surroundings of this huge stadium could be an advantage for North Carolina. Here is my Final Four: Louisville, Connecticut, Pittsburgh and North Carolina. And my friends, when the NCAA hoop hysteria is finalized, and the party is completed, Franklin Street will have the Tar Heels faithful dancing with joy."
Izzo has five Final Four appearances in the last 11 seasons, more than any other head coach over that span. Only six schools have 3 or more NCAA Championship Titles including UCLA (11), Kentucky (7), Indiana (5) and North Carolina (4) and a third for Michigan State would tie the Spartans with perennial NCAA Basketball powerhouses Kansas and Duke.
"What keeps me at Michigan State?" stated Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo. "They gave me my chance. I feel like I have so much more to build. I love the Dukes, Carolinas, Kentucky, Kansas. I'm not going to see that (kind of success) in my lifetime because they've done it for so many years, but I love aspiring to (that). We're not there yet. The dream of winning a third national championship for our school and being in that small, small group."
Bet on MSU vs UNC at Sportsbook.com and receive a 100% DEPOSIT BONUS using the promotions code WIN100-SO when you sign up.
