Spartans, Huskies Reach Detroit Destination

UCONN, Michigan State, Villanova, and North Carolina have driven the road to the Final Four and now have come to the end of the line, Detroit.

The eventual national champion has just two games remaining it has to win before cutting down the nets. But first is the business of the Final Four on Saturday when Michigan State will face UCONN in the first matchup and Villanova will take on UNC in the second game from Detroit.

Since we have a couple of days to prepare for the games, lets look at some of the matchups as well as strengths and weaknesses that might effect the outcome of the game.

Today let's focus on the first matchup, Michigan State against UCONN. The Spartans are playing in their home state, which can be looked at as an advantage, but UCONN fans will be given just as many tickets as Michigan State fans.

Star players to watch:

UCONN: Yes, Hasheem Thabeet is a big presence inside, that's not a big surprise, he's 7-foot-3. However, if you're looking at strictly the numbers, Thabeet and 6-foot-7 teammate Jeff Adrian are pretty identical.

Adrian is averaging 13.7 points per game and 10 rebounds this season while Thabeet is averaging 13.5 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. Thabeet does have the ability to redirect shots and is a roadblock for anyone trying to drive the lane, but my player to watch is A.J. Price.

Price is averaging 14.7 points per game this season, but in the last five games is averaging 22.6 points per game. He's also had his best games against the toughest competition. Price had 24 points against Gonzaga, 29 against Villanova, 36 against Marquette and 33 against Syracuse. 

Michigan St.: The Spartans have a big man of their own who is playing some of his best basketball of the year at the right time. Goran Suton has put up his two highest point totals of the season in the last two games, scoring 20 points against Kansas and 19 points against Louisville.

Suton also grabbed nine and 10 rebounds, respectively, in those two games and also grabbed 17 rebounds, a season high, in the Spartan's opening-round game against Robert Morris. 

Game changer:

UCONN: Look out for Stanley Robinson, who did not play in the first eight games of the year. Although he is averaging eight points per game this season, he is averaging 17.4 points in the last five games. Also, Kemba Walker had an outstanding game against Mizzou, tying a season-high 23 points on 7-9 shooting with five rebounds and five assists.

Michigan St.: Kalin Lucas, the Big Ten player of the year, needs to have a good game for the Spartans to move on. Lucas is averaging 14.6 points per game this season and has scored more than 20 points eight times this season.

Lucas proved how he can take over a game in the Kansas game when he scored seven of his 18 points in the final minute of the game. 

Finally, if you want to base who will win on what some may call coincidences or others may say is a sign that history is on their side, how about this.

For Michigan State, this is the 30th anniversary of the 1979 National Champion team and really the start of March Madness reaching the summit of postseason basketball. The game featured a matchup for the ages, Magic Johnson of Michigan State against Larry Bird of Indiana State.

The Spartans have been honoring the '79 team this year and if you remember just last year, 20 years after "Danny and the Miracles" and the 1998 Kansas Jayhawk National Championship team came "Mario's Miracle" and a another national championship for the Jayhawks. Could there be a similar anniversary celebration this year?

For UCONN, the only two times it was in the Final Four it happened to win the national title. Also, the Huskies came out of the West Region to win it all both times, and what region did they happen to come out of this year? Oh right, the West.