Tom Izzo, Michigan State Beat Louisville, Updated Path to Final Four in March Madness

The third-seeded Michigan State Spartans beat the No. 6 Louisville Cardinals 77-69 in the second round of the 2026 NCAA men's basketball tournament on Saturday at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.

MSU advanced to the Sweet 16 with the victory, marking the third time in the past four years it has made it at least that far in the tourney.

In search of their first Final Four appearance since 2019, the Spartans will have to face the winner of No. 2 UConn vs. No. 7 UCLA in the Sweet 16. In a potential Elite Eight matchup, MSU would take on one of No. 1 Duke, No. 4 Kansas, No. 5 St. John's or No. 9 TCU to win the East Region:

Michigan State led by five at halftime and continued to build on that advantage during the second half, as it shot 47 percent from the field and 42 percent from beyond the arc as a team.

Coen Carr was the engine for MSU, leading the team with 21 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Jeremy Fears Jr. also delivered with 12 points, 16 assists and three boards.

COEN CARR TAKES FLIGHT

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Coen Carr with the Rejection

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Coen Carr With the Score

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In a losing effort, Louisville got 21 points, four rebounds and four assists out of Ryan Conwell.

Ryan Conwell From Deep

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Ryan Conwell From Deep

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Under legendary head coach Tom Izzo, the Spartans have reached 28 consecutive NCAA tournaments, and this is the 17th time Izzo has made it to at least the Sweet 16 during his tenure.

Michigan State made it to the Elite Eight last year, which was its best showing since 2019, and it entered the 2025-26 season as a strong contender to repeat that performance.

The Spartans tied for second in the Big Ten during the regular season and lost to UCLA in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament, but their résumé was impressive ahead of the NCAA tournament nonetheless with wins over Arkansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Illinois and Purdue.

Once a perennial national title contender, Louisville fell on hard times for several years until the arrival of head coach Pat Kelsey last season.

In his first year at the helm, Kelsey led the Cardinals to their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2019, and by beating 11th-seeded South Florida in the first round, Kelsey guided Louisville to its first tourney win since 2017 this year.

The Cardinals have not made it to the Sweet 16 since 2015, and Michigan State ensured that drought would continue.

Now, Izzo and the Spartans will shift their focus toward the Sweet 16 and a matchup with the winner of No. 2 UConn vs. No. 7 UCLA.