Michigan State basketball faces off against North Dakota State in NCAA tournament first round Michigan State, seeded third, will take on 14th-seeded North Dakota State in the NCAA tournament first round on Thursday at 4:05 p.m. The game will be held at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, and will be broadcast on TNT with radio coverage on Spartan Sports Network, including WJIM 1240-AM and WMMQ 94.9-FM. The matchup pits a top-ranked team against an unranked but highly competitive opponent, with Michigan State aiming to extend its NCAA tournament streak and North Dakota State seeking its first tournament victory since 2019. Michigan State enters the game with a 25-7 overall record, finishing second in the Big Ten at 15-5. The Spartans, ranked No. 11 in both the Associated Press and USA TODAY Coaches polls, have shown strong performance in recent weeks, including a strong finish to the regular season. Their offensive and defensive efficiency rankings—No. 24 and No. 13, respectively, per Kenpom—suggest they are nearing the level required to compete for a national title. However, their defensive numbers have dipped slightly, though they remain dominant on the glass, ranking first nationally in defensive rebounding and fourth in offensive rebounding. Junior point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. has been a standout for Michigan State, setting a single-season assist record with 294, surpassing the previous mark held by Cassius Winston. Fears, who leads the nation in assists at 9.2 per game, has been named to second-team All-American honors by the Associated Press and third-team by the Sporting News. Coach Tom Izzo, in his 31st season with the Spartans, has guided the team to its 28th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance.#tnt #michigan_state #north_dakota_state #keybank_center #spartan_sports_network
