Tom Izzo’s quest for a second national championship will get underway on Friday with a first-round game against the Bryant Bulldogs. It’s natural for most to overlook the 15-seed out of the America East, but as Michigan State basketball fans know all too well, no game in the tournament should be overlooked.
Here’s what you can expect from the Bulldogs against the Spartans on Friday.
Often, with these low-major leagues, you never know what you’re going to get in the conference tournament. In a single-elimination format, the best teams don’t always win, which creates a weaker tournament field. This year, that wasn’t the case, with 11 regular-season league champions receiving the automatic bid that comes with winning the conference tournament.
Bryant was one of those teams. The Bulldogs were regular season and postseason champions of the America East Conference. Their 149 rank on KenPom is third out of the four teams that received a 15 seed. Bryant won the regular season title by a full game and breezed through the conference tournament with three double-digit victories.
The Bulldogs are coached by a familiar name. Phil Martelli Jr. has the Bulldogs in the tournament in just his second season. His father, of course, is a legendary college basketball coach, and a close friend of Tom Izzo. Martelli Jr. is certainly a name to watch in the coming years within coaching circles.
The first thing that jumps out with Bryant is tempo. Only six teams in America play faster, while Bryant is top-30 nationally in average possession length on both offense and defense. It’s an interesting zag by Martelli Jr. because the America East has been dominated for years by Vermont, who consistently plays at one of the slowest tempos in the country.
The Bulldogs are not a good shooting team, converting at just 33.4% from three on the season. They use their up-tempo style to create good looks in transition and second chance opportunities at the rim. In America East play, Bryant’s biggest advantage was on the offensive glass. They led the league in offensive rebound percentage, with sizable advantages over their biggest competitors, Vermont and Maine.
This is a roster with great length, with all five starters standing at least 6-foot-5. What they lack is depth. Keyshawn Mitchell is the lone Bulldog to stand over 6-foot-8. He’s also the only true center on this roster. His ability to stay out of foul trouble will be massive in this game.
But while Mitchell may be the most important Bulldog on the floor against Michigan State basketball, the Spartans’ scouting report will center around Earl Timberlake. After their tournament clinching win against Maine, Martelli Jr tabbed him as “the greatest player in Bryant history”. The America East Player of the Year does a little bit of everything for the Bulldogs. He’s a capable scorer, and his size allows him to be active on the glass. And for a team without a true point guard, Timberlake takes on a little bit of that role, too, averaging almost five assists per game.
Timberlake will play all 40 minutes if needed, as will swingman Connor Withers. He leads the team in three-point attempts but is shooting below 32% on the year. Rafael Pinzon and Barry Evans are the other shooters, although Pinzon is much more willing than Evans, and more efficient than Withers.
Beyond the five mentioned, it gets dicey quickly for the Bulldogs. They don’t use their bench much, and their rotation doesn’t feature more than seven guys. According to KenPom, the Bulldogs rank 338th in bench minutes.
Look, Michigan State basketball is a 20-point favorite in this game. The jump in competition from the America East to the Big Ten champions will be substantial. But this is not a bottom of the barrel low-major team, by any means. In fact, they match up well where you need to against Michigan State. They are a good rebounding team, with great rim protection and two-point defense.
Bryant has played two games against teams in the field. They went 0-2, with their most notable loss coming by 22 against St. John’s. It’s worth noting, however, that Timberlake did not play in that game. And since Jan. 4, Bryant has lost two games, both by fewer than five points.
Michigan State’s focus in this game should be on two areas. No. 1, find a way to make Mitchell a non-factor. He’s so important to their rebounding efforts and rim protection. Without him, the Spartans should be able to minimize Bryant’s ability to get offensive rebounds.
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, slow this game down. Bryant has one win all season when they’ve scored fewer than 75 points. The Bulldogs want a chaotic, high-possession game to help facilitate their transition offense. The Spartans like to play in transition, but they’ll need to be a bit more selective about when they want to push the tempo. Bryant isn’t accustomed to being patient offensively, and the Spartans possess one of the best half-court defensive units in America.
Michigan State basketball has the depth advantage. The Spartans have the size. They have the defensive playmakers needed to throw at Timberlake. And most of all, they have the clear advantage in the back court. They are big favorites in this game for a reason.
But it’s the NCAA Tournament. You never know when Cinderella will show up. Don’t be fooled by the seed. Bryant can play. If you watched any of the America East finals, you know they don’t lack confidence. And if MSU shows up with their minds on the Round of 32, they’ll be in for a 40-minute fight against the Bulldogs.
BASKETBALL2 weeks ago
FOOTBALL2 weeks ago
MORE SPORTS2 weeks ago
BASKETBALL6 days ago
