Michigan State vs. Syracuse tipoff: How to watch, preview, prediction

•What: NCAA tournament second round – No. 3-seed MSU vs. No. 11 Syracuse

•When: Approx. 2:40 p.m. Sunday

•Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit

•TV/Radio: CBS/Spartan Sports Network radio, including WJIM 1240-AM and WMMQ 94.9-FM; Sirius Ch. 137, XM 201

•Records: MSU is 30-4 and won the Big Ten with a 16-2 record; Syracuse is 22-13 and finished 8-10 in the ACC.

•Coaches: MSU — Tom Izzo is 574-224 in his 23rd season, all with the Spartans. Syracuse — Jim Boeheim is 925-370 in his 42nd season, all with the Orange.

•Series: Syracuse leads 10-7 all-time and has won the last four meetings. MSU did win the only previous meeting in the NCAA tournament, 75-58 in the 2000 Midwest Regional semifinals, on its way to the national championship.

Syracuse

MSU

•Syracuse update: The Orange probably didn’t belong in the NCAA tournament, but now that they’re in, they’re making some noise. Against Michigan State, 11th-seeded Syracuse will be playing its third game in five days, after beating Arizona State on Wednesday in a play-in game in Dayton, Ohio, and then TCU, 57-52, late Friday night in Detroit. The Orange squeaked into the NCAA tournament by winning twice in the ACC tournament, including against Clemson. They’ve done this before. In 2015, they took one of the last bids — also against the objection of collective reason — and reached the Final Four. That team should have had to play MSU in the second round, but instead faced Middle Tennessee State.

•MSU update: The Spartans found an offensive rhythm we hadn’t seen in a while against Bucknell on Friday night, with stellar offensive games from Miles Bridges and Joshua Langford. Bridges’ 29 points marked the 12th time this season he’s scored at least 20 points. MSU is 13-2 in second-round NCAA tournament games under Tom Izzo, who has made his hay in the postseason by having his team prepared on short turnarounds. While Syracuse is playing its third game in five days, MSU is playing its third in 16.

MORE:In the nick of time, Miles Bridges shows a ruthless side

MORE:Jaren Jackson Jr. grew up liking Syracuse to spite his Georgetown father

•About the matchup: Just as MSU appeared to find itself offensively, it faces an opponent that’ll make the Spartans play an entirely different game on offense. Syracuse’s famed 2-3 matchup zone — featuring a lineup with five players 6-foot-5 or taller — will force MSU to be patient, work the high post and move the ball. The Spartans have faced plenty of zone defenses this season, beginning with Duke’s surprising zone approach in the Champions Classic in November. But none came with this length or were this embedded in the culture of the program. Miles Bridges, Jaren Jackson and Kenny Goins are big keys to this game. They’re the three 4-men who will play in the soft spot of the zone near the free-throw line.

The clearest advantage for MSU is its depth and fresh legs. The Spartans played nine players 10 minutes or more Friday. That’s not including Goins, who played seven minutes and figures to have a larger role against the Orange. In contrast, Syracuse played eight guys against TCU Friday and seven against Arizona State Wednesday. Against the Sun Devils, Syracuse’s starters played all but 11 minutes. Tyus Battle and Frank Howard played 40 minutes in both games. MSU is hoping to live in transition as much as possible, to tire the Orange and thwart their zone.

•Prediction: This is not one of Jim Boeheim’s better Syracuse teams. It’s not even one of his better NCAA tournament bubble teams. But he’s got three really good players and prototypical length for his zone. Syracuse will likely have to get hot from the perimeter to win, Boeheim admitted. That isn’t the Orange’s strength. Especially on tired legs. The Orange might be able to make this an ugly game, but MSU is the more talented, deeper and fresher team, and playing with a decent bit of confidence.

» Make it: MSU 68, Syracuse 59

— Graham Couch