Are Izzo’s Spartans worthy of blueblood label? A third MSU title Monday would tie KU

This year’s Final Four is the first without a team from Kansas, Kentucky or North Carolina — college basketball’s blue blood states — for only the third time since 1987.

But look for Michigan State in the NCAA record book and you’ll see the Spartans climbing toward the names Kansas, North Carolina, Kentucky and Duke.

“Maybe we could be considered in that a little bit,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said this week after many said this year’s Final Four lacked a blue blood. The Spartans face Texas Tech in Saturday’s second semifinal after Auburn plays Virginia at 5:09 p.m. Central time (CBS).

Entering the 2017-18 season, seven schools, including Kansas, had won at least three NCAA championships. That group will grow to nine if Michigan State follows Villanova as this year’s national champ.

UCLA leads the list of champions with 11 but hasn’t won one since 1995. Kentucky is second with eight, followed by North Carolina with six and Duke with five. Indiana also has five but hasn’t raised the trophy since 1987. Connecticut is No. 6 on the list with four titles but has missed the last three NCAA Tournaments.

The Spartans this year moved into a tie for sixth in most Final Four appearances, with 10, but have a way to go to catch fifth-place Kansas (15) and No. 1 North Carolina (20). Michigan State is right behind sixth-place KU in NCAA Tournament winning percentage at .687, but the Jayhawks (.696) also have 108 victories to the Spartans’ 68.

Still, Izzo’s Spartans have reached a nation’s best eight Final Fours in the last 21 years. In that span, North Carolina has made six (with three NCAA titles), Duke five (also with three crowns), Kansas five (with one title) and Kentucky four (also with one championship).

Michigan State also ranks third with 22 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, behind Kansas (30) and Duke (24).

Sophomore forward Xavier Tillman says Michigan State winning a third NCAA title would put the Spartans “right there next to Duke. Right there next to Kansas and Kentucky.”

After falling short of the title in his last five Final Four trips, Izzo offered a simple strategy for this one.

“I’ll disclose this one thing,” he said. “I’m going to try to win this time.”

This story was originally published April 5, 2019 at 5:21 PM.