MSU taking on Kansas State in New York

MICHIGAN (WNEM) - A big game in the Big Apple, with Michigan State taking on Kansas State in the Sweet 16 of the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York Thursday night.

A win would send the Spartans to the Elite Eight, but if MSU wants to advance, they’ll have to do it at a place where they’ve lost 16 of the 20 games they’ve ever played there.

TV 5′s James Felton was live in New York with what Coach Tom Izzo had to say about the game.

Felton said you could feel the history inside Madison Square Garden, but in terms of MSU, most of that history hasn’t been good. The Spartans are just 4-16 all time there.

Head Coach Tom Izzo’s record in that arena is 4-12, which includes a loss on that floor to Rutgers in February. But as the saying goes, there’s no time like the present.

Right now, a win over Kansas State Thursday night would send the Spartans to the Elite Eight.

On Wednesday, Izzo said he’s not dwelling on the past; his focus is on what lies ahead.

“There is the thrill of playing here. When you talk to people, for us the Steve Smiths, the Magic Johnsons, there’s nothing like the Mecca you know. There’s nothing like Madison Square Garden,” Izzo said. “So when we have the opportunity to play here, I always talk about it as a privilege. We get to play in a lot of great places. But you know it’s not just college basketball, it’s basketball period. It doesn’t matter what it is, this place is known for it. You know, I’m not saying I’ve had a lot of great success here, so this would be a good weekend to change that.”

Michigan State plays against Kansas State at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday night.

If they win, they’ll play again on Saturday, March 25.

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