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Spartans represent Big Ten... again

Posted by: Paul Klee

Monday, March 30, 2009 12:19 PM

When the assignment is to scout mighty Connecticut, where do you start? Tom Izzo said he's going to interview his Big Ten brethren as Michigan State preps for a Final Four date with the Huskies. Michigan (Feb. 7) and Purdue (Sweet 16) were on UConn's schedule.

"I've been talking to a few Big Ten guys, sure," Izzo said today on a conference call with reporters. "I'm going to give John (Beilein) a call and give Matt (Painter) a call and anyone else that can figure out what they're doing."

The Big Ten's representative, Michigan State is in the Final Four for the fifth time in Izzo's 14 seasons. That's nuts, but what's really nuts is that every four-year senior he's had at Michigan State had played in at least one Final Four. This was the last chance for senior Travis Walton, and the Spartans came through again.

"I think it was a big deal to Travis Walton to keep our string alive," Izzo said.

It looked as though Izzo was particularly emotional after punching his latest Final Four ticket, and it seems there have been plenty of emotions this season. I remember after the Illinois game in East Lansing - when MSU retired Morris Peterson's jersey - Izzo said it was the most emotional game at Breslin Center "in five or six years."

Asked if this was his most gratifying Final Four, Izzo left that claim to his first one, in 1999, the first of three consecutive trips.

"I'm not sure there's ever one that's more gratifying than the first," he said. "It's like your first kiss, you still remember it, right?"

pklee@news-gazette.com

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