NCAA TOURNAMENT: A dance with Sparty looms
UNM head men’s basketball coach Richard Pitino addressed the media on Saturday. UNM will play Michigan State University on Sunday with a Sweet 16 spot on the line. Courtesy of Junfu Han
CLEVELAND – It’s not like Richard Pitino isn’t familiar with Tom Izzo.
But, he probably doesn’t want to see this familiar Big Ten face at this particular time in this particular time of year and in this particular Midwestern American city.
Pitino, the UNM men’s head basketball coach, spent eight years at Minnesota in the same position.
During his time with the Golden Gophers, Pitino went 3-0 against Izzo and MSU from 2013 to 2021.
Now as the leader of the Lobos, Pitino faces Izzo in a high-stakes contest not any comparable to those in the Big Ten days. It’s in the NCAA Tournament with a spot in the Sweet 16 in the South Region.
“Not a whole lot changes when you play (Michigan State),” Pitino said. “I say that with the utmost respect, because you're never going to get a team from Michigan State with Coach Izzo's coaching that doesn't play hard.”
UNM is coming off its first NCAA Tournament win in 13 years after the Lobos – a No. 10 seed – knocked off the No. 7 seed in the South Region – the Marquette Golden Eagles – on Friday.
UNM’s generational point guard Donovan Dent – the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year and Honorable Mention All-American – continues to add to his Lobo legacy.
Despite eight turnovers in the first round against Marquette, Dent scored 21 and had six assists.
He also scored 11 of UNM’s final 19 points to cap the Lobos’ victory over the Golden Eagles.
While Dent is a focal point, Izzo said he and Michigan State are concerned about size.
Specifically, UNM’s Nelly Junior Joseph.
“He's a bull in a China closet,” Izzo said. “He's tough. He's strong. At least that's what he seems on film. He reminds me of the (Morez) Johnson kid at Illinois, and he's more experienced and a little better offensively, but I think that kid is a hell of a player, too.”
Joseph was as dominant as he ever was in the first-round victory over Shaka Smart’s Marquette.
He looked the part of a First-Team All-Mountain West Conference center.
In just under 33 minutes against the Golden Eagles, Nelly scored 19 and nabbed seven boards.
He was 7-of-10 from the field but maybe most valuable at the charity stripe: Joseph made all five of his free throw attempts.
Pitino said Michigan State reminds him of familiar conference opponents in Boise State and San Diego State.
Because of their physicality.
“The players were able to see the physicality (of Michigan State) last night,” Pitino said “This is a testament to Coach Izzo. It's the same thing every year… there's a high level of physicality, and it's always been that way with Coach Izzo's teams and they're bigger certainly than Marquette, so we're going to have to be ready.”
NEXT UP: No. 10 New Mexico Lobos vs. No. 2 Michigan State Spartans
Time: Sunday, 6:40 p.m.
Location: Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio
Listen: Lobo Radio Network (96.3 FM/770 AM)
Watch: TNT
