Michigan State is just two wins away from yet another Final Four appearance. The Spartans are in the Sweet 16 after a successful first weekend of the 2012 NCAA tournament saw them cruise to a win over LIU Brooklyn and survive against Saint Louis. Now Michigan State will take on Louisville on Thursday night in Phoenix.
Louisville's path to the Sweet 16 went through Davidson in the second round and New Mexico in the third round. The Cardinals won by seven against Davidson, and their win over the Lobos on Saturday came by only three points.
On the season, Louisville is 28-9. The Cardinals got off to a 12-0 start before dropping five of their next seven. Then they proceeded to win six games before another slump happened. They had a stretch in February where they went 2-4. Since then, Louisville has won six straight games, including four at the Big East tournament, which they won by beating Cincinnati in the championship game.
Just three years ago, Michigan State and Louisville met in the Elite Eight. The Spartans won the game by a score of 64-52 to clinch a trip to the Final Four in Detroit. This year, the Spartans will need a win to advance to the Elite Eight and move a step closer to clinching a trip to the Final Four in New Orleans.
You can find more about the Michigan State Spartans at The Only Colors. For more coverage of the 2012 NCAA tournament, visit SB Nation Detroit's StoryStream. Also, make sure to check out SB Nation's NCAA tournament hub and our printable NCAA tournament bracket.
