After defeating No. 16 SIU Edwardsville, the Cougars beat No. 8 Gonzaga. Then, they upended No. 4 Purdue and No. 2 Tennessee to reach the Final Four. Houston became the first program since 2017 North Carolina to navigate the most difficult seed path possible for a No. 1 team.

Down 10 with the season on the line. A discombobulated start on the offensive end with breakdowns on the other side of the court. This has become a familiar opening act for Michigan State, which somehow keeps scripting the predictable finish of a Hallmark Christmas movie.

We have been a second-half team,” an emotional Tom Izzo said after the Michigan State Spartans’ Sweet 16 win over Ole Miss. The post 2025 NCAA Tournament: How Much Bonus Did Tom Izzo Get After Michigan State’s Elite 8 Exit?