The Miami Hurricanes were selected as an eight seed on Sunday for the upcoming NCAA tournament.
The Michigan State Spartans will be Miami's first opponent in the tournament, and the game will take place on Friday. Miami went 21-11 this season, and is likely not surprised by the seed it was handed. The Spartans meanwhile went 19-14 during the season.
The Hurricanes had an up-and-down season, with the positive moments coming in the latter part of the schedule. Miami had a couple of big wins against Duke and North Carolina. UNC is a #1 seed in another bracket in the tournament, while Duke is listed as a two-seed.
For the Hurricanes to succeed in the tournament, it will take some luck and some clutch basketball. The school has had some magical wins in previous seasons, including a Sweet 16 run last year. The Hurricanes were a #10 seed in last year's tournament, and were sent home with a blowout loss in the Regional Semifinals.
If Miami is able to beat Michigan State in the first round, it will face the winner of Kansas vs. NC Central or UC Davis. Considering the fact a 16th seed has never upset a top seed in the tournament, it is likely the Hurricanes would take on the Jayhawks in that potential second round game. Getting past the Spartans though will be no easy matter.
Tom Izzo remains the man in charge of the Spartans, and he brings with him a career full of big wins. While Michigan State may not be considered a title contender this year, almost anything can happen during the tournament. Izzo and his team will be well-prepared for this game with Miami. Hurricanes coach Jim Larrañaga will also be able to provide his young players with some experience as they prepare for the wild environment.
Friday's game will take place in Tulsa, Oklahoma at 9:20 p.m
