Going into Michigan State's opening matchup versus Bryant, the Spartans knew it was going to be a tough, physical test. That was indeed the case, as the Bulldogs came out swinging and gave MSU about all they could handle for the first 20 minutes.

The Spartans seemed rushed on offense early and even trailed by three with five minutes remaining in the first half. However, the physicality and depth of Michigan State ended up being too much for Bryant to keep up with across 40 minutes.

"We got so many guys, so many different lineups that we have," Carson Cooper said after the game. "There is no drop off."

The kind of effort Michigan State saw from Bryant early shouldn’t be surprising to anyone. With the Spartans being a No. 2 seed, they have a massive target on their back; every team is going to be giving the Spartans their best game.

Cooper is no stranger to this level of play and attention.

“We’ve gotten used to it all year, the pressure that it entails," he said. "Most teams are going to play their best basketball against us, that’s just how it is. It’s a lot of team’s Super Bowl against us. So we know that every game that we play we have to come out and play our best.”

And best is exactly what Michigan State got from Coen Carr, who finished the game with 18 points and 9 rebounds (6 offensive). His athleticism was a major difference maker on the night, one that Bryant never quite had an answer for; even for a Bulldog team known for their athleticism.

“I just think he’s just playing more confident, he’s believing in himself,” Frankie Fidler said of Carr. “He’s getting to the things that he is good at. He’s probably the best athlete in college basketball, it's hard to guard.”