The most wonderful time of the year is here. Over the past 25 years, Coach Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans have found themselves in the NCAA Tournament and this year is no different. The Spartans enter the tournament as the No. 7-seed in the East Region and will take on the No. 10-seeded USC Trojans. The game will take place in Columbus, Ohio on Friday at 12:15 p.m. Eastern Time on CBS.

Michigan State is not necessarily coming into Friday's game on a high note as the Spartans bowed out in their first game of the Big Ten Tournament against the No. 13-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes — a team MSU had beaten twice during the regular season. The Spartans must look to put the last game behind them as they take on a formidable opponent in the USC Trojans out of the Pac-12. The let down in the Big Ten Tournament seemed to cast a dark cloud over the players and the fan base as many expected the Spartans to make a run. In retrospect, the loss to the Buckeyes might be one that was needed and can be used as a wake up call as MSU gears up for a tournament run.

There is a wide known saying that guards win in March, and if this is true, the Spartans will need big time contributions from their veteran back-court in Tyson Walker and A.J. Hoggard. Whether it be Walker's timely bucket-getting or Hoggard's leadership and on-court vision, the Spartans will go as far as their guards go in this tournament. Along with the Walker and Hoggard, Jaden Akins' wing play will also be essential. The sophomore guard has excelled in his role as a small-ball forward, knocking down 3-pointers at a high clip and also using his athleticism to score at the basket.

In the front-court. Michigan State will lean on the two upperclassmen in Joey Hauser and Malik Hall. Both Hall and Hauser have the ability to keep the defense off balance, whether it be with their shooting in Hauser's case or off-the-dribble in Hall's case.

The center position will be one that may be by committee. The Spartans have Mady Sissoko, Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper available at that spot.Their playing time will most likely be dependent on matchups and in game production. In a one-and-done scenario, it will be essential that the Spartans lean heavily on their four main contributors in Walker, Hoggard, Akins and Hauser, and hope that the supporting cast can pitch in as well and excel in their roles.

The USC Trojans and head Coach Andy Enfield find themselves in familiar territory as they are once again in the NCAA Tournament field. The Trojans finished the regular season at 22-10 and tied for second in the Pac-12 conference. The Pac-12 is a very top-heavy conference with some of the best teams in the country in UCLA and Arizona, so it's impressive that the Trojans were able to keep pace there. Like Michigan State, USC is also trying to shake off what was a disappointing conference tournament as the Trojans lost to Arizona State in the Pac-12 Tournament, a team they beat twice in the regular season.

The Trojans are lead by senior guard Boogie Ellis, who averages 18 points per game. Ellis is a 6-foot-3 guard who is a microwave-type scorer (can get hot at any time). He has deep range and also the ability to get to the rim off of the bounce. He is a player who once he sees one go in the basket, it looks like the ocean to him.

Playing Robin to Boogie's Batman is the 6-foot-9 senior guard/forward Drew Peterson who averages 14 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. Peterson is a player that truly does it all as indicated by his stats. He has been dealing with a back injury as of late, but when healthy, he is a triple-double threat and arguably the best overall player for the Trojans.

A lot of what the Trojans do rides on Ellis and Peterson, but the Trojans also have some good role players around them. Tre White, Reese Dixon-Waters and Kobe Johnson all average around 9,0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, and most importantly, they realize their roles and play well alongside Ellis and Peterson. Down low, center Joshua Morgan anchors the Trojans, and though he has been dealing with ankle issues all year, he is a formidable starting center that plays very hard.

This team also defends well, ranking in the top-10 in the country in field goal percentage allowed at 39%.

This matchup is one that favors the Michigan State Spartans. While the Trojans have a lot of length and defend well overall, USC does not defend the 3-point line well, which could be a recipe for disaster with the Spartans being one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country. USC ranks just 155th in the country in 3-point field goal percentage defense at 33.4%, while MSU ranks fourth in the NCAA in 3-point shooting percentage at 39.52%.

Michigan State must key in on Boogie Ellis as he is the one player who can truly beat you by himself. Look for Coach Izzo to try different things to bracket Ellis and keep him uncomfortable. The Spartans should be able to knock down enough shots and stifle Ellis and Peterson en route to a victory.

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