Michigan State Rolls Past NDSU in Dominant March Madness Start

If you had any nerves about Michigan State heading into March Madness... I think we can all relax a little bit now.

The Spartans came out and handled business in their first-round matchup, taking down the 14-seed North Dakota State 92-67 in Buffalo. North Dakota State actually came out with some early energy, even grabbing a quick lead, but it didn't last long.

Michigan State Takes Control Early

Michigan State settled in, started hitting shots, and from there it was pretty much their game.

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MSU was hitting shots. Michigan State shot nearly 59% from the floor, 50% from three, and almost 90% from the free-throw line. That is some wicked efficiency that's going to be tough for anyone to keep up with.

Spartans Shoot Lights Out

Carson Cooper led the way with 20 points and a double-double, and he wasn't alone. Michigan State had multiple guys step up, move the ball well, and make the team look like it’s starting to click at the right time.

Balanced Scoring Leads the Way

That's the biggest takeaway right now. This didn't feel like a survive-and-advance type of game you may see from other teams. This felt like a team that knew what it needed to do and went out and did it.

Next Test Will Be Tougher

That doesn't mean it gets any easier, though. The Spartans move on to face Louisville in the next round, which is where things will start to tighten up.

If Michigan State plays like this in that game... it should be a pretty fun game to watch.