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March Madness 2016: Top 5 moments of the NCAA Tournament First Round

By Connor Muldowney

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Mar 18, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders forward Darnell Harris (0) reacts after the game against the Michigan State Spartans in the first round in the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Scottrade Center. Middle Tennessee State won 90-81. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 18, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders forward Darnell Harris (0) reacts after the game against the Michigan State Spartans in the first round in the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Scottrade Center. Middle Tennessee State won 90-81. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Down goes Sparty

This one was tough. As a Michigan State graduate, I believed that this was the year the Spartans would finally cut down the nets, ending a 16-year drought for the program. Tom Izzo made it to the Final Four a year ago with a much less impressive team, so why not with the 29-5 Spartans who were demolishing everyone in their path over the last few weeks of the season?

Facing Middle Tennessee in the first round, Izzo should have known that the Blue Raiders were hungry and would attack the three-point line and beat the Spartans that way. For a team that lived and died by the three, the Blue Raiders were as alive as ever on Friday afternoon.

Middle Tennessee hit 11-of-19 three-pointers and Giddy Potts, a member of the all-name team, and Reggie Upshaw put the No. 2 seeded Spartans to sleep.

To think that five days ago everyone was talking about how Michigan State was a huge No. 1 seed snub, but it failed to show that it was ready to actually take on a quality 15-seed and the Spartans just assumed they were destined for a Final Four.

This was the worst loss in Tom Izzo’s career, but it’s definitely going to be remembered as one of the top moments of the 2016 NCAA Tournament’s first round.

Next: 1. Greatest buzzer beater of all time?

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