Michigan State Earns No. 3 Seed in East Region for 2026 NCAA Tournament

Spartans to face Summit League champion North Dakota State in opening round

Mar. 16, 2026 at 5:04am

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Michigan State has earned a No. 3 seed in the East Region of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The Spartans will open March Madness with a Thursday game in Buffalo against Summit League champion North Dakota State. If they advance, Michigan State will play the winner of No. 6 seed Louisville and No. 11 seed South Florida.

Why it matters

Michigan State is making its 28th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance under Hall of Fame Coach Tom Izzo, tying Kansas for the longest streak in history. The Spartans are looking to make their ninth Final Four appearance in the Izzo era.

The details

Michigan State finds itself in the same bracket as Duke, the No. 1 overall seed. The Spartans played a close game against Duke during the regular season, but the Blue Devils have since dealt with key injuries. Elsewhere in the East Region, UConn's stock is on the decline, while Louisville has been inconsistent. North Dakota State, Michigan State's first-round opponent, is a guard-heavy team with good size in the frontcourt, relying heavily on the three-point shot.

  • Michigan State is making its 28th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
  • The Spartans tied Kansas for the longest NCAA Tournament appearance streak in history.
  • Michigan State is looking to make its ninth Final Four appearance in the Izzo era.

The players

Tom Izzo

Hall of Fame coach of the Michigan State Spartans.

Caleb Foster

Duke player who could return from injury during the NCAA Tournament.

Patrick Ngongba

Duke player who could return from injury during the NCAA Tournament.

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What they’re saying

“Michigan State is making its 28th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament under Hall of Fame Coach Tom Izzo. Michigan State has now tied Kansas for the longest NCAA Tournament appearance streak in history with the latest appearance.”

— Jim Comparoni, SpartanMag staffer

“If the Spartans can win one more game than they did a year ago, they will be playing in the ninth Final Four of the Izzo era.”

— Paul Konyndyk, SpartanMag staffer

What’s next

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The takeaway

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