Michigan State basketball is gearing up to face off with the Auburn Tigers in the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament. The matchup will pit two of the game's best coaches against one another with Tom Izzo and Bruce Pearl going against one another.
Ahead of the game, Pearl spoke to the media, where he shared that he believes Michigan State is the Big Ten's best team. Another thing that Pearl touched on, who he believed was the underdog coming into the game.
Despite Auburn being the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, and coming into the game as a 5.5 point favorite, Pearl believes that his team is the underdog in the game. After being asked the question, and stating that Auburn is the underdog, Pearl cited that he is going up against MSU and Izzo in this game, sharing that the storied program the Tigers are going up against is always considered the favorite in this spot.
"This is the third time in our history we've gone to the Elite Eight. This is uncharted water for us. We're talking about Michigan State. We're talking about Tom Izzo."
Watch his full comments via X:
Bruce Pearl on who the underdog is Sunday, despite the regional seeding of the South:
— Auburn Tigers | AL.com (@aldotcomTigers) March 29, 2025
"Auburn." 👀
"This is the third time in our history we've gone to the Elite Eight. This is uncharted water for us. We're talking about Michigan State. We're talking about Tom Izzo." pic.twitter.com/QnUoet0Mu1
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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Auburn HC Bruce Pearl believes team is underdogs against MSU basketball
