For Spartans, 'Six Eyes' Are Better Than Two Owls

DENVER, March 20 -- Tom Izzo has led Michigan State to three Final Fours this decade, so he understands, perhaps better than anyone, what this time of year demands. His experience made for an unsettling past few weeks, as his team played defense he deemed unfit for the NCAA tournament. Once the regular season concluded, Izzo drilled a single message to his team.

"It's one-and-done time," he said. "And things have to change."

In a 72-61 victory Thursday over 12th-seeded Temple at Pepsi Center, the fifth-seeded Spartans (26-8) advanced to the second round of the South Region by playing defense that allayed Izzo's concern. Michigan State held the Owls' leading scorers, Dionte Christmas and Mark Tyndale, to 19 combined points, 17 below their season average.

The victory set up a bruising blue-collar matchup with fourth-seeded Pittsburgh on Saturday in the second round. Both teams pride themselves on stout defense and rebounding, and on Thursday, the Spartans returned to those principles.

"Defensively, for the most part, we were as good as we've been for a long time," Izzo said.

Christmas and Tyndale are pictured on the cover of Temple's media guide wearing boxing gloves, fists raised and sneering. The duo is labeled "Temple's One-Two Punch."

For an entire season they were, two Philadelphia-tough players who led the Owls (21-13) to the Atlantic 10 tournament championship. Tyndale came in averaging 15.9 points per game, but Christmas was seen as even more dangerous. He led the Atlantic 10 at 20.2 points per game and was named the conference tournament's most outstanding player.

"We knew if we didn't stop Christmas," Izzo said, "we were going home."

Years from now, when Coach Fran Dunphy recalls his first NCAA tournament game at Temple, he will curse Raymar Morgan. More than any other Spartan, Morgan hounded Christmas into his worst game of the season. Christmas, a 6-foot-5 swingman, missed his first six shots and did not score until 13 minutes 27 seconds remained, at which point the Spartans led, 44-30. He finished with three points on 1-of-12 shooting.

"I just tried to press up on him, keep a hand in his face," Morgan said. "I also have to thank my teammates."

While Morgan played the leading defensive role, he received help. Izzo employed a defense he dubbed "Six Eyes." While Morgan harassed Christmas, guards Drew Neitzel and Travis Walton -- owners of the other four eyes between them -- lurked behind him, ready to stop penetration.

Izzo borrowed the scheme from how the Detroit Pistons guarded Michael Jordan in the late 1980s, a strategy known as the "Jordan Rules." "It was just something we stole from somebody," Izzo said.