This Saturday in Indianapolis, the Final Four round of the NCAA tournament will occur. Playing in the final four are potential top-2 picks in the upcoming NBA draft Jahlil Okafor and Karl-Anthony Towns, two players with the immense talent and potential to make NBA scouts drool.
Yet, Duke’s head coach Mike Krzyzewski does not think that one of those two players has been the best in the tournament this year. He doesn’t even think it’s another potential lottery pick in the NBA draft such as Frank Kaminsky or Justise Winslow. No, Coach K thinks that the best player this March has been the undersized guard for Michigan State University, 6’0″ 170 lb Travis Trice.
Following from Kyle Austin of Mlive.com,
“I think he’s been the best player in the tournament, of any team,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said this week of Trice. “I don’t think there’s a kid playing any better than that kid.”
Coming from Krzyzewski, this is incredibly high praise. After all, Coach K has arguably the best player in the nation on his team in Jahlil Okafor. Furthermore, Coach K has an incredible coaching resume. He’s won more games than any coach in college basketball history, and has won 4 national championships.
It is true that Travis Trice has has a spectacular postseason. He’s led 7-seed Michigan State all the way to the Final Four, and has averaged an impressive 19.8 points on 40.6% shooting from 3, to go along with 4 assists and 3.25 rebounds during the tournament.
Coach K clearly holds Trice in very high regard, and won’t underestimate him or the Spartans come Saturday. Michigan State is the clear underdog, but they are used to that role, as they have been the lower seeded team in 3 of their 4 games thus far. If MSU wants to upset Duke, they’ll need Trice to continue his strong play.
