Dale Young/USA TODAY Sports
Who said the first day of men’s college basketball wouldn’t be exciting?
A slate much-maligned by everyone from casual fans to diehards produced the season’s first epic moment on opening night when James Madison shocked No. 4 Michigan State in overtime. Few things should be truly shocking in early college basketball given the vast roster turnover across the landscape, but this result resonates: A Michigan State team that some believe is Tom Izzo’s last, best chance to win another national championship in East Lansing got outplayed for 45 minutes by a mid-major, albeit one picked to win its league that has legitimate Cinderella aspirations on paper.