HERE’S A LOOK AT THE NIGHT GAME OF THE FINAL FOUR

NO. 2 MICHIGAN STATE VS. NO. 3 TEXAS TECH

TIP-OFF: Saturday, 8:49 p.m. ET, CBS

MICHIGAN STATE’S PATH TO THE FINAL FOUR: The Spartans (32-6) nearly ruined brackets everywhere in a first round scare against No. 15 seed Bradley. But Cassius Winston (26 points in that win) wouldn’t let this team lose.

Then MSU looked sloppy (22 turnovers) in dispatching Minnesota in the second round. The Sweet 16 saw this group hit its stride in hammering LSU by 17 points. The team’s best game of the season might’ve been an Elite Eight upset win over Duke that saw Kenny Goins drain a go-ahead 3-pointer with 39 seconds left.

TEXAS TECH’S PATH TO THE FINAL FOUR: The Red Raiders (30-6) have put together one of the most impressive defensive showings in recent tournament history in reaching their first Final Four. It started with ousting Northern Kentucky, and then came a strong defensive effort to limit an underrated Buffalo offense to 58 points. Next up TTU held Michigan to 16 first-half points — an NCAA tourney record low. In the Elite Eight against No. 1 seed Gonzaga and its nation-leading offense, Texas Tech forced timely turnovers and got the stops down the stretch to come out of a loaded West Regional.

❚ HOW MICHIGAN STATE HAS THE EDGE: Expect the second weekend’s results to fuel a flame that has just started to burn for this group. That Duke game wasn’t just an upset for an unexpected Final Four trip. It was a confidence builder for a team that rides its point guard in scoring lulls and has a veteran mojo to make key plays down the stretch.

❚ HOW TEXAS TECH HAS THE EDGE: The Red Raiders lead the nation in defensive efficiency (per KenPom) and field goal percentage defense (37 percent) — two stats that don’t tell the full story of how coach Chris Beard has created a defensive juggernaut. Senior guard Matt Mooney’s defensive efforts on Winston could be the difference-maker in frustrating MSU’s floor general. But the key for TTU actually might come on offense, where Jarrett Culver is a dynamic scorer and Davide Moretti (46 percent 3-point shooter) is almost automatic.

❚ KEY PLAYER FOR THE SPARTANS: Winston makes things happen, either creating his own shot or facilitating for others. He also is excellent in transition and uses an uncanny court vision to energize his team in a way that another former Michigan State point guard, Magic Johnson, once did in the 1970s.

❚ KEY PLAYER FOR THE RED RAIDERS: Culver, an athletic 6-5 guard, is an NBA talent who has carried this team all season, averaging 18.9 points per game. His natural ability on offense is evident, but letting the game come to him should be a priority for the sophomore who shoots a high volume of shots for this team.

❚ WHICH TEAM REACHES THE TITLE GAME?

Michigan State slayed the giant that was Duke, and even though the Spartans will be going against the most efficient defense in this whole tournament, they have willed themselves to wins and can build off the momentum.