EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan State has been to five Final Fours in the last 11 years -- more appearances than the Oakland Golden Grizzlies have made in the tournament altogether.
The two Michigan programs landed NCAA tournament bids Sunday. The No. 5 seed Spartans (24-8) will open against 12th-seeded New Mexico State (22-11) in the Midwest Region on Friday in Spokane, Wash., and could face fourth-seeded Maryland or 11th-seeded Houston in the second round Sunday.
Oakland landed the 14th seed in the West Region. Greg Kampe's Golden Grizzlies (26-8) will meet third-seeded Pittsburgh (24-8) on Friday in Milwaukee. The winner will face sixth-seeded Xavier or 11th-seeded Minnesota.
Michigan State shared the Big Ten title with Ohio State and Purdue, then lost its first game in the conference tournament to Minnesota. But with 13 straight NCAA appearances, the third-longest streak in Division I behind Kansas and Duke, Michigan State has a wealth of experience.
"If we're a sleeper this year, that's good, at least in somebody's mind," coach Tom Izzo said. "I'm just crazy enough to think we can do something in March.
Izzo's mentor, Jud Heathcote, was the coach of the 1979 NCAA champions and he lives in Spokane.
"Instead of sledgehammers and some of the things we've done, our players will have the fear of playing in front of Jud," Izzo said. "He probably willed us there. Now, they have to face the wrath of him. . . . I have a rule that after a loss I don't talk to him for four days. It hasn't been four days yet."
Led by point guard Kalin Lucas and forwards Draymond Green and Raymar Morgan, Michigan State hopes to match its success last season when it beat defending national champion Kansas and No. 1 seeds Louisville and Connecticut before falling to North Carolina in the title game.
"We still have something more to prove," Lucas said. "And a lot of people didn't think we were a Final Four team last year."
If the Spartans can stop the Aggies from 3-point range, they can have some confidence in the fact they have won eight of their last nine second-round games.
"It may help us to go to the other side of the country, to get away from everything and all the distractions," Green said. "That may be a plus for us."
Oakland has already won one tournament this month, ruling the Summit League postseason event after capturing the regular-season crown. The Grizzlies won a play-in game in 2005 in their only other NCAA appearance.
Kampe said the team's preseason goal was to win more than a play-in game this year.
"We know we're not going to win the national championship," Kampe said. "But this is different from the last time, when we were shocked and surprised to make it in. This time, we had expectations. That's why we play the schedule we do, so we'll be prepared."
The Grizzlies will be led by 6-foot-11 center Keith Benson, record-setting playmaker Johnathon Jones and sturdy strongman Derick Nelson.
Benson averages a double-double -- 17 points and 10 rebounds -- and three-plus blocks a game. Jones led the nation in assists last season. And Nelson scored a career-high 36 points in the title game after breaking his nose earlier in the league tournament.
"I was disappointed in our seed and didn't understand it," Kampe said. "We were 51st in the RPI. But on the other hand, we'd much rather be in Milwaukee than Spokane or San Jose. We can take a couple of busloads of students and make sure the Oakland family will be there."