Big Ten tournament champion Michigan State will open the NCAA tournament against Delaware Thursday in Spokane, Wash.
The fourth-seeded Spartans (26-8), NCAA tournament regulars, earned an automatic berth by upsetting Michigan 69-55 in the tournament championship on Sunday.
The Blue Hens (25-9) won their first NCAA tournament berth since 1999 with a come-from-behind victory against William & Mary in the Colonial Athletic Association tournament championship.
Delaware, a No. 13 seed, has three players -- Devon Saddler (19.7), Davon Usher (19.4) and Jarvis Threatt (18.1) -- who average 18 points or more.
Michigan State is getting healthy at the right time.
Coach Tom Izzo has started the same five players for the last five games, and the Spartans have won four of them.