The No. 4 Auburn Tigers face the No. 8 Michigan State Spartans in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament. The teams meet Sunday for the first time this season.

He wasn’t rooting for one team, at least not outwardly, but Michigan State already had defeated Michigan twice. Auburn, the NCAA Tournament’s No. 1 overall seed, is a different animal. As the coach raved about Johni Broome’s hands and Auburn’s guards’ shiftiness, it became clear which team would pose a tougher matchup for Michigan State.

Auburn basketball trailed Michigan by nine at one point, but as it closed a 13-point victory over the Wolverines, it showed just what makes it special.