Linking Laconically is ready for the tournament

Midwest Regional Preview: This thing is stacked pretty strong - CBSSports.com
"Louisville is the No. 1 overall seed. For that, the Cards got stuck with Duke, Michigan State and Saint Louis. Because of that, the Midwest Regional is the toughest of all regionals."

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo sets serious tone with Spartans before NCAA selection show | MLive.com
"Spartans coach Tom Izzo indicated his team's stoic reaction was somewhat understandable considering he had met with them prior to the NCAA tournament selection show." ... and the fact that this is where they expected to be.

Michigan State football has mobile quarterback option in forgotten man Tyler O'Connor | MLive.com
"It wasn't so long ago O'Connor turned away offers from West Virginia, Louisville, Cincinnati, Boston College and Illinois, among a handful of others." Now he's getting an opportunity

Michigan State's Tom Izzo sees Valparaiso as 'formidable foe' with Cinderella past | MLive.com
Tom Izzo isn't looking at Thursday's opponent lightly.

Michigan State's Branden Dawson still at times 'stiff like a robot' one year after knee surgery | MLive.com
"Dawson in his first postseason games averaged four points per game as he looks to relax and have more fun one year after suffering a major knee injury."

Michigan State's Le'Veon Bell confident he's best RB in NFL draft | Detroit Free Press | freep.com
"After last month's scouting combine in Indianapolis, Bucky Brooks of NFL.com said Michigan State's Le'Veon Bell is the best running back in the draft. Some would favor Alabama's Eddie Lacy or Wisconsin's Montee Ball, but Bell certainly sides with Brooks."

Does Appearing in the Big Ten Championship Game affect NCAA Tournament chances? | Banks Of The Red Cedar

It's more of correlation, not causation.