But make no mistake, the Spartans weren’t another Texas-Arlington or some other hyphenated piece of first-round fodder. In fact, there were many who believed they could make it back to the Final Four after the impressive performance they put in beating Pitt last week in the second round.

Izzo’s team looked to be rounding into shape at the perfect time. Neitzel was shooting well. Freshman Kalin Lucas was starting to play like a sophomore. Suton was toughening up. In fact, all of Michigan State was tough.

Signs of the MSU’s disintegration were evident, early, however, when Suton settled for a 3-point shot — his 12th of the year — that actually went in, but still screamed of a team that couldn’t get the ball in the right hands in the right places.

Airballs flew. Some shots clanged awkwardly off the backboard. Neitzel let his frustration show, slamming the ball to the floor, even though he’d been fouled while a Memphis defender was trying to deny him a pass.

Neitzel finished 2-for-8 from the floor with seven assists. It was one of many ugly numbers for the Spartans.

“You hate to see a guy not have one of his best games in his last game,” Izzo said. “It’s kind of funny. Over his career, he’s probably won 100 games, been to a Final Four, started as a freshman. That’s a whole boat-full for most people, but we’re looking at it right now as, that’s not great.”

Also ugly for the Spartans: They allowed the Tigers to shoot 53 percent from the floor, a sign that they had no grasp on how to defend Calipari’s confusing, newfangled “Dribble Drive Motion” offense — or any of the players who execute it so well.

Michigan State alumnus Magic Johnson was in the crowd. But true to what Izzo said earlier in the week, it was Memphis conjuring all the memories of “Showtime” on this night.

“They performed as advertised,” Spartans center Drew Naymick said. “They’re better.”

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