One embarrassment for Michigan State can't spoil everything.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

MINNEAPOLIS _ Just as one man doesn't make a team, neither does one loss.

But it's a difficult concept to grasp for Michigan State, a team still reeling from its 80-61 national semifinal loss to Arizona on Saturday night.

Each year under Tom Izzo, the Michigan State program has made a step forward. But the Arizona blowout almost made the Spartans feel as if they had taken a step backward.

Each year in Izzo's six seasons, the Spartans have improved in some way, but 2000-01 is the first time the Spartans did not improve on the final result of the previous season.

The only way to do that would have been to win their second straight national title, which would have made the Spartans the seventh team to do so.

But in spite of the disappointment of not making that select group, the Spartans have an equally difficult time being ashamed of a 28-5 season, during which they won the Big Ten regular-season title and got off to the best start in school history.

"I think I can do what I preached," Izzo said. "I can appreciate what this team has done and not let it ruin what these seniors have accomplished. I think what I'm most disappointed about is that I have to look at why weren't we more ready?"