CLEVELAND >> When Frankie Fidler committed to Michigan State, moments like Sunday night were in mind. To play in March Madness. To feel the energy of a tournament run in front of 15,000 fans. To play a part in that success.

It felt like those moments might not happen, at times, this season, a winding road for Fidler, as he went from a starter to a role player over the course of a difficult transition to Big Ten basketball. Yet, in a 71-63 win over New Mexico in the second round of the NCAA Tournament — a comeback effort in which the Spartans needed all hands — Fidler played an integral part in the win.

“It’s everything I dreamed of as a kid,” Fidler said. “And just the way the season’s played out for me, personally, I think this feels a little extra special right now.”

It’s been a humbling season for Fidler, in some ways. He went from the 20-point mainstay of a mid-major Omaha team to one of many contributors for Michigan State (29-6). Shots didn’t fall. He didn’t rebound well at first. In a mutual decision, he moved to the bench, then deeper on it. At one point, he was the 10th man of a 10-man rotation.

Through the struggles, Fidler kept working, finding bursts here and there during the season. A big 18-point game against Penn State in January gave him a boost, and so did the knack he found for rebounding when positioned at the four. He carved out a role, albeit different than imagined when he got to East Lansing, but an impactful one in its own right.

“Sometimes, guys adjust faster than others,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. “He had to get the right chance. We had to get him at the right position maybe a little bit more. But what I do love about Frankie is … (he’s) in the gym so much, it’s scary. Frankie loves the game.”

In March Madness, Fidler’s work has really paid off. He’s turned in two solid performances in the first and second rounds. In a first-round, 87-62 win over Bryant, he played strong defense and grabbed key rebounds in a physical matchup.

Against New Mexico, Fidler contributed 10 points on tough shots to help Michigan State pull away with the win. Fidler finished the game with a team-high plus/minus of 19. The only weak spot in his performance was a 2-for-5 effort at the free-throw line, out of character for an 85.8% career free-throw shooter.

Some of Fidler’s biggest impact came against New Mexico wing Mustapha Amzil, who caught fire for nine points in the first 6:37 of the game. Another 3 toward the end made for 12 points by halftime. As Michigan State keyed in on one of the nation’s best scorers, in Lobos point guard Donovan Dent, while also contending with the bruising presence of center Nelly Junior Joseph, Amzil proved too quick and heady for forward Jaxon Kohler to handle.

Fidler helped to quench Amzil somewhat in the first half, before he and the Spartans allowed Amzil just two more points in the second. With that source of offense cut off, Michigan State was able to grind its way out in front.

“(Amzil) was hurting us pretty bad in the first half,” Fidler said. “We put a lot of focus on Dent and Joseph. So we probably did let him creep under the radar a little bit, but … I think we ended up doing a better job on him.”

Fidler’s big game is just the latest flex of Michigan State’s depth, a game after Coen Carr exploded for 18 points off the bench in the win over Bryant. Whether it’s matchups or momentum, the Spartans can opt for different looks at any time. On Sunday, it was Fidler’s moment to show his impact.

“Every night, you never know whose night it might be,” point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. said. “Today, Frankie gave us the boost. Coen again, Tre (Holloman) off the bench — everybody gave a little something when it mattered, and that just helped.”

Such a strong performance had an extra-sweet feel for Fidler, who didn’t let up when his season began as a letdown. Instead of sulking, he stuck it out. Ahead of Senior Day, he said he’d do it all again, despite all the bumps he navigated.

Though the journey to Sunday was riddled with potholes, Fidler stayed the course. And now, he has the March moment of which he dreamed.