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Michigan State Basketball could have best month in school history

By Connor Muldowney

Feb 23, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Denzel Valentine (45) argues a call during the first half at versus the Ohio State Buckeyes Value City Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 23, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Denzel Valentine (45) argues a call during the first half at versus the Ohio State Buckeyes Value City Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports /
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Michigan State Basketball is set to have the best month in school history.

March is always the most exciting month of the year for Michigan State Basketball fans, players and coaches. Tom Izzo is preparing his team for the Big Ten Tournament on Friday, but little do people realize that this year’s month of March has the opportunity to be the best in school history.

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That’s saying a lot since Michigan State won its first national title in March of 1979 and made its second run to a national championship in March of 2000 before winning it all on April 3. March has historically been good to the Spartans, but this year it has a chance to be heads and shoulders above previous years.

Let’s start with the Big Ten Tournament. Izzo’s Spartans are the favorite to win the single elimination tourney in Indianapolis this weekend. By winning the Big Ten Tournament, the Spartans will basically guarantee a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance — maybe even No. 1 overall.

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    • Besides potentially going into the NCAA Tournament as the top team and a favorite for the Final Four, Denzel Valentine has been showing off as a national player of the year candidate and there’s a good chance he wins the Wooden Award this season. It’s down to him and Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield — he’s already been named Big Ten Player of the Year.

    A Final Four run would make the month even more historic, giving Izzo his second straight and eighth since taking over the program as head coach 21 years ago. Although the national title game will take place in April, we will count that in the month of March. Izzo’s second national title would likely make March 2016 the best ever.

    That’s not even the end of it, folks.

    Speaking of Izzo, he was named a finalist for the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame a month ago and it will be announced on April 4, a few hours before the national title game, if he will be part of the 2016 inductee class. If that wouldn’t give his guys motivation to win for a Hall of Fame coach, I don’t know what would.

    Nope, not done yet, folks. On top of a potential Wooden Award, along with other national honors, Valentine could wind up being the first player to ever average 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists since the NCAA first started keeping assists as an official stat in 1983-84. Incredible.

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    Lastly, Josh Jackson, the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit for 2016, could wind up picking Michigan State and the momentum seems to be in the Spartans’ favor.

    That would give the Spartans a top-three class, at worst, and allow them to aim for a repeat in 2016-17.

    So to recap, the Spartans could see Valentine win national player of the year, Izzo inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame, win the Big Ten Tournament, earn a No. 1 seed, make a Final Four run, win the national title, watch Denzel make history and land Josh Jackson in a one-month span.

    Buckle up, everyone.

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