Michigan State Basketball: 5 takeaways from title-clinching Illinois win

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EAST LANSING, MI – FEBRUARY 20: Miles Bridges #22 of the Michigan State Spartans holds the Big Ten trophy after the Spartan defeated the Illinois Fighting Illini at Breslin Center on February 20, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

1. Miles Bridges is cementing his legacy

When Miles Bridges called a meeting at the Spartan statue in the middle of campus, he knew he was about to change Michigan State history. Not only did he shock the nation when he decided to pass up a lottery selection in the NBA draft to come back to Michigan State for another year, but he immediately made a list of goals for himself.

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As the selfless player he is, he made winning a national championship for Tom Izzo his No. 1 goal. He hasn’t quite lived up to his Big Ten Player of the Year expectations, but not many guys “disappoint” and average over 17 points per game like he has.

Bridges came back to cement a legacy and become one of the all-time great Michigan State basketball players and he has done just that. Why he may not quite have the legacy of a Magic Johnson, Mateen Cleaves or even Draymond Green, a deep tournament run with a national title will change that.

The work isn’t done yet, and Bridges knows that, but this Big Ten title is the first step to cementing an impressive legacy in the green and white. In fact, he’s just 51 points away from joining the 1,000-point club at Michigan State — as a sophomore. That’s unheard of.

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Bridges’ time at Michigan State seems to be winding down but he admits it hasn’t crossed his mind. When his Spartan career is all said and done, we can say he left a tremendous footprint.

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