Michigan State basketball absolutely hosed by NCAA selection committee

The NCAA Tournament selection committee proved that it doesn’t care much about Michigan State basketball’s Big Ten Tournament title win.

“Michigan State leap-frogged Kentucky.”

Those were the words that rung through all Michigan State fans’ ears on Sunday night after everyone’s worst nightmare was realized with the Spartans earned a No. 2 seed in Duke’s bracket.

Duke earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and Michigan State got slotted in the Blue Devils’ region. You would think that meant the Spartans were the lowest No. 2 seed, right?

Not according to the NCAA Tournament selection committee who ranked the Spartans No. 6 overall, behind Tennessee who was the only higher-ranked No. 2 seed. But why?

Tennessee didn’t win the SEC regular season title and lost in its conference tournament championship game by 20 points to a borderline AP Top 25 team in Auburn. They crumbled near the end of the year while Michigan State surged.

In fact, the Volunteers finished the season 6-4 while Michigan State won 10 of its final 11 games, including the regular season and Big Ten Tournament titles. It played in a tougher conference than Tennessee and finished 27-5 while the Spartans were 28-6.

Tougher strength of schedule, more Quadrant 1 wins and two more titles in a deeper conference, but the committee proved one thing: it didn’t care about Sunday’s results.

Getting jobbed like Michigan State did by the NCAA Tournament selection committee is almost a crime in college basketball.

The Spartans proved they were worthy of a No. 1 seed even before Sunday’s win over Michigan — their third on the season — but apparently the committee was closer to putting a team that lost its conference regular season and tourney titles in a better region.