Michigan State basketball: A lot is on the line on Saturday at Michigan

Believe it or not, but there’s a lot on the line in Saturday’s Michigan vs. Michigan State basketball game, a matchup between two unranked rivals.

Both teams are playing for a lot despite essentially being out of the Big Ten title race barring two more Purdue losses and a perfect ending to the season for the Spartans. At 8-6, Michigan State is right up there with about eight other teams on the verge of tying up Purdue atop the standings, but shockingly, Northwestern is the biggest threat right now.

Michigan State and Michigan are both still playing for positioning in the standings and a potential double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament.

That’s not the only thing on the line Saturday, though.

Michigan, Michigan State basketball playing for a lot

While bragging rights are always on the line in this rivalry game and Michigan State currently holds them after beating Michigan earlier this season, there’s also the Big Ten standings.

Right now, Michigan State is 8-6 in league play behind three 9-6 teams (Iowa, Maryland, Indiana), a 10-5 team (Northwestern), and first-place Purdue at 12-4. Michigan is right behind the Spartans at 8-7. The winner of this game moves up in the standings and one step closer to that coveted double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament with just a handful of games remaining.

Outside of standings and a potential double-bye, the Spartans are playing for improved seeding in the NCAA Tournament. As of this week, Michigan State was projected as a No. 7 seed by many bracketologists and winning on Saturday could improve that line to a No. 6. A win could also catapult this team into a nice streak and potentially help the Spartans finish the regular season 4-1 in a dream scenario — or 5-1 if Minnesota gets rescheduled. They would be 20-10 or 21-10 heading into the NCAA Tournament. That might even be a 5-seed type of team.

Michigan, on the other hand, is playing for its NCAA Tournament life. No bracketologist has the Wolverines in the field or even the first or next four out. They must win this game to stay alive.

Lastly, the Spartans are playing for the Michigan State and East Lansing communities. After tragedy struck campus this week, the school needs to begin that healing process and everyone is rallying behind each other and this win would certainly help take minds off that tragedy for a night.

Suffice to say, there’s a ton on the line between Michigan and Michigan State on Saturday night.