Michigan State is one win away from making program history. The Spartans are 19-2, and they’re a victory away from their best-ever start, and only one team stands in their way: No. 3 Michigan.
The Wolverines have been one of the best teams in college basketball this season, albeit a far cry from “the best team we’ve seen in decades” which was a title given to them after they beat Gonzaga by 40 points earlier this year. Everyone was neck deep in the maize and blue Kool-Aid before the Wolverines came back down to earth a bit in Big Ten play. Now they’re standing in the way of Michigan State’s best-ever start on Tom Izzo’s 71st birthday.
Just a couple of weeks ago, Joe Lunardi had the Spartans pegged as a 4-seed in his weekly bracketology projections. He wasn’t as high on Michigan State as the rest of us.
Since then, he has conceded, and Michigan State has risen to a 2-seed — the Spartans are currently his third-best 2-seed.
I still think that’s probably a little too low.
Michigan State belongs in the 1-seed conversation
Michigan State has been playing some elite basketball (outside of a Rutgers win) and they’ve won seven straight games since losing at Nebraska (the Cornhuskers were at full-strength by the way) by just two points in a game that probably should’ve resulted in a win. Michigan State’s only two losses this year were to Nebraska (by two) and to Duke (by six). Both teams are ranked in the top five.
So if Michigan State can take care of No. 3 Michigan on Friday evening, I think the Spartans and Wolverines should switch places. Michigan should slide back into 2-seed territory for the first time since the first month of the year, and the Spartans should be considered a 1-seed.
Is this crazy? I don’t think so. Michigan needed a huge comeback to beat Nebraska at home while the Cornhuskers were missing two of their top three players. Michigan State would be a program-best 20-2 and 10-1 in a loaded Big Ten. That should be more than enough to earn a 1-seed distinction.
Will this happen if Michigan State wins? Probably not. The national media will find a way to take credit away from the Spartans, but they absolutely should be on the 1-seed line with a win.
The atmosphere at the Breslin Center on Friday is going to feel like an NCAA Tournament game.