It's been 13 years -- 13 long years -- since Michigan State basketball last earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. That feels like a typo with all the great teams the Spartans have had over the years, but it's been a minute since Michigan State earned that No. 1 seed although it could be argued that the 2015-16 team and 2018-19 teams should've gotten one.
This year's team has been flirting with that No. 1 seed.
Although the Spartans began the season as a projected 7/8 seed, they have done nothing but prove people wrong, sitting at 22-5 heading into a big Wednesday night battle with Maryland in College Park. They are now projected as a 2-seed essentially everywhere after a recent three-game winning streak that saw them take down Michigan and Illinois on the road and Purdue at home.
But Wednesday's Maryland game might just be their toughest matchup of the season as the Terrapins might be the hottest team in the Big Ten right now.
We've seen good Michigan State teams beat really good Maryland teams on the road before and this could be the latest installment of that, but it's going to take a near-perfect effort.
A win on Wednesday, however, could vault the Spartans into a territory they haven't been in since Draymond Green was still running the show back in 2011-12.
A Michigan State win could jump the Spartans into 1 seed territory. https://t.co/WkrMTSCH8U
— Rapheal Davis (@RaphealDavis3) February 26, 2025
Take it from one respected Big Ten analyst and former Purdue Boilermaker player, Michigan State could be in 1-seed territory after a win on Wednesday night.
Auburn and Duke are likely locked into 1-seeds, barring some wild meltdown in the final weeks of the season, while Alabama and Florida might be the most susceptible to falling. The Gators actually lost to unranked Georgia on Tuesday night which could mean a team like Michigan State could vault them with a win at Maryland before turning around and beating No. 11 Wisconsin on Saturday (hypothetically).
Of course all this is easier said than done. Michigan State faces one of the toughest finishes to the Big Ten regular season, starting on Wednesday and it doesn't get much easier on Saturday.
Pick up a win at Maryland and then take care of Wisconsin on Saturday and it'd be tough to argue against Michigan State as a No. 1 seed.