Tom Izzo and Michigan State were probably tuned in to watch Michigan face Illinois at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Friday night, but it wasn't much of a game after the first few 10, or so, minutes.
Michigan took an early lead, held on, and then extended it in the second half, stepping on Illinois' throat to pick up a 74-60 win.
It was a bit disappointing to watch because it officially ended Michigan State’s hopes of winning a share of the Big Ten title. The win for Michigan clinched the outright title and now the finale against the Wolverines in Ann Arbor is a drastically less meaningful.
The win did actually do some good for the Spartans, however.
Michigan may have just punched MSU’s ticket to a top four seed in the Big Ten Tournament.
A triple-bye looks now looks likely for Michigan State
Before Thursday night, Michigan State was a long-shot to earn a top four seed in the Big Ten Tournament. The Spartans were tied for fourth place in the Big Ten with Purdue and the loser of the game at Mackey was going to be in a bad place with just three games remaining.
Michigan State also hadn’t won at Mackey in 12 years and was coming off its worst stretch of the season. All signs were pointing to a loss and Michigan State dropping to fifth with road games against Indiana and Michigan still to come. Things were not looking good for Izzo and Co.
A win at Mackey put Michigan State into a three-way tie for second place with Illinois and Nebraska and the Illini were facing Michigan on Friday night.
The Wolverines win drops Illinois a half-game back of Michigan State. If the Spartans win at Indiana on Sunday, it would take a miraculous upset by Rutgers in East Lansing to knock Michigan State out of the top four in the Big Ten. A win Sunday essentially locks up a top four seed thanks to Michigan’s win over the Illini on Friday night.
It never feels good to give Michigan credit, but they did Michigan State a favor. Illinois, on the other hand, failed to help Michigan State’s slim hopes of a shared title remain alive.