Saturday has been good to Michigan State’s chances for a top-three seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. There were a lot of rooting interests for Michigan State on Saturday afternoon, and two of them may have paid major dividends, assuming the Spartans beat Indiana on Sunday.
We’re going to with the assumption that Michigan State wins, although it’s going to be a really tough matchup with the Hoosiers fighting for an NCAA Tournament berth.
Michigan State needed teams like Kansas and Iowa State to lose to move up a seed line, and guess what? Both teams lost on Saturday which means that Michigan State’s chances to move up a line have improved drastically.
A win on Sunday might just guarantee a 3-seed.
Michigan State is likely to move up a seed line
To preface this, I will say that Michigan State needs to beat Indiana for this to even apply.
But Michigan State has likely safely moved up to the 3-line thanks to a couple of Big 12 losses on Saturday by some top contenders.
The first was a 23-point road loss by Kansas at Arizona. The Jayhawks were expected to lose against Arizona already, but having it be this lopsided of a blowout has to help Michigan State’s chances. The Jayhawks had been on the 3-line leading up to this game but this may have just dropped the eight-loss Kansas to a four.
The other big loss that might help Michigan State’s seeding out was an Iowa State loss at home to Texas Tech. While the win by the Red Raiders might move them up a seed line, Michigan State’s win over Purdue should also move it up one line. Iowa State and Kansas losing opens the door for a 2-seed and likely has Michigan State jumping the Jayhawks.
Michigan State needs to take care of business on Sunday afternoon in Bloomington. The Hoosiers are going to be extra upset hungry because an NCAA Tournament berth will be on the line.
If Michigan State beats Indiana, I like it moving up to the No. 10 or 11 spot in the top 16. A win over Rutgers and then subsequent win over a short-handed Michigan team in the finale could move Michigan State up to a 2-seed.
There’s still a lot on the line this season, folks.