National media dealt Michigan State basketball insane disrespect after top-15 win

Just two games into the 2025-26 season, reigning Big Ten champion Michigan State basketball is already on the receiving end of some interesting disrespect.

The Spartans beat Colgate in an underwhelming performance in the opener, but they improved drastically in game two, beating No. 14 Arkansas 69-66 while controlling the entire second half. Michigan State was clearly the better team on the glass, on defense, and just overall toughness-wise, but the national media saw things differently.

In fact, I saw a couple of insane takes from national media members following the Spartans’ clutch win over the Razorbacks, insinuating that it was because Arkansas isn’t “there” yet.

Apparently MSU doesn’t get the same grace.

First, there was this take from The Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman, insinuating that Michigan State got lucky that Arkansas hasn’t reached its full potential yet. Right, because the Spartans are known for being at their best early in the season and only getting worse.

This felt like a really lazy take to avoid giving the Spartans credit for out-toughing a top-15 team in one of the biggest non-conference games of the season. The media apparently loves Arkansas and thinks that it only lost because it’s young and not fully gelled yet.

Spoiler: Michigan State is also young and not yet completely gelled either.

Then I saw this take from Jon Rothstein which essentially said that Arkansas didn’t play its best and still had a chance to tie it at the end. But hey, let‘s not acknowledge the fact that MSU also didn’t play its best offensively, and still controlled the entire second half.

So Arkansas was dominated on the glass, turned the ball over a ton, and hit 7-of-28 threes, and still had a chance at the end, but Michigan State who was tougher on the boards, also turned the ball over 14 times, and shot 1-for-14 from three doesn’t get any respect here?

Just some lazy post-game takes from the national media.