For the 11th consecutive time, Michigan State basketball has secured a big win. The Spartans were 5-2 to begin the season with losses to Kansas and Memphis and some fans were worried that the season would devolve into what the last 3-4 had been.
But something clicked against North Carolina and the Spartans have been hot ever since, beating the likes of Nebraska, Illinois, Ohio State, and Northwestern in the process. No, the schedule hasn't exactly been one of the toughest in the nation so far, but those matchups will come in the month of February.
But at 16-2 on the year and 7-0 in the Big Ten with 13 regular-season games remaining, the bracketology projections are starting to become closer to reality by the day.
The experts put out their new projections this week after Michigan State's big win over the Illini. Where do they have the Spartans in the 2025 NCAA Tournament?
Hint: Selection Sunday shouldn't be quite as big of a sweat this year.
Jerry Palm: No. 2 seed in Midwest vs. Quinnipiac
Bleacher Report: No. 3 seed in West vs. Cleveland State
Andy Katz: No. 3 seed in Midwest vs. Norfolk State
Team Rankings: No. 3 seed
ESPN's Joe Lunardi: No. 3 seed in East vs. Akron
As you can see, the experts are high on Michigan State right now with none projecting the Spartans any lower than a No. 3 seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament and that's a far cry from where they were just a month ago at the No. 6/7 range.
Michigan State controls its own destiny. If it keeps winning and takes care of business in the Big Ten, it could legitimately be staring at one of the No. 1 seeds.