All eyes are currently on the football program, and rightfully so, but Michigan State basketball is still deserving of some headlines, especially after another successful week.
The Spartans took down a couple of teams in Week 4 after rising to No. 11 in the polls, and one of the wins was over a ranked opponent. The Spartans dominated East Carolina from start to finish, winning by 33 before playing North Carolina the following game to conclude the Fort Myers Tip-Off. They were able to run away with a win over the No. 16 Tar Heels, 74-58.
It was a dominant week that proved that the first two ranked wins of the season — Arkansas and Kentucky — were no flukes. The Spartans are now just one of two teams with three ranked wins, and they won two of those games by double figures.
While the other power conference team in the state is grabbing most of the headlines on the hardwood because it beat up on San Diego State, Auburn, and Gonzaga in the Players Era Tournament, the Spartans deserve some love, too.
Michigan State is going to jump into the top 10 of the Week 5 AP Top 25 on Monday afternoon, but just how far will the Spartans rise after the 7-0 start?
My prediction is probably No. 8 or No. 9 in the AP Top 25. I was right about my prediction of No. 11 a week ago despite some believing that the Spartans were a lock to be ranked in the top 10. I just didn’t see voters giving Michigan State enough love to jump seven-plus spots.
This week, there just haven’t been enough losses by top-10 teams to justify a bigger rise even though some experts think Michigan State is a top-five team.
Michigan State will jump Florida and BYU this week because of the strong wins, but there’s also a chance that it could leap Alabama — but I doubt it.
Can’t be too mad at a top-10 ranking, but Tom Izzo is going to treat the Spartans like they’re unranked because, according to him, they’re not that good yet. He has to humble his guys.