Spartans Are Going To Finish Off Great Big 10 Season

Michigan vs. Michigan State, 12:00 ET

It wasn't the prettiest of days in college basketball, but it really wasn't all that ugly either. We went just 1-1 with Kentucky making pretty light work of Missouri which then ruined my chance of a perfect day. The winner, St. John's over Marquette, was actually an outright winner and we didn't even need to take the points. However, we did take them and it was nice to have that cushion anyway. Now we go to another big game as Michigan takes on the Michigan State Spartans. 

Michigan enters today's game with a strong 22-8 record and just five losses in the Big 10. They currently sit at second in the Big 10, and although they can't catch Michigan State for the first spot in the conference, they can at least secure the #2 spot with no question. If they lose today, then they probably drop to third in the conference as they lost to Maryland in their most recent game prior to this one. Actually Michigan has lost three of their past five games. One of them was hosting this same Spartans team and they lost by 13. The other two games were kind of concerning as well. They dropped a game to Illinois, who has been absolutely brutal lately. And, they dropped a game to Maryland by six. Both of those games were home games and the loss to Illinois was by 20 points. Losing by 2 or by 20 is still a loss, but the optics of it are certainly something that bracket builders look at. The good news is that Michigan will certainly be in the Big Dance, and they still have a chance to make some decent noise in the Big 10 tournament. 

Michigan Wolverines center Vladislav Goldin (50) drives the lane against Rutgers Scarlet Knights defense during the first half of the NCAA basketball game at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich., Thursday, February 27 2025.

Michigan State is playing really good basketball this season and enters today's game with a stellar 25-5 record. They have don well in the Big 10 and will win the conference regular season. I've mentioned this before, but it really is irrelevant to win the regular season, aside from getting the best seed in the conference bracket. With the Big 10 having 18 teams now, even the top few teams should have a relatively easy path for the first few games as the bottom teams get eliminated. Michigan State has played well over their past five games winning all of them and only having one close call. That one was on the road against Maryland as they escaped with just a five-point victory. The Spartans' losses this year were against Kansas, Memphis, USC, UCLA, and Indiana. Only one of those games was on their home floor. The other four games were either a neutral court game or a road loss. 

I'm not really a believer that a college team should sit guys, but this game is really meaningless for the Spartans. The only thought would be that a win could somehow secure themselves a #2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Is that possible? I don't know. I feel like those guys just kind of make stuff up and hope for the best with the bracket. I do wonder if Michigan can get up big early, does Michigan State just kind of pack it in? I'm personally handicapping it as if they are playing with full intensity and trying to win. In the first game, the biggest difference with that Michigan State outrebounded Michigan, and they shot significantly better from deep. If they can do that on the road, what makes you think they won't be able to do it at home as well? Back the Spartans to cover the -6.5 spread. 

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