Create Your Spartans Illustrated Account
SAlready have an account?
Sign InLOCKERVERSE
LOCKERVERSE
Already have an account?
Sign InLOCKERVERSE
Michigan State is dancing for a third-straight season under head coach Robyn Fralick, earning the No. 5 seed in the Sacramento regional. The Spartans will face No. 12 Colorado State on Friday in Norman, Okla. It marks MSU's highest seed in the NCAA since earning the No. 4 seed in 2016.The Spartans (22-8 overall, 11-7 in Big Ten play) and Rams (27-7 overall, 15-5 in Mountain West action) have met just once before. That non-conference regular season matchup was a 72-45 victory for MSU in Cancun, Mexico on Dec. 20, 2011.For the Rams, a familiar face leads CSU in scoring in senior guard Lexus Bargesser who hails from Grass Lake, Mich. and played at Indiana for the past three seasons before transferring out to Fort Collins. Bargesser is averaging 15.2 points per game and is second on the boards for the team with 5.8 rebounds per game. She is second in assists (90) and in steals (43).Sophomore guard Brooke Carlson is second in scoring with 11.3 ppg while leading the team in assists (105) and steals (46). Fellow sophomore guard Kloe Froebe is the final Ram averaging double figures in scoring with 10.7 ppg alongside the team high in rebounds, 6.8 per game. Senior guard Hannah Ronsiek adds 5.3 rpg alongside the team high in takeaways (53 steals).While MSU had its best start in 15 years this season, opening the year 17-1, closing out the season against tougher competition results in a 3-6 finish that included bowing out to Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament last week. That resulted in the Spartans slipping from a top-4 seed that would have meant they hosted the first two rounds at the Breslin Center and instead will have to travel to Oklahoma now as the Sooners are the host.The winner of Friday's matchup between MSU and CSU will face the winner of No. 4 seed Oklahoma and No. 13 seed Idaho.The Spartans sit in the bracket with No. 1 seed South Carolina who will face the winner of No. 16 seed Southern University vs. No. 16 Samford who face off in the first four matchup. The Gamecocks being likely to advance will face No. 8 Clemson or No. 9 USC. Elsewhere, No. 6 Washington will face No. 11 South Dakota State with the winner of that matchup facing No. 3 TCU or No. 14 UC San Diego.No. 7 Georgia will play the winner of No. 10 Virginia vs. No. 10 Arizona State in another first four matchup. Awaiting that winner in the second round will be No. 2 Iowa or No. 15 Farleigh Dickinson.
Michigan State had its name called on Selection Sunday for the program's 28th straight NCAA Tournament appearance, the longest active streak in the country. The Spartans earned the No. 3 seed in the East region. MSU will face off against No. 14 seed North Dakota State in Buffalo on Thursday. Start time is approximately 4:05 p.m. Eastern Time with the game being broadcast on TNT. It will mark the first meeting between the two programs.All 28 appearances in the streak have occurred under head coach Tom Izzo and the streak dates back to 1998. It marks the 39th tournament bid for MSU in program history.NDSU finished the season 27-7 overall and 14-2 in Summit League play. The Bison clinched their tournament bid with a Summit League title last Sunday in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with a 70-62 victory over North Dakota, sweeping the intrastate rival 3-0 on the season. The only common opponent for the teams was a preseason exhibition matchup NDSU had at Minnesota, falling 80-54 in Minneapolis on Oct. 16.The Bison are led by junior guard Damari Wheeler-Thomas who averages 14.4 points per game, while also averaging 2.8 assists per game and 1.2 steals per game. Right on his heels is fellow junior guard Trevian Carson in his first season on the roster after two seasons at Des Moines Area Community College. Carson is averaging 12.0 ppg and leads the team in rebounds with 6.4 rpg, assists with 2.76 apg, and steals with 1.85 spg. Senior guard Markhi Strickland originally with Western Michigan and sophomore forward Treyson Anderson round out players in double figures scoring with 11.8 ppg and 10.4 ppg, respectively.On the season, the Bison are averaging 80.7 ppg while holding opponents to just 69.6. NDSU is also beating teams on the glass with a +4.8-rebound margin on the year. The Bison are also efficient with the ball, holding a 1.4 assist/turnover ratio thanks to a turnover average of 10.8 per game while scoring 16.7 ppg off opponent turnovers.MSU finished the season 25-7 overall and 15-5 in Big Ten play.Should the Spartans advance, waiting for them will be the winner of No. 6 Louisville and No. 11 South Florida.Elsewhere in the East, Duke earned the overall No. 1 seed and will look to avoid a stunner by No. 16 Siena. Awaiting the Blue Devils unless No. 16 Siena pulls off a stunner will be the winner between fellow Big Ten-member No. 8 Ohio State and No. 9 TCU.UConn earned the No. 2 seed and will face No. 15 Furman. No. 7 UCLA will face No. 10 UCF with the winner moving on to face Uconn or Furman.No. 4 Kansas is also in the East, facing No. 13 Cal Baptist. No. 5 St. John's or No. 12 Northern Iowa will be awaiting that winner. While the Jayhawks have appeared on-court in the NCAA 35-straight times, their 2018 appearance was later vacated by the IARP, thus negating any active streak as a result. KU now has an active streak of only eight tournaments to date as a result.
Let's take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly in MSU's loss to UCLA
Which high school recruits will be in East Lansing this spring? Read our running list here.
Source confirms Palumbo will lead the nonprofit entity created to expand Michigan State’s athletics revenue strategy
Michigan State has hired Grover Bortolotti as assistant running backs coach, sources tell Spartans Illustrated.Bortolotti has also updated his X (formerly Twitter) bio to reflect his new role as well.The hiring of Bortolotti comes shortly after the departure of Travis Russell, who was briefly hired as MSU’s assistant running backs coach in February, but recently left the program to take a job as assistant tight ends coach at Missouri.Most recently, Bortolotti worked at his alma mater, Wisconsin, as assistant running backs coach. He served in that role under head coach Luke Fickell and running backs coach Jayden Everett from January of 2026 until March of 2026 when he was hired by MSU.Bortolotti’s playing career with the Badgers just concluded following the 2025 season. He walked on to Wisconsin in 2021 and played in 45 total games as a running back and special teams contributor. Bortolotti recorded five carries for 48 rushing yards (9.6 yards per attempt) on offense, and 16 tackles on special teams.While at Wisconsin, Bortolotti played under current Michigan State running backs coach Devon Spalding, who served in that same role for the Badgers from 2023 through 2025.At MSU, Bortolotti will work under Spalding, head coach Pat Fitzgerald, offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan and the rest of the MSU staff.Spalding and Bortolotti will mentor a group of running backs at Michigan State in 2026 that includes Cam Edwards, Marvis Parrish, Jaziun Patterson, Brandon Tullis, Jace Clarizio, Zion Gist, Kenneth Williams, Jaxon McCaig, Darrin Jones Jr. and Cedric Williams Jr.While it is always possible that things change in the future, sources tell Spartans Illustrated that Bortolotti is expected to be the final addition to the MSU staff as far as analysts/assistants to a position coach go for 2026.At Wisconsin, Bortolotti played with linebacker Jake Chaney, who was recently hired as Michigan State's assistant defensive line coach.Bortolotti’s younger brother, Harrison Bortolotti, is currently on Wisconsin’s roster as a running back/special teamer. He walked on with the Badgers in 2025 and enters his second year in the program in 2026. Harrison Bortolotti was also coached by Spalding in 2025.The Spartans begin spring ball for the 2026 campaign on March 17 and will participate in 15 practices, which concludes on April 18 with the “Spring Showcase.”
Michigan State had its name called on Selection Sunday for the program's 28th straight NCAA Tournament appearance, the longest active streak in the country. The Spartans earned the No. 3 seed in the East region. MSU will face off against No. 14 seed North Dakota State in Buffalo on Thursday. Start time is approximately 4:05 p.m. Eastern Time with the game being broadcast on TNT. It will mark the first meeting between the two programs.All 28 appearances in the streak have occurred under head coach Tom Izzo and the streak dates back to 1998. It marks the 39th tournament bid for MSU in program history.NDSU finished the season 27-7 overall and 14-2 in Summit League play. The Bison clinched their tournament bid with a Summit League title last Sunday in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with a 70-62 victory over North Dakota, sweeping the intrastate rival 3-0 on the season. The only common opponent for the teams was a preseason exhibition matchup NDSU had at Minnesota, falling 80-54 in Minneapolis on Oct. 16.The Bison are led by junior guard Damari Wheeler-Thomas who averages 14.4 points per game, while also averaging 2.8 assists per game and 1.2 steals per game. Right on his heels is fellow junior guard Trevian Carson in his first season on the roster after two seasons at Des Moines Area Community College. Carson is averaging 12.0 ppg and leads the team in rebounds with 6.4 rpg, assists with 2.76 apg, and steals with 1.85 spg. Senior guard Markhi Strickland originally with Western Michigan and sophomore forward Treyson Anderson round out players in double figures scoring with 11.8 ppg and 10.4 ppg, respectively.On the season, the Bison are averaging 80.7 ppg while holding opponents to just 69.6. NDSU is also beating teams on the glass with a +4.8-rebound margin on the year. The Bison are also efficient with the ball, holding a 1.4 assist/turnover ratio thanks to a turnover average of 10.8 per game while scoring 16.7 ppg off opponent turnovers.MSU finished the season 25-7 overall and 15-5 in Big Ten play.Should the Spartans advance, waiting for them will be the winner of No. 6 Louisville and No. 11 South Florida.Elsewhere in the East, Duke earned the overall No. 1 seed and will look to avoid a stunner by No. 16 Siena. Awaiting the Blue Devils unless No. 16 Siena pulls off a stunner will be the winner between fellow Big Ten-member No. 8 Ohio State and No. 9 TCU.UConn earned the No. 2 seed and will face No. 15 Furman. No. 7 UCLA will face No. 10 UCF with the winner moving on to face Uconn or Furman.No. 4 Kansas is also in the East, facing No. 13 Cal Baptist. No. 5 St. John's or No. 12 Northern Iowa will be awaiting that winner. While the Jayhawks have appeared on-court in the NCAA 35-straight times, their 2018 appearance was later vacated by the IARP, thus negating any active streak as a result. KU now has an active streak of only eight tournaments to date as a result.
Let's take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly in MSU's loss to UCLA
MSU is using the hours before Selection Sunday to study film, confront mistakes, and prepare for the urgency of single-elimination basketball
Let's take a look at what went wrong last weekend, and how to fix it moving forward
The Spartans will have an immediate opportunity to respond Saturday night in the series finale at Munn Ice Arena
These seniors committed to a Spartan Hockey program in flux and leave behind one restored
Which high school recruits will be in East Lansing this spring? Read our running list here.
Which class of 2027 prospects are scheduling visits with Michigan State? Stay up to date here.
With the the regular signing period now open, the Michigan State football program is continuing to add to its 2026 roster. On Wednesday, the Spartans earned a pledge from class of 2026 preferred walk-on running back Cedric Williams Jr. MSU officially announced the addition of Williams on Wednesday. At MSU, Williams will play under head coach Pat Fitzgerald, offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan, running backs coach Devon Spalding and the rest of the new staff. The Detroit Catholic Central High School standout was offered a roster spot as a preferred walk-on by the Spartans on Jan. 28. He also received a PWO offer from the previous Michigan State regime under then-head coach Jonathan Smith.Williams had scholarship offers from Davenport and Saginaw Valley State at the Division II level. However, he has chosen to take a roster spot with the Spartans instead. "I think what ultimately made me want to be a Spartan was the coaching staff and the culture they want to build," Williams told Spartans Illustrated. "They value you both as a player and a person. Coach Spalding has really shown how great of a guy and coach he is over these past couple weeks and the relationship we’ve built was a big part of my decision."Spalding visited Detroit Catholic Central in January and quickly built a bond with Williams. It was clear to Williams that the Spartans truly wanted him as a part of the team. Williams last visited East Lansing during the 2025 football season. He plans to get back to Michigan State in the spring after the dead period on the recruiting calendar lifts. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Williams is coming off of an extremely productive senior season with the Shamrocks. In 2025, he rushed 190 times for 1,261 yards (6.6 yards per carry) and 13 touchdowns, and did not fumble a single time. Williams earned All-Region accolades and All-Catholic honors, and he was named to MLive's Catholic High School League Football Dream Team for offense.As a senior in 2025, Williams helped lead Detroit Catholic Central to a perfect 14-0 record, which culminated in a MHSAA Division 1 state championship for the Shamrocks. Williams will not be the only Shamrock to join Michigan States roster in 2026. Fellow DCC athletes Samson Gash (four-star wide receiver) and Luca Genrich (preferred walk-on cornerback) will also arrive to East Lansing as true freshmen for the upcoming season. Led by Spalding, MSU's running backs room in 2026 includes Cam Edwards, Marvis Parrish, Jaziun Patterson, Kenneth Williams, Brandon Tullis, Jace Clarizio, Zion Gist, Darrin Jones Jr. and Jaxon McCaig. Williams will look to compete and add depth to the group. Of note, Williams has recorded a 40-yard dash time of 4.55 seconds. Off of the field, Williams is strong academically, boasting a 3.7 grade point average.
The Big Ten Tournament (BTT) will start next Tuesday in Chicago. The final Tournament bracket will not be released until Sunday evening, but based on the total number of remaining Big Ten games, it is now possible to summarize all of the possible bracket configurations. I have crunched all of the numbers, and I will use this post to summarize the current landscape of the Big Ten Tournament bracket as things change. Also stayed tuned to our social media channel for the most up-to-date information.Update as of March 7 at 8 p.m.Wisconsin went into Purdue and handed the Boilermakers yet another home loss at Mackey Arena. About an hour later, Ohio State held serve at home and took case of Indiana.As a result, the number of remaining scenarios for the top 10 BTT seeds down to just 16. The table below shows the updated odds for the 16 possible remaining scenarios.Table 1: All 16 scenarios for the top 10 seeds in the Big Ten TournamentNote that Iowa has locked up the No. 9 seed.The possible first opponents for MSU from the No. 6 or No. 7 seed positions are down to Purdue, UCLA, Ohio State. Assuming there are no upsets on Thursday, UCLA is just a hair more likely than Purdue (45.3% to 44.6%) to be MSU's first opponent on Friday evening. There is also about a 10% chance that the Spartans end up on a collision course with Ohio State.Wisconsin is now locked into the No. 4 or more likely the No. 5 seed (95%). The Spartans can no longer face the Badgers until the final, assuming either team advances that far.For completeness, the 32 possible scenarios for the bottom portion of the bracket are shown below. This table has not changed in the last 24 hours.Table 1: All 32 scenarios for the bottom eight seeds in the Big Ten TournamentSeeds No. 11 and No. 14 are possible first opponents for Michigan State in the scenario where the Spartans are the No. 3 seed. Washington is the mostly likely No. 11 seed (61%) and Rutgers is the most likely No. 14 seed (86%). In the scenarios where Michigan State draws the No. 2 seed, Indiana is already locked in as the No. 10 seed. The Hoosiers would also be a possible Friday night opponent for the Spartans if there is an upset on Thursday.Overall, there are still 128 possible ways for the regular season to play out and 49 possible unique Big Ten Tournament configurations . If the favorites win all nine remaining games, which has odds of 14.3%, the figure below shows what the bracket would look like.
I have a bit of a confession to make.Back in December when I was reviewing the overall Big Ten schedule for the Michigan State Spartans, I noticed the back-to-back games at Purdue and at Indiana at the tail end of the conference campaign. The games were spaced just three days apart, and the Spartan have struggled noticeably in both buildings historically. Outside of possibly the west coast trip in January, this two-game stretch looked like the most challenging portion of the entire schedule. I believed that just getting a split in two games would be a success.The Spartans surprised both me and the college basketball world by rising to the challenge and winning both games. Other Big Ten teams were not as fortunate this weekend as both Purdue and Illinois picked up an additional loss.Table 1 below shows the updated enhanced Big Ten standings following the weekend's action.Table 1: Enhanced Big Ten standing as of March 2.Michigan's win over Illinois on Friday night means that the Wolverines are the outright regular season Big Ten Champions and will be the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Michigan State is currently tied with Nebraska for second place at 14-4 with two games remaining for both teams. The Spartans close out the season with Rutgers (+21.5, projected) and at Michigan (-9.5) while Nebraska is at UCLA (+3) and at home versus Iowa (+7.5).The fact that Illinois lost also moves the Fighting Illini one game behind the Spartans in the standings at 13-5. Illinois has two fairly easy games remaining against Oregon (+20) and at Maryland (+16).The Boilermakers' loss to Ohio State dropped Purdue into a tie with Wisconsin for fifth place at 12-6, two games behind Nebraska and Michigan State. Purdue has a game this week at Northwestern (+9) while Wisconsin hosts Maryland (+15). Then, Wisconsin plays at Purdue (-9.5) in the final regular season game. That means that either Purdue or Wisconsin will finish with at least seven losses. From a Michigan State point of view, this means that it is impossible for MSU to finish below fifth place (and the No. 5 seed in the Big Ten Tournament).Big Ten Tournament Seeding ScenariosBased on the information above, Michigan State will end up with anywhere from the No. 2 to the No. 5 seed in the Big Ten Tournament.Table 2 below shows the full set of odds for the conference.Table 2: Big Ten Tournament seeding odds as of March 2.Overall, MSU is highly likely to end up with the No. 3 seed (82% odds), but the No. 2 seed (16.5%) is also in play. The odds of the No. 4 seed (0.9%) and the No. 5 seed (0.3%) are exceedingly small.Figure 1 below gives a more detailed breakdown of the potential Big Ten Tournament seeds based on the Spartans' final conference record.Figure 1: Odds for Michigan State to earn each possible Big Ten Tournament seed based on MSU's final regular season record.The different potential paths for the Spartans are quite clear.If Michigan State beats both Rutgers and Michigan, the Spartans will get either the No. 2 or the No. 3 seed depending on how Nebraska finishes the regular season. Nebraska owns the head-to-head tiebreaker with MSU, so the Spartans will need to finish a game ahead of the Huskers in the final standings in order to move up to the No. 2 seed.In the scenario where MSU wins out, Nebraska would just need to drop one of the last two games in order for Michigan State to pass them and earn the No. 2 seed. As Figure 1 implies, the projected spreads give Nebraska a 47% chance to win both of the remaining games. If Michigan State splits the final two games, almost certainly by beating Rutgers and losing at Michigan, the Spartans would still earn either the No. 2 or No. 3 seed.In this scenario, the Cornhuskers would have to lose both of the remaining games in order for Michigan State to still pass them. As Figure 1 shows, this is far less likely with only a 9% chance.The most complicated scenario is also the one that is the least likely. In the disaster scenario where Michigan State closes on a two-game losing streak, the full range of seeds from the No. 2 seed to the No. 5 seed are on the table, with the No. 4 seed as the most likely landing spot (67%).In most cases, Michigan State would end up in a tie with some combination of teams including Illinois, Nebraska, Purdue, and Wisconsin at 14-6. The Spartans' final seed would depend on the exact combination of tied teams.The result of the Purdue/Wisconsin game would have the largest potential impact as MSU owns a tiebreaker with Purdue, but not with Wisconsin. A win by Purdue would generally help the Spartans' seeding.In this case, in order for the Spartans to drop to the No. 5 seed, Wisconsin would need to win out and force a tie with MSU. But, if Illinois were to also drop one game and force a three-way tie, Michigan State would jump the Fighting Illini and claim the No. 4 seed. Wisconsin would claim the No. 3 seed leaving Illinois with the No. 5 seed.A 14-6 MSU team could still claim the No. 3 seed in situations where there is a three-way tie between Michigan State, Illinois, and Purdue or between Michigan State, Purdue, and Nebraska. There is even a very unlikely scenario where Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue, and Nebraska all finish in a tie for second place at 14-6. In this case, MSU would claim the No. 2 seed thanks to a 2-1 record against the group of tied teams.Most Likely First Big Ten Opponent and BTT OddsRegardless of all the analysis above, the bottom line is that Michigan State is most likely to earn the No. 3 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Table 2 also implies that Wisconsin is the mostly team to earn the No. 6 seed.Taken together there is just below a 50% chance overall that the Spartans will get a chance to avenge the Friday the 13th loss to the Badgers in Madison on Friday evening in Chicago.But there are several other teams that could end up in Michigan State's Big Ten Tournament path. Purdue (10.6%) could slip to the No. 6 seed with a loss to Wisconsin in the regular season finale. UCLA (8%) is also a candidate at either the No. 6 or No. 7 seed position. Ohio State (4%) could also end up as a potential opponent if the Spartans land on the No. 2 seed.There is also the possibility of a Thursday upset that could push a No. 10 or No. 11 seed onto the Spartans' calendar. Indiana (7.6%) and Washington (7.4%) are the most likely teams in this group.No matter how the final bracket shakes out, the Spartans appear to be in a strong position to be a contender once the tournament is under way. Table 3 below gives the current overall odds for each team to advance and/or win the tournament.Table 3: Big Ten Tournament odds based on 100,000 simulations of the remaining Big Ten regular season.The number in the first column before each team is the projected seed if the projected favorite wins all remaining Big Ten games. However, the odds for each team to advance to each round are the overall odds from a collection of 100,000 simulations where various final brackets are considered.The Spartans currently have the second best odds (16.3%) behind only the prohibitive favorite Michigan Wolverines (48.6%). In general, the Big Ten Tournament odds will mirror projected spreads and metrics such as Kenpom efficiency margins. However, Michigan State is currently the fourth best Big Ten team in Kenpom (No. 9) behind No. 1 Michigan, No. 5 Illinois, and No. 8 Purdue.The fact that the Spartans currently have the second-best Big Ten Tournament odds speaks to the fact that the mostly likely draw is very advantageous for the Green and White. The most likely bracket currently has the top three Big Ten teams (according to Kenpom) seeded at No. 1, No. 4, and No. 5 - all on the same side of the bracket.Instead, Michigan State is grouped with Nebraska (No. 11 in Kenpom) and teams such as Wisconsin (No. 30) and Ohio State (No. 35). The Spartans can potentially avoid Michigan, Illinois, and Purdue until the final, on Sunday, if MSU is around that long.Another way to look at the odds for the Big Ten Tournament is that while Michigan has the best odds (48.6%), the pool of teams including Michigan State, Illinois, Purdue, and Nebraska together have almost identical odds (48.3%). There is about a 3% chance that a team outside of the current top five will emerge as the Big Ten Tournament Champion.Looking Forward to the MadnessThe Big Ten Tournament is a both a fun way to end the season and an opportunity to hang a banner and claim a championship. But it is also secondary in importance to both the regular season and the more important tournament to come.That said, the Big Ten Tournament does provide a final opportunity for teams to both polish their resumes or to stumble before the "real" postseason begins.Bracketology is far from an exact science, but my analysis suggests that the two wins in the state of Indiana has put the Spartans safely on the No. 3 seed line for the NCAA Tournament with a chance to move up to the No. 2 line with a strong finish. Even if Michigan State were to lose to Rutgers, Michigan, and then a team such as Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament, a No. 4 seed is likely as far as the Spartans would fall. A win over Rutgers on Thursday night would virtually lock Michigan State into at least a No. 3 seed in the Big Dance, mostly because there would be no more opportunities on the schedule to take a "bad loss."While the Spartans cannot catch the Wolverines overall, Michigan State does still have the opportunity to make a claim as the second-best Big Ten team with a strong showing in the Big Ten Tournament. A win over Nebraska on a neutral floor in the Big Ten semifinals coupled with loses by Purdue and Illinois earlier in the tournament would very likely result in a No. 2 seed for the Spartans in the Big Dance, possibly with preferred geographics placement (i.e. not out west, so either the East or South Region).While not very likely, I do believe that it is possible that the Spartans could still earn the final No. 1 seed in the South Region of the NCAA Tournament. In order for this to happen, Michigan State would need to run the table, including a win over Michigan in Ann Arbor as well as in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. In addition, teams such as Florida, UConn, Iowa State, and Houston would all likely need to stumble in the various conference tournaments.No matter where the Spartans land on Selection Sunday, signs are starting to point to another successful Tom Izzo March run. Figure 2 below give the updated Kenpom scatter plot which shows the current landscape of contenders for the National Title.Figure 2: Kenpom efficiency scatter plot.As a reminder, Figure 2 plots the defensive prowess of a given basketball team on the vertical y-axis against the offensive prowess on the horizontal x-axis. A team in the lower right-hand corner is good on offense, but weaker on defense. A team in the upper left-hand corner of the figure is good on defense, but weaker on offense. A team in the upper right-hand corner is good at both.Team who are good on both offense and defense are naturally contenders to win the National Championship. The shaded blue regions of the figure represent the efficiency profile of past national champions prior to the start of the NCAA Tournament. For most of the season, the Spartans have been one of approximately 10 teams that fits the profile of a potential NCAA Champion. MSU will almost certainly stay in the dark blue region on Selection Sunday.This means that if Michigan State can continue to play at its current level, the Spartans are absolutely a viable Final Four and championship contender along with Michigan, Duke, Arizona, Houston, Florida, Iowa State, and Nebraska.Figure 2 suggests that Gonzaga, Kansas, UConn, St. John's, and Tennessee are all fringe contenders due to slightly deficient defense. It should also be noted that Illinois, Purdue, Texas Tech, Vanderbilt, and Alabama all fail to make the list of likely title contenders due to problems on the defensive end.As for MSU's chances in the Big Dance, an initial simulation of a potentially realistic tournament bracket suggests that the Spartans have about a 65% chance to reach the Sweet 16, a 32% chance to reach the Regional Final, a 12% chance to reach the Final Four, and a 1-in-60 chance to win the National Title. These values are historically reasonable for a No. 3 seed.As for the rest of the field, while experts are already penciling in teams like Michigan, Duke, and Arizona into the Final Four, my analysis suggests that each team has only about a 50-50 chance to make it there. Odds are at least one of those three teams will not make it to Indianapolis.Furthermore, no team currently projects to have better than a 25% chance to win the national title. The current top three teams together have just over a 60% chance to cut down the nets in April.This implies that it is still a smart bet to take Michigan, Duke, or Arizona versus the remaining field. However, it also implies that there is plenty of opportunity for madness to take hold. After a relatively "chalky" tournament in 2025, perhaps we are due to see just a little bit of chaos.It is March, after all.Let the madness begin.
This is your one-stop shop for all the data that you never knew you needed to understand the Big Ten race and MSU's place in it.
Some initial thoughts on what Sheridan's offense might bring to MSU
The ins and outs of a critical, much needed win for the Spartans over the Eagles in double overtime.
Yet again, it wasn't a weekend full of highlights for Jake Boss Jr’s Michigan State squad, as the Spartans fell to 3-11 after a sweep from the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Spartans have only had one victory (Albany) since the opening Louisville series. The pitching totals were drastically different with MSU having a 6.42 ERA and 22 strikeouts compared to Nebraska's 2.38 ERA and 34 K’s. Nebraska: Power and PunchoutsThe Huskers' rotation lived up to its reputation for high-strikeout potential, totaling the aforementioned 34 strikeouts over the three games.Game 1: Extra InningsJunior Ty Horn set the tone on Friday, flashing a fastball that touched 96 mph. He turned in a "quality start," going 7.0 innings and allowing just one run while keeping the defense involved. Despite a late bullpen collapse by Kevin Mannell (who gave up the game-tying 3-run HR), J'Shawn Unger earned the win afteer escaping a 10th-inning jam. Michigan State looked to have stolen the momentum in th top of the 9th when Isaac Sturgess smashed a three-run home run to tie the game at 4-4. However, Nebraska’s Case Sanderson ended the night in the bottom of the 10th with a dramatic walk-off home run down the right-field line.Game 2: Pitching DominanceNebraska clinched the series win on Saturday behind a stellar start from Carson Jasa, who struck out nine batters in five innings. The Spartans struck first with a bases-loaded walk in the 4th, but the Huskers responded quickly.Jett Buck provided the insurance with a 376-foot solo blast in the 7th inning to secure the 3-1 victory. The 6-foot-7 sophomore right-hander was the definition of "effectively wild." Carson Jasa struck out 9 batters in just 5.0 innings. He faced significant trouble, including loading the bases in the 4th, but limited the damage to a single run.The Husker bullpen was perfect behind him, with Cooper Katskee moving from his usual starting role to secure a 2-inning save.Game 3: The Sunday RoutThe finale was all Nebraska from the start. Despite a solo homer by MSU’s Randy Seymour in the 1st, the Huskers exploded for 12 runs, including a 5-run first inning. Dylan Carey had a career day with two home runs, while sophomore right-hander Gavin Blachowicz tossed a 7-inning complete game, striking out a career-high 11 batters to trigger the run rule.Sophomore Gavin Blachowicz provided the most dominant performance of the weekend. After surrendering a leadoff homer, he retired 13 of the next 14 hitters. He finished with a career-high 11 strikeouts in a 7-inning complete game, showing elite command by only walking one batter. Grit vs. FatigueThe Spartans saw strong efforts from their front-line starters, but the depth of the staff was tested as the weekend progressed.Aidan Donovan (Friday): Donovan matched Ty Horn pitch-for-pitch for much of the opener. He threw 6.0 innings, scattering eight hits but yielding only two runs. He kept MSU in the game without issuing a single walk, a rare feat against a disciplined Nebraska lineup.Carter Monke (Saturday): The graduate transfer from Illinois State continued his strong season, pitching 4.2 innings and allowing only one earned run. He left the game with the score close, but was ultimately tagged with the loss as the offense failed to provide support.The Sunday Collapse: Junior Logan Pikur struggled to find the zone, lasting only one inning after being ambushed for 5 runs on 5 hits. The bullpen, including freshmen Kyle Rudolph and Bobby Crane, was forced into long relief early, leading to the run-rule finish.The Spartans will face Eastern Michigan (4-12) Tuesday afternoon and head to Rutgers (8-6) for a weekend series.The current Big Ten standings: USC, UCLA, Nebraska, Oregon, Washington, Indiana, Purdue, Iowa, Minnesota, Rutgers, Maryland, Michigan, Northwestern, Penn State, Illinois, Michigan State, and Ohio State.
After taking down No. 8 Louisville, MSU faces another national test against a talent-loaded Longhorn roster
Michigan State is dancing for a third-straight season under head coach Robyn Fralick, earning the No. 5 seed in the Sacramento regional. The Spartans will face No. 12 Colorado State on Friday in Norman, Okla. It marks MSU's highest seed in the NCAA since earning the No. 4 seed in 2016.The Spartans (22-8 overall, 11-7 in Big Ten play) and Rams (27-7 overall, 15-5 in Mountain West action) have met just once before. That non-conference regular season matchup was a 72-45 victory for MSU in Cancun, Mexico on Dec. 20, 2011.For the Rams, a familiar face leads CSU in scoring in senior guard Lexus Bargesser who hails from Grass Lake, Mich. and played at Indiana for the past three seasons before transferring out to Fort Collins. Bargesser is averaging 15.2 points per game and is second on the boards for the team with 5.8 rebounds per game. She is second in assists (90) and in steals (43).Sophomore guard Brooke Carlson is second in scoring with 11.3 ppg while leading the team in assists (105) and steals (46). Fellow sophomore guard Kloe Froebe is the final Ram averaging double figures in scoring with 10.7 ppg alongside the team high in rebounds, 6.8 per game. Senior guard Hannah Ronsiek adds 5.3 rpg alongside the team high in takeaways (53 steals).While MSU had its best start in 15 years this season, opening the year 17-1, closing out the season against tougher competition results in a 3-6 finish that included bowing out to Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament last week. That resulted in the Spartans slipping from a top-4 seed that would have meant they hosted the first two rounds at the Breslin Center and instead will have to travel to Oklahoma now as the Sooners are the host.The winner of Friday's matchup between MSU and CSU will face the winner of No. 4 seed Oklahoma and No. 13 seed Idaho.The Spartans sit in the bracket with No. 1 seed South Carolina who will face the winner of No. 16 seed Southern University vs. No. 16 Samford who face off in the first four matchup. The Gamecocks being likely to advance will face No. 8 Clemson or No. 9 USC. Elsewhere, No. 6 Washington will face No. 11 South Dakota State with the winner of that matchup facing No. 3 TCU or No. 14 UC San Diego.No. 7 Georgia will play the winner of No. 10 Virginia vs. No. 10 Arizona State in another first four matchup. Awaiting that winner in the second round will be No. 2 Iowa or No. 15 Farleigh Dickinson.
The 18th-ranked Michigan State women’s basketball team has officially made its mark on the conference. Following another strong regular season under head coach Robyn Fralick, the Big Ten announced its 2025–2026 postseason honors on Tuesday, March 3, with three Spartans earning prestigious spots on the all-conference lists. Led by a blend of veteran consistency and breakout talent, the Spartans secured a 22–7 overall record (11–7 in the Big Ten), earning them the No. 7 seed in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament.The Headliners: Second-Team All-Big TenThe Spartans' offensive engine was recognized by both the coaches and the media, as senior forward Grace VanSlooten and redshirt sophomore guard Kennedy Blair both landed on the All-Big Ten second-team.Grace VanSlooten (Senior, forward)VanSlooten has been the bedrock of the MSU front-court since transferring from Oregon. For the second consecutive year, she has earned All-Big Ten honors, leading the team in scoring with 15.1 points per game in 2025-2026.Rank: 16th in the Big Ten in scoring.Legacy: She has started every game this season and eclipsed 850 points in her two seasons at MSU.Kennedy Blair (Redshirt sophomore, guard)If there were a "Most Improved" category, Blair would be the unanimous choice. After averaging just 8.9 minutes per game during the 2024-2025 campaign, she exploded into a versatile triple-threat this year.Stat Line: 13.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 5.4 APG and 2.4 SPG.Conference Standing: She ranks second in the Big Ten in steals and fifth in assists, cementing her status as one of the premier all-around guards in the country.Defensive Lockdown: Rashunda "Spider" JonesJunior guard Rashunda Jones was named to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team. Known by her teammates as "Spider" for her length and quickness, the transfer from Purdue has been a nightmare for opposing ball-handlers.Impact: She is the first Spartan to make the All-Defensive team since Aerial Powers in 2014-2015.Stats: Averaging 2.1 steals per game, ranking fifth in the conference. Offensively, Jones averages 12.0 points per game.Status: Despite a late-season lower leg injury, she is expected to be a vital factor in the postseason.Sportsmanship and Team SuccessThe honors didn't stop with the stat sheet. Senior guard Emma Shumate was named Michigan State’s representative for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, recognized for her leadership and character on and off the court.What’s Next: The Big Ten TournamentWith the individual hardware secured, the Spartans now shift their focus to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Tournament. As the No. 7 seed, Michigan State is slated to play on Thursday, March 5, at 6:30 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network. MSU will face the winner of the opening-round matchup between No. 10 Illinois and No. 15 Wisconsin.A deep run in Indy could help MSU secure a top-16 seed in the NCAA Tournament, which would allow the Spartans to host the first two rounds at the Breslin Center.
MSU is preparing a major redevelopment of its athletic corridor that could turn surface parking and open space into a new mixed-use district
The Spartans are set to make their third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
Michigan State maintains its nation's leading active tournament streak with a No. 3 seed Sunday, marking 28-straight NCAA Tournament appearances dating back to 1998.
Let's take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly in MSU's loss to UCLA
