Big Ten clinching scenarios: How Michigan and Michigan State can win regular season title

With the Big Ten regular season reaching a close in the coming week, both Michigan and Michigan State have a chance at the outright crown and No. 1 seed in the Big Ten tournament. That includes one final regular season meeting, which is essentially a must-win game for the Wolverines if they hope to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten tournament.

Michigan and Michigan State have nearly identical records in conference. Both teams are 14-3 in the Big Ten, 13-1 at home and 7-2 on the road in all regular season contests. The main differentiator between these two teams is the one game played between them, which occurred on Feb. 21, with the Spartans pulling out an impressive road victory over the rival Wolverines in Ann Arbor. Michigan has the chance to return the favor next Saturday, but a lot could happen before then.

For example, both of these teams play on Sunday. Michigan faces off against Illinois at the Crisler Center, while Michigan State hosts the No. 11-ranked Wisconsin Badgers in East Lansing.

Michigan State clinching scenarios: How Spartans can win the Big Ten

The Michigan State Spartans face two ranked opponents in their final three games, but both of those games come at home. If the Spartans pass a tough test against Wisconsin on Sunday, then their toughest remaining game will be against Michigan in East Lansing. The Spartans skated by at Maryland earlier this week thanks to a memorable buzzer beater by Tre Holloman.

As great as that moment was in what's been a memorable season for the Spartans, Tom Izzo has been around the block a few times and had a warning for his team in the aftermath:

"Look, that was a lucky shot. But nobody can say we didn't deserve to win this game," Izzo told Big Ten Network's Andy Katz after the buzzer sounded. "We made some bad mistakes. Give them credit. We threw the ball away a little bit and everything, but we deserved to win this game. To come into this place...I'm so proud of my guys. And Tre made the big turnover and he made the lucky shot. But we deserved to win, I'm not taking that as a lucky shot."

MSU may not get so lucky against Wisconsin or in their rematch vs Michigan.

Michigan clinching scenarios: How Wolverines can win the Big Ten

The Wolverines path to a Big Ten crown is a bit more complicated. First, as things currently stand, they will need a win over rival Michigan State in East Lansing. If they lose that game, they lose the head-to-head, which is a vital tiebreaker. Second, they need to take care of business in their two remaining home games against Illinois on Sunday and then a ranked Maryland team that nearly knocked off their cross-state rival earlier this week.

Michigan was the benefactor of a buzzer beater of their own against Rutgers just a few days ago, and the Scarlet Knights are nowhere near the team Maryland is. Nimari Burnett's efforts will surely go down in Michigan lore, but much like the Spartans, the Wolverines should take this moment as a wake-up call.

Michigan can technically win the Big Ten without a victory over the Spartans next Saturday, but that would require one heck of a collapse by the Spartans over the next two games. I wouldn't count on that, especially after what Izzo said earlier this week.