No. 8 Michigan State didn't take their foot off the gas after securing the Big Ten regular-season championship outright with a win over Iowa. They welcomed longtime conference rival No. 17 Michigan to East Lansing with open arms, sending the Wolverines home with a blowout loss.
The Spartans have dominated league play in 2024-25, punctuated by their 79-62 victory over Michigan. But Michigan State ostensibly has bigger fish to fry: A No. 1 seed in this year's NCAA tournament.
Auburn and Duke are firmly positioned to finish on the top line when Selection Sunday comes and goes, leaving two spots remaining. Alabama, Tennessee, Houston and Florida have been the four schools in the mix, though Michigan State has given themselves a puncher's chance. However, head coach Tom Izzo and the Spartans will ostensibly need some help between now and then to merit serious consideration from the committee.
What do Michigan State Spartans need to become a No. 1 seed
First and foremost, the Spartans must handle their business and win the Big Ten tourney. They have no margin for error, considering they're trying to bolster their résumé and close the gap on the mentioned high-powered programs.
Synchronously, the Spartans will be scoreboard-watching and rooting for Alabama, Houston, Florida and Tennessee to suffer early-round losses in their respective league brackets. It's not fun knowing Michigan State doesn't control its destiny, but that's the lay of the land.
Through Mar. 8, Michigan State was 11th in the national NET rankings, trailing teams like Texas Tech, Gonzaga and Iowa State. They weren't even first among Big Ten squads; Maryland was. The Spartans are No. 9 at KenPom, again looking up the Red Raiders and Bulldogs.
Moreover, Michigan State was 12th in the country in ESPN's Basketball Power Index (BPI) heading into their clash with Michigan. Want to guess some notable teams ahead of them? That's right: Texas Tech, Gonzaga and Iowa State. But interestingly enough, Arizona and Kansas also outpaced the Spartans in that department.
Based on some important metrics, the Spartans are keeping fine but not great company. There appears to be a clear hierarchy forming. Auburn and Duke are in a class of their own and Tennessee, Houston, Florida and Alabama round out the B-tier. Meanwhile, Michigan State, Texas Tech, Iowa State and Gonzaga are a distant third.
But Michigan State has something working in their favor, only top-ranked Auburn has more Quad 1 wins (12). The Spartans have thrived against high-level competition, which shouldn't be overlooked. That, combined with a double Big Ten crown, would give them a shot at claiming a No. 1 seed.