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Michigan State Basketball: Why Spartans deserve a No. 1 seed for the Big Dance

By Ryan Kay

COLUMBUS, OH - JANUARY 5: Head Coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans shouts instructions to his team in the first half against the Ohio State Buckeyes on January 5, 2019 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - JANUARY 5: Head Coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans shouts instructions to his team in the first half against the Ohio State Buckeyes on January 5, 2019 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – MARCH 09: Matt McQuaid #20 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates with Cassius Winston #5 after defeating the Michigan Wolverines 75-63 at Breslin Center on March 9, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – MARCH 09: Matt McQuaid #20 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates with Cassius Winston #5 after defeating the Michigan Wolverines 75-63 at Breslin Center on March 9, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Quadrant 1 Wins and more

Michigan State has 12 quadrant 1 wins and that total can get higher as the Spartans main competitor for the most quadrant 1 wins Virginia, lost in the ACC Tournament semi-finals and can no longer increase their quadrant 1 win total. Quadrant 1 wins doesn’t tell the whole story though.

If you combine the total of quadrant 1 and 2 opponents that the teams competing for a #1 seed have played, Michigan State Basketball has faced the most combined quadrant 1 and 2 opponents. Michigan State has face 25 opponents who are quadrant 1 or 2. Virginia has faced 20, Gonzaga has only played 13, Kentucky has faced 23, and North Carolina has played 23, and Duke has faced 23 as well.

Strength of schedule is important to the NCAA tournament selection committee and seeing that no team being considered for a #1 seed has lost to any quadrant 3 or 4 teams, the committee should look at Michigan State’s strength of schedule and quadrant 1 wins when determining seeding for the NCAA tournament.

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