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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: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans huddles with his team during the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Breslin Center on March 9, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – MARCH 09: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans huddles with his team during the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Breslin Center on March 9, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Michigan State Deserves that last #1 Seed

Even though there are legitimate reasons on why Gonzaga should not be a #1 seed such as lack of quadrant 1 and 2 wins, absences of true road victories over quality opponents, not winning their conference tournament, and playing in a weak conference, the Bulldogs will be a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament.  There are also strong arguments that Virginia and Duke should be #1 seeds as well but Michigan State should get the last #1 seed over North Carolina and Kentucky.

In comparing common opponents, North Carolina has played Texas on a neutral court, Louisville home, away, and neutral court, at Michigan, at home vs. Tennessee Tech, and on the neutral court vs. UCLA. North Carolina is 4-3 in those games. Michigan State is 5-1 against those same opponents.  There is no denying North Carolina has some quality wins but Michigan State should get the last #1 seed over the Tar Heels. Lastly, the Spartans have also made it to the finals of the Big Ten Tournament as North Carolina lost in the semi-finals of the ACC tournament.

Comparing Kentucky and Michigan State Basketball is more complicated. Both schools have beat Florida and they have very few common opponents. Both teams have bad losses as well as Kentucky has losses versus Seton Hall and Alabama and Michigan State has bad losses over Indiana and Illinois. What separates the Wildcats and Spartans is that Kentucky did not win their conference and Michigan State did. Not only is Michigan State regular season conference champions and Kentucky isn’t, the Big Ten by far is a better conference than the Southeastern conference. The SEC has four quality teams and that is it.  The Spartans deserve the #1 seed in the South region over the Wildcats.

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The biggest difference is that to be a #1 seed and not win your conferences regular season title and not make it to your conference tournament final is unjustified. Michigan State were Big Ten regular season champions and made it to their conference tournament finals game. The Spartans deserves that last #1 seed over North Carolina and Kentucky.

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