NCAA Basketball Power Rankings: Illinois rises, Dayton keeps impressing

Michigan State splits its road trip during this past week with a loss to Indiana followed by a win over Minnesota. It’s hard to fault the Spartans too much for that as winning away-from-home in the Big Ten is extremely challenging. Michigan State still sits in a tie atop the league standings right now and that is exactly where many would expect it to be.

Head coach Tom Izzo’s team still has some work to do before emerging as a legitimate contender for the national title but they are creeping closer to reaching that potential.

Cassius Winston is the clear-cut star of this squad but his supporting cast is bringing forth more contributions. Xavier Tillman, most notably, has been excellent throughout this season and posted a strong all-around performance of 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists in the road win over Minnesota.

Rocket Watts is also coming into his own a bit more by scoring in double-figures in three of MSU’s last four games. The freshman guard could be the key to taking the team to the next level if his efficiency and consistency continue to improve.

Michigan State, in my opinion, is one of the teams in my rankings that I believe could easily warrant a higher slot. The Spartans are one of the best teams in the Big Ten and I wouldn’t be upset with anyone putting them in the Top 10. The talent and coaching is there for that to be a reasonable conclusion.