Big Ten Basketball power rankings: Can anyone take Maryland off the No. 1 spot?
By Ryan Kay
2. Michigan State 20-9 (12-6)
Best Non-Conference Win
*On the road, defeated Seton Hall 76-73 in the Gavitt Tipoff Games.
Key Big Ten Victories
*Swept the Fighting Illini and beat Illinois by a score of 76-56 at home.
*Beat Rutgers, Michigan, Iowa, and Wisconsin at home.
*Swept Minnesota and defeated the Golden Gophers 70-52 on the road.
*On the road, defeated Maryland by a score of 78-66.
Disappointing Losses in Big Ten play
*Lost on the road to Purdue by a score of 71-42.
*Lost at home to Penn State, 75-70.
*Lost on the road to Michigan, 77-68.
Last Week’s Big Ten Power Ranking: 4 (Up two spots)
Ken Pom Ranking: 7
Net Ranking: 13
Michigan State like Illinois has won three straight games with two of them being on the road and two of them being against top 20 ranked opponents. Their most impressive recent victory was a 12 point road victory over Maryland which keeps Spartans hopes alive of winning a third straight Big Ten regular season title. Michigan State has two more games left and they look like a team on a mission.
When the Spartans lost at home to Penn State and Maryland, it legitimately appeared to become a two-way race between the Terrapins and the Nittany Lions. Previously, the Spartans had lost at Indiana and at Wisconsin and at that time, they still controlled their own destiny in the Big Ten. Fast forward to the 1st of March and the Spartans are solely in 2nd place and one game behind Big Ten leading Maryland. If Michigan State wins one of their last two games, they will secure a double-bye in the Big Ten tournament as a 2, 3, or 4 seed.
Cassius Winston, Xavier Tillman, Aaron Henry, and company were struggling offensively at times during the early weeks of February. However, fast forward to the end of February and the Spartans offense has been able to put up points. Outside of Winston and maybe Tillman, Michigan State had struggled to score when it mattered in the final minutes of the game. Then bright spots on offense began to shine through as the recent play of true freshmen Rocket Watts has re-energized the Spartan offense.
The encouraging news now is that the Spartans have a relatively healthy Kyle Ahrens now who is a fifth-year senior, Gabe Brown who is a rising young offensive three-point specialist has been better of late offensively as well as Henry who has been more consistent with the offense side of the ball. Watts who has a lot of potential, still makes the Spartans a very deep team and his defense is superb in Big Ten play. Entering March, you are seeing the Spartan offense continue to get better at the end of games which earlier had cost them home losses to Penn State and Maryland.
If you look at all of those factors, you should not be surprised by the fact that the Spartans are a team on the rise in the Big Ten and still have a legit chance to win the Big Ten. Tom Izzo has talked specifically about the close losses two weeks ago and he has to be very pleased that his team has learned so much from those losses in early February. The Spartans do have two games left on the schedule to end the regular season but they can win both to possibly claim the Big Ten regular season title for the third straight year.
Izzo, Winston and the rest of the team are still wanting more and wanting to enter the NCAA tournament with hopes of making another Final Four run. Remember, the Spartans are back to back Big Ten regular-season champions as well as reigning Big Ten Tournament champions. They are ranked in the top 13 of both the Net and Kempom rankings and should get a good seed in the NCAA tournament. The Spartans next travel to play Penn State on Mar. 3rd.