Michigan State Basketball: Are Spartans trending upward or downward as a program?
By Ryan Kay
2021-22 Season
Michigan State’s 2021-2022 season was expected to be a rebound year for the Spartans after a disappointing 2020-2021 season in which they finished with a 15-13.
The Spartans had a solid non-conference season, going 10-2 with their only losses coming against No. 2 Baylor and No. 6 Kansas. They had notable wins over Loyola Chicago and UConn.
In the Big Ten conference, Michigan State had a mixed bag of results. They started off strong with wins over Northwestern and Nebraska but then lost four of their next five games, including losses to Rutgers, Wisconsin, and Penn State. They bounced back with some wins down the stretch and they finished the regular season with a 20-11 overall record and an 11-9 record in conference regular season play.
Season Accomplishments
Spartans won some notable non-conference games: They had a 21-point road victory against Butler, and they defeated Loyola Chicago and UConn in the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament. The Spartans also had home victories against Louisville and Toledo as well.
Undefeated in the month of December: Michigan State won all of their six games in the month of December that included two Big Ten conference victories.
Michigan State had an impressive start to the season: The Spartans won 12 of their first 14 games of the season to get them a No. 10 national ranking.
Big Ten play in January: the Spartans went 5-2 in the month of January including victories over Big Ten rivals Wisconsin and Michigan.
Big win against the Boilermakers: Michigan State defeated No. 4, Purdue, and the win was very important because they had lost three straight and five of six entering this game against the Boilermakers.
Season Outcome
The Spartans ended Big Ten regular season conference play in a tie for 7th place. In the Big Ten Tournament, Michigan State won its opening game against Maryland by ten and then defeated Wisconsin in the quarterfinals. The Spartans lost to Purdue in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament. The Spartans earned a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament and they won their first game in the first round against Davidson. They would end up playing Duke close in the second round but they lost in a relatively close game.
Overall, Michigan State’s 2021-2022 season was a mixed bag with some notable wins and some disappointing losses. They had hoped to make a run in the NCAA Tournament but they fell short of that goal.