18. Michigan State Spartans - 10-2
Entering the season, there wasn’t a ton of hype with the Spartans. They did have a competitive performance in a close loss to No. 1 Kansas in the Champions Classic, but the week in the Maui Invitational earned respect. They won over Colorado and UNC, and they lost to Memphis.
But that and Kansas are the only losses to this point. They’re 2-0 in Big Ten play, dominating Minnesota and Nebraska by 18+ points each. Outside of an 8-point win over Samford, the Spartans have handled the rest of the buy-game opponents.
Jaden Akins, the one returning starter from last season, leads them with 13.3 ppg. He’s the lone double-digit scorer on the team, but there’s plenty of depth behind him, with seven others averaging between 6.8-9.9 ppg. Freshman guard Jase Richardson (9.5 ppg) is one of the most efficient players in all of NCAA Basketball, shooting 61% from the field and 55% from deep. And while none of the frontcourt players are all-league performers, Jaxon Kohler (8.7 ppg and 8.8 rpg) has stood out in the non-con.
After a home game with Western Michigan on Monday, Michigan State has Ohio State and Washington next up in Big Ten play. With a 2-0 start, the Spartans have a chance to cement itself as a genuine top-tier threat in the conference.