7. Michigan State (17-2)
No matter how you slice it, Michigan State in the midst of an impressive season, and it’s even more impressive when you consider how this program has underwhelmed in recent years. Tom Izzo has found the right group of athletes, playing a deep rotation and getting business done in the Big Ten this season. Riding a considerable winning streak since the holiday season, the Spartans just kept that up this week.
We saw them in action back on Sunday, holding on for an 80-78 home win over a talented Illinois crew. Tre Holloman led with 17 points as the Spartans did just enough to get another ranked win. This team then headed to Madison Square Garden for a Saturday faceoff with Rutgers and prevailed 81-74 away from home. Jase Richardson had 20 points off the bench while Coen Carr had 14 points and 8 rebounds in another balanced attack from the Spartans.
Michigan State isn’t going to beat you with long-range shooting or shutdown defense, but they make the important plays throughout the game and aren’t 8-0 in the Big Ten by any accident. This current 12-game winning streak has shown that the Spartans can win games in different ways, depending on any player in that deep rotation. They’ll look to keep that flawless conference record intact, though next weekend starts their West Coast road trip.