Bracketology 2024: Gonzaga, Michigan State and Nevada among week's biggest winners

There were several teams in a "must win" situation when it came to Bracketology, with limited opportunities left in the regular season to improve one's resume. With their backs against the wall, several teams were able to do what was needed to keep their postseason hopes alive, including a couple with a couple of 20+ year streaks on the line.

Here's a list of the 10 biggest Bracketology winners of the week.

Michigan State Spartans

The Spartans had an okay resume to this point but after losing to Minnesota on the road earlier in the week, the overall losses were starting to pile up. And entering the weekend, they had three games left against NCAA Tournament teams, including a road game at Purdue.

That made the home battle with Illinois so important, as it was their last realistic opportunity for a big signature win. And to the Spartans huge credit, they found a way to win, 88-80. AJ Hoggard had 23 points and five assists, while Malik Hall went for 22.

Illinois joins Baylor as the signature wins for Michigan State, who is now 3-7 against Quad 1 opponents. That's not the greatest mark but they don't have any other issues with their
resume, including a NET ranking in the top-20 range.

Now, Michigan State simply needs to avoid taking any damage to its resume in the next week. They're on the road for the next two games, taking on Penn State and rival Michigan. A 2-0 sweep could all but lock them in to the NCAA Tournament field.