Michigan State basketball 11th latest USA Today coaches poll

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Two straight road losses in California, followed by a resounding comeback win xxxxx Michigan State basketball in this week’s USA Today coaches poll.

The Spartans dropped two spots to No. 11 in this week’s rankings after checking in last week at No. 9.

MSU (19-4, 10-2 Big Ten) opened last week with a 63-61 loss at Tuesday night at red-hot UCLA, which now has won seven straight but is still unranked. The Spartans then rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit with a dominant second half Saturday afternoon at Breslin Center, pulling away from Oregon, 86-74.

Michigan State’s Tre Holloman, left, celebrates after making a 3-pointer against Oregon during the second half on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, at the Breslin Center East Lansing.

Four Southeastern Conference schools are at the top of the poll with Alabama No. 1. Four other Big Ten teams (No. 7 Purdue, No. 15 Wisconsin, No. 17 Michigan and No. 25 Maryland).

The win over the Ducks pulled Tom Izzo into a tie with Bob Knight for the Big Ten record of 353 conference. MSU’s 30th-year coach can break the record Tuesday the Spartans host Knight’s former program, Indiana, at Breslin (9 p.m./streaming on Peacock). The Hoosiers (14-10, 5-8) have lost five straight games, and coach Mike Woodson announced late last week that he will leave the program after this season.

Another pivotal game in the Big Ten title chase comes later this week, when MSU travels to Champaign for a rematch with Illinois (16-8, 8-6). That game is an 8 p.m. tipoff at State Farm Center (Fox). The Spartans won the first meeting with the Illini, 80-78, on Jan. 19 in East Lansing.

Izzo owns 10 regular-season Big Ten titles, one behind the record shared by Knight and former Purdue coach Ward “Piggy” Lambert.

Contact Chris Solari: [email protected]. Follow him @chrissolari.

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/michigan-state-basketball-11th-latest-193513262.html

Author : Detroit Free Press

Publish date : 2025-02-10 19:35:00

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