Back atop Big Ten standings, Michigan State basketball knows path to title won’t be easy

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After the Crisler Center crowd filtered toward the exits early, after the celebration on the court ended and as the locker room jubilation reached its denouement before the glow of the bus ride home, perspective began to settle in for Michigan State basketball.

Yes, Friday night’s 75-62 win at No. 12 Michigan was exhilarating. Yes, it put the 13th-ranked Spartans back atop the Big Ten standings.

But by no means, players urged each other and those who’d listen, does this finish the job.

“We just knew that we had to come in and win the game, honestly,” freshman Jase Richardson said after his 21-point, six-rebound masterclass. “We still got four really tough games that we gotta finish the season out with.”

Michigan State’s Tre Holloman (5) celebrates after his team scores a basket against Michigan’s defense during the second half of their matchup at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025.

RELATED: Couch: Win at Michigan caps week in which MSU basketball proved it has what it takes to be dangerous in March

MSU’s third win in six days — against fellow contenders Illinois, Purdue and U-M — reasserted its presence and re-established its position leading the chase for what would be Tom Izzo’s Big Ten record-tying 11th regular season title.

“One game at a time, man. One game at a time,” junior Tre Holloman said.

With the Boilermakers’ shocking second-half road collapse Sunday at Indiana — their fourth straight loss — ending their hope for a third consecutive conference crown, the contenders, pretenders and spoilers are further crystalized for the final two weeks, with no breaks in the Spartans’ remaining schedule if they hope to win at least a share of the Big Ten title for the first time since 2020.

Here is an overview of what remains for MSU and other top teams ahead of the first 15-team Big Ten tournament, which starts March 12 in Indianapolis.

Contenders

Michigan’s Danny Wolf (1) attempts to catch a rebound as Michigan State’s Coen…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/back-atop-big-ten-standings-122327351.html

Author : Lansing State Journal

Publish date : 2025-02-24 12:23:00

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