Michigan State Wins the Big Ten
After a 68-63 win against Wisconsin Sunday afternoon, No. 2 Michigan State wins the Big Ten and secured the title as stand-alone champions. This is Tom Izzo’s eighth time winning the Big Ten, shared or not, and first time winning it outright since 2009.
Finishing the regular season on a 12 game winning streak, the Spartans are 27-3 overall this season and 16-3 in the Big Ten, giving them the most wins of any team. Following a win in their final home game Feb. 20 against Illinois, they raised the Big Ten Champions banner after securing at least a share of the title.
Looking Ahead to the Tournament
The Big Ten Tournament will take place Feb. 28 through March 4 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Since winning against Wisconsin, the Spartans have officially secured the No. 1 seed and will begin tournament play Friday, March 2 at noon. They will play the winner of the No. 8 Maryland versus No. 9 Wisconsin game.
Izzo said after the down-to-the-wire win against Purdue that he believed the Spartans still had not reached their ceiling. After their win against Illinois, he made it clear once again that he sees more potential.
“I’d like to win one outright, and I’d like to really compete in that Big Ten tournament, but probably as much as anything, we need to get a little better,” Izzo said after the team’s win against Illinois. “We need to be a little more consistent from one half to another.”
Regardless of how the Big Ten Tournament ends, the Spartans have said they have bigger goals. A big reason as to why sophomore Miles Bridges decided to stay another year.
Bridges reiterated this after his last game in East Lansing this season.
“We’re not done yet.”
Selection Sunday will be March 11 at 6 p.m. EST on TBS.
Main Photo:
EAST LANSING, MI – DECEMBER 29: Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo chats with guard Miles Bridges (22) during a college basketball game between Michigan State and Cleveland State on December 29, 2017, at the Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing, MI. (Photo by Adam Ruff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
