Ad Disclosure
Michigan State back in the national championship picture after beating Penn State, one analyst believes
Published:
The basketball season has been a roller coaster for Michigan State. But in the most important month of the season, the Spartans seem to have things figured out.
Michigan State got an important 79-71 victory over Penn State on the road on Tuesday night, improving the team’s record to 13-6 in B1G play. With Maryland’s loss to Rutgers, the Spartans are now tied atop the conference standings with one game remaining on the year.
It was Michigan State’s fourth-straight win.
Considering the current winning streak and another impressive road victory over one of the top teams in the B1G, ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg is ready to put Tom Izzo’s bunch back in the national championship conversation. The Spartans are playing as well as anyone right now.
“At this moment in time against this field, they can win a national championship,” Greenberg said on SportsCenter. “I say that because…looking at their team you know what Cassius Winston is going to do. He’s going to own the tempo and the rhythm of the game. We know what Xavier Tillman is going to do. He’s an incredible defender, runs the floor and gets to the offensive glass. What they’ve been missing is complimentary players. Well, Aaron Henry and Rocket Watts over the last four wins, they’re averaging 14 points per game. They’re defending, they’re rebounding. The job Watts did at Maryland last weekend was absolutely incredible.”
Michigan State opened the year as the No. 1 team in the country and was the favorite to take home this year’s national title. But the Spartans battled through plenty of ups and downs, and even fell out of the Associated Press top 25 at one point during the year.
Izzo seems to have things figured out, and Michigan State has been playing as well as it has all season long. It couldn’t be coming at a better time.
The Spartans close out the season with a home game against Ohio State on Sunday. A win guarantees MSU will have at least a share of the B1G regular season title.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB