CBB: Michigan State at a crossroads as Big Ten play ramps up

Will the real Michigan State Spartans men’s basketball team please stand up?

The Spartans started the season ranked No. 4 in the nation, struggled from the jump, but then looked like a national title contender in a beatdown of Baylor at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. That started a five-game win streak.

But after losing - badly - to Northwestern Sunday night, the Spartans are 9-6, way back in the Big 10. 

Michigan sports bettors can wager on the Spartans for every game left on their Big 10 schedule. DraftKings Sportsbook has future bets available on the winner of the NCAA Tournament and who will win the Big 10. Caesars has game props for each Spartans contest.

As the season hits the halfway mark, is there reason to be worried about the Spartans NCAA Tournament streak?

The Spartans just haven’t played the style of defense that fans have grown used to with Izzo at the helm. Michigan State is middle of the pack in any defensive rating. While they are unselfish with the ball on offense, they have only shot better than 50 percent from the floor in five games. They are poor at shooting the 3.

Throw in the fact that a heralded freshman class has underperformed and, it’s not good. Plus, the schedule is brutal - of course - State has 16 conference games left, including a trip to No. 1 Purdue.

On the flip side, you can look at Michigan State and say, yes, they were overrated, but they’ve also played an extremely difficult non-conference schedule. They played Duke, Arizona and Baylor. They lost to Duke and Arizona, but clobbered then No. 6 Baylor.

Right now, they seem like a team that’s better at home then on the road, but they have plenty of experience. Tyson Walker and Malik Hall have played well. AJ Hoggard has shown some flashes. None of the State big men have performed, but there’s still time.

Big Ten basketball is hot gyms, cold nights and tough rivalries. It’s Izzo basketball. Plus, you know if Michigan State can get close to 20 wins, or the top half of the Big 10, the committee will let them in.

It’s not going to be easy. Michigan State is in a four-way tie at the bottom of the Big 10. There are a lot of teams they have to pass. They’re going to need win games at home, where they hopefully shoot better, and try to spring an upset on the road somewhere.

Beating Purdue would be huge, of course, so would beating Illinois. Those type of quality victories are ones that the NCAA Tournament committee traditionally give weight to. It’s way too early to say this, but right now, Michigan State is firmly on the bubble.