Michigan State has gone from the top tier of the AP Top 25 poll to desperately trying to bolster a shaky NCAA Tournament resume.
The Spartans helped themselves in the past week, beating fifth-ranked Illinois on Tuesday and No. 4 Ohio State two days later.
Throw in the previous weekend’s win at Indiana, and the Spartans earned three Quadrant 1 wins – headliners on any tournament resume – after having one all season. “We’re not safe in anything yet,” coach Tom Izzo said after Ohio State win. “We haven’t accomplished anything yet.
But we did accomplish that we can get up off the mat. Now, can we sustain being off the mat?” To Izzo's point, the Spartans missed a chance to help themselves even more with Sunday’s 73-55 loss at Maryland, which