The last time Michigan State won the Big Ten Tournament, their season ended with Mateen Cleaves dancing on the floor in Indianapolis as MSU won their 2nd national title in school history. Tom Izzo and company are hoping that history repeats itself this season, as MSU beat Ohio State to win the Big Ten tournament and was subsequently named the top seed in the West Region of this year’s NCAA tournament. Adreian Payne would like you to know how excited he is about this.
MSU will be greeted by one of the tournament’s toughest regions. Missouri and Marquette, the respective #2 and #3 seeds in the West, are no tough out, and #4 Louisville just won the Big East tournament. Not to mention, #8 seed Memphis was ranked in the top 25 to start the season and has been red hot since starting the season 6-5. If MSU lifts another trophy this season, it will be well deserved. [h/t Big Ten for the video]
On the other end of the bracket, Michigan was named a #4 seed in the Midwest region. They will match up against Ohio (yes, the real Ohio) in the first round. If they get out of the first weekend, they will likely be greeted by North Carolina in the Sweet 16. While I thought that the Wolverines were more deserving of a #3 seed than Georgetown (the actual #3 seed in the Midwest), I think that Michigan has a much easier path to the later stages of the bracket.
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