Michigan State Avoids Upset, Still Raises Concerns

Michigan State Spartans followers can take a collective sigh of relief... for now. The Spartans narrowly escaped the unranked Detroit Mercy Titans in a game on Friday that went down to the wire.

Michigan State guard Rocket Watts had a standout performance, accounting for 23 points and shooting 57 percent from the field. Watts, coming off of a 20-point performance in a victory over #6 Duke on Tuesday, has become a rising star in college hoops.

Over the last 3+ seasons, @MSU_Basketball is 9-0 in road games vs. ranked opponents.1/5/19 at Ohio State W1/24/19 at Iowa W2/12/19 at Wisconsin W2/24/19 at Michigan W11/14/19 at Seton Hall W2/11/20 at Illinois W2/29/20 at Maryland W3/3/20 at Penn State W12/1/20 at Duke W

— Kevin Pauga (@KevinPauga) December 3, 2020

The question still stands, however: Should Michigan State fans be worried about this performance against what was supposed to be an easy opponent? Head Coach Tom Izzo had a very intense post game interview, in which he expressed disappointment, but also hope in his team.

"Those of you who think that we’re ready for the national championship because we beat Duke, readjust your theories. We got a lot of work and a long way to go,” said Tom Izzo after the Detroit Mercy victory.

Notre Dame v Michigan State

The Spartans will look to refocus, and set their sights on Western Michigan, who they will play on Sunday, December 6. The most recent AP Top 25 Poll has Michigan State ranked 8th in the nation, but they are likely to climb that list and surpass Duke.

While it is entertaining to follow these rankings at the beginning of the season, the championship is still far away, and many teams will put their names in the race between now and March. For now, Michigan State remains undefeated and atop the solid Big Ten Conference, featuring the No. 3 Iowa Hawkeyes, No. 4 Wisconsin Badgers and No. 5 Illinois Fightin' Illini.

New AP Top 25 is up for men's basketball. Wisconsin (2-0) moves up three spots to No. 4. Four Big Ten teams are in the top 10. pic.twitter.com/8u5Ps39teL

— Josh Schafer (@_JoshSchafer) November 30, 2020

Michigan State made their program's 9th Final Four last season, losing to runner-up Texas Tech in the semi-final matchup. Head Coach Tom Izzo has been with the team since 1995, and has built a strong foundation for players to grow and develop. There is no doubt, even through bumps in the road, that this Michigan State team will be a force in the postseason.

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