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On Tuesday, the Big Ten revealed its schedule for Michigan State basketball and every other team in the conference. Although a schedule reveal is unlikely to get many fans excited at this stage, it still reveals some information about next season.
Last season, the Spartans had a strong season, reaching the Elite Eight of March Madness before getting eliminated by Auburn. They were the only Big Ten team to get that far in the tournament. However, they had a disappointing finish in the Big Ten Tournament, getting eliminated in the semifinals by Wisconsin.
The Spartans will be looking for a better all-around season next year and have a chance to do so. Here are the three biggest takeaways from the Big Ten's schedule reveal for the Spartans.
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Top three takeaways from Michigan State's Big Ten schedule
#1 Michigan State drew favorable double-play matchups
The most important thing to look at when the Big Ten released its schedule is which teams each team will play twice. The Spartans will play Indiana, Michigan and Rutgers twice. Although Michigan will be a tough matchup as the reigning Big Ten Champions, Indiana and Rutgers are favorable matchups. Neither team finished in the top eight of the conference this past season.
#2 The Spartans have a balanced home and road schedule
When looking at the schedule, it is always interesting to see which teams have favorable home and road matchups. The Spartans have a fairly equal home and road schedule.
At home, not counting double-play opponents, they have three teams that finished in the top half of the conference and four in the bottom half this past season. Conversely, on the road, they have four teams that finished in the bottom half and three in the top half.
#3 Michigan State could play Michigan three times next season
The matchups between Michigan State and Michigan could be key next season. They play each other twice throughout the season and could easily face a third time in the Big Ten tournament. They had the first and third-best records in the Big Ten this past season, with Maryland finishing second.
However, the Terrapins have undergone significant changes this offseason and could have a down year. So, if the Spartans and Wolverines live up to expectations next year, it would not be a surprise to see them finish at the top of the conference and face off in the Big Ten championship game.
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