Saturday's bracket reveal stirred up the NCAA Tournament landscape, placing Michigan State as the 14th-best team, projected as a 4-seed if the season wrapped today. But with the chaos that followed, the Spartans have a golden opportunity to climb to a 3-seed with a win over Ohio State on Sunday.
Michigan State joined Texas Tech, Vanderbilt, and Virginia as the 4-seeds. The Red Raiders, however, are in a tough spot after losing their star player and falling to Arizona State. Locked into the 13th spot, Texas Tech faces challenging road games against Iowa State and BYU, which could further harm their standing.
The 3-seed line is intriguing, featuring Gonzaga, Kansas, Florida, and Nebraska. Michigan State has a real shot to leapfrog some of these teams.
Kansas suffered a surprising 16-point home loss to Cincinnati, while Gonzaga struggled against a .500 WCC team. Nebraska's upcoming West Coast trip and Florida's tough schedule, including a visit to Kentucky, could result in more losses.
Illinois, initially the No. 7 team, faced heartbreak in Los Angeles, blowing a 23-point lead to UCLA and losing at the buzzer. With Michigan and Purdue on their schedule, Michigan State's path to a higher seed looks promising, especially if they topple Purdue.
Arizona's victory over Houston, the No. 6 team, adds another layer of intrigue. The Cougars' stumble opens more doors for Michigan State. As the tournament picture evolves, the Spartans find themselves in a prime position to capitalize and climb the seed ladder.