Michigan State basketball is quietly knocking on the door of history-and doing it with authority.
At 18-2, the Spartans are just two wins away from something no team in East Lansing has ever done: start a season 20-2. That’s not just impressive-it’s unprecedented.
Only two other Michigan State squads have even gotten to 19-2. With Rutgers and Michigan up next, the path is there.
And if they pull it off, we’re talking about a start that would go down as the best in program history.
That’s not just hype-it’s backed by performance. This team isn’t just winning games, they’re dominating them.
Six straight conference wins, all by double digits. A 43-point demolition of Maryland.
And they’re doing it on the back of what might be the best defense in the country. This group is locking teams down, grinding out possessions, and making every trip down the court a battle.
Former Spartan Carlton Valentine even went as far as to say this might be one of the best Michigan State teams he’s ever seen-putting them in the same breath as the 2000 national title team. That’s rare air.
And while there were some doubts early in the season about whether this squad had the firepower to make a deep run, those questions are fading fast. Right now, Michigan State belongs in the national title conversation.
Full stop.
But here’s the twist: Vegas doesn’t seem to agree.
According to the latest national title odds from DraftKings, Michigan State isn’t even in the top 10. Despite sitting at 18-2, ranked No. 7 in the country, and riding the kind of momentum most programs dream about in January, the Spartans currently hold the 11th-best odds to win it all at +2500.
Yes, you read that right.
Teams like Illinois, Gonzaga, Purdue, and Florida are all ahead of them. That’s despite Illinois missing a key player, Gonzaga barely surviving against San Francisco, and Florida still trying to find its identity after a step back from last season. Meanwhile, Michigan State has been arguably the most consistent team in the country this month.
So what gives?
It’s hard to say. Maybe it’s a lack of flash.
Maybe it’s the perception that Michigan State doesn’t have a go-to superstar. Or maybe it’s just a case of Vegas being slow to catch up.
But anyone who’s watched this team over the past few weeks knows the Spartans are for real.
Tom Izzo’s been here before. His teams have made a habit of peaking at the right time, and this group is starting to show the same DNA.
Tough, disciplined, battle-tested. The kind of team that no one wants to see come March.
So if you’re a believer in this squad-and there’s plenty of reason to be-you might see that +2500 as less of a slight and more of an opportunity. Because the way the Spartans are playing right now?
They’re not just chasing history. They’re chasing a title.