Former Purdue player, BTN analyst has Michigan State basketball in Final Four

Michigan State basketball is going to make a run at the Final Four this year, according to former Purdue star Rapheal Davis.

Michigan State basketball fans aren’t exactly high on their team heading into the NCAA Tournament.

Sure, the Spartans put together a nice little two-game stretch in the Big Ten Tournament after losing 4-of-5 games to end the regular season, but it didn’t do enough to calm their nerves on Selection Sunday. Michigan State got the 9-seed in the West Region, matching up with Mississippi State in the first round. A potential second-round matchup with 1-seeded North Carolina is daunting, however.

While Spartan fans aren’t counting on a big run, a former Purdue star and Big Ten Network analyst believes in Tom Izzo.

Rapheal Davis has Michigan State in his Final Four.

"I'm drinking the Tom Izzo Kool-Aid."@RaphealDavis3 explains why he has @MSU_Basketball going to the Final Four. ⤵️#B1Gtoday pic.twitter.com/SvP0sO8oVa

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 19, 2024

Davis had Michigan State in his Elite Eight on Tuesday morning but he said the more he thought about it, the more he felt a Final Four from this team. He believes the Spartans get by Mississippi State and North Carolina before getting to Alabama where he takes Michigan State’s guards.

According to Davis, Michigan State “at their best” can take down North Carolina and Alabama and make a Final Four.

Fellow BTN analyst Dave Revsine brought up the Baylor game and he and Davis both agreed that at their best, the Spartans can play with and beat anyone. And they’re not wrong. The Spartans just haven’t been consistent enough this year. If they play to their potential (the Baylor game), they could make a run to the Final Four in Phoenix.

It’s interesting to see a former Purdue player so high on Izzo. There’s plenty of respect there, but you’d never realize it because Purdue and Michigan State basketball simply do not like each other.

Maybe we should also be drinking the Tom Izzo Kool-Aid.