Michigan State Basketball listed once again on ESPN Top 25 list for the wrong reason

Myron Medcalf continues his ‘top 25 over the past 25’ lists, as Michigan State basketball continues to make appearances, for better or worse.

Last week, we reported on Myron Medcalf’s ongoing series of the Top 25 Over The Past 25. Medcalf ranked his top 25 individual performances over the past 25 years. Michigan State’s own Mateen Cleaves cracked the list, coming in at No. 6 overall. In his follow up rankings, Myron is listing his the top 25 most disappointing seasons of the past 25 years. Clearly, this is one list MSU would like to stay away from.

However, the Spartans weren’t so lucky. 

ESPN has 2010-2011 MSU hoops as 7th-most disappointing season over past 25 years

Coming in at No. 7 overall, the Draymond Green led Michigan State Spartans are listed as one of the most disappointing seasons in the last 25 years. Medcalf writes:

“Michigan State’s 2008-09 season ended with a trip to the national championship game against North Carolina. The 2009-2010 season concluded with a Final Four run. Future Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green (Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year), Kalin Lucas (All-Big Ten first team) and Durrell Summers (11.6 PPG) — key players for both those teams — returned for this 2010-11 season. But the Spartans (19-15) failed to repeat the magic a third time, instead finishing as a 10-seed that lost to UCLA in the first round of the NCAA tournament.”

Myron focuses mostly on the returning of the Spartans core from the year before. A core that not only went to the national championship, but possibly could have won. They unfortunately were pitted against one of the best college basketball teams ever, and fell short. Now seniors, Kalin Lucas and Durrell Summers were to be aided by juniors Draymond Green, Korie Lucious, and Delvon Roe for what was expected to be a championship caliber team.

Even with the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year, All-Big Ten first player, and talented incoming freshmen Keith Appling and Adreian Payne, the Spartans were never able to get going. Finishing the year only averaging 68.8 points per game (170th nationally), and giving up 66.6 points per game (125th nationally), these Spartans were sent packing after barely earning a 10-seed. 

Is Medcalf warranted in including Michigan State basketball in his top 10?

I agree completely with Myron’s decision of ranking the 2010-2011 Michigan State basketball team in the top 10 here. Expectations were at an all-time high to earn Izzo his elusive second title. Unfortunately, they underperformed at all facets of the game.

Having just one team on this list is possibly even more surprising. Some could argue that there are other Michigan State teams that deserved to be on this list. While it may better fall under most disappointing performances rather than full seasons, the 2016 Spartans could make the backend of this list. Even with their season being a resounding success, to be one of the most popular picks to win the nation championship but then bounced in the first round by No. 15 seed Middle Tennessee State is as disappointing as a season can get.

Consider ourselves lucky we don’t have multiple teams on here, a-la Duke, Kentucky, Kansas and UNC. 

Up next is Medcalf’s Top 25 teams in the past 25 seasons, and I expect one, if not more, Spartan rosters to make an appearance.