Michigan State basketball still a lock to make NCAA Tournament, per bracket experts

According to bracket experts, Michigan State basketball is still considered a lock to make the NCAA Tournament.

Michigan State basketball fans are beginning to panic, and rightfully so, as the Spartans’ NCAA Tournament streak appears to be in jeopardy. Four losses in their last five games will do just that. MSU has slipped very close to the NCAA Tournament bubble, but thankfully the Spartans still have the Big Ten tournament to improve their resume.

However, their chances to make the Big Dance may not be as bleak as some fans think.

MSU is still comfortably in the tournament

Even after all of the recent losses by Michigan State, the Spartans are still comfortably in the NCAA Tournament field. According to Bracket Matrix, a site that compiles about 100 NCAA bracketology experts’ predictions, Michigan State is still in the NCAA Tournament field.

Of the 88 experts whose predictions are currently included, each expert has the Spartans in their tournament field. The average seed given to MSU before the Big Ten tournament begins is 9.78. Comparing that to the rest of the field, this would put MSU as the second-best 10-seed in the tournament.

While a 10-seed is still in the tournament field, that all could change fast. A loss to Minnesota on Thursday in the Spartans’ first Big Ten Tournament game would decrease their chances significantly. However, I still think MSU would make the tournament unless something crazy happens. And by crazy, I mean a lot of “bid stealers” winning their conference tournament.

A bid stealer is a team that would not earn an at-large bid into the tournament, and only make it because they won their conferences tournament. Michigan and Rutgers are prime examples of that. There are a few bid stealers every year, but there would have to be a lot to really hurt MSU.

At this point however, Michigan State just needs to beat Minnesota. They will 100 percent be in the tournament with a win, but that same guarantee can’t be made with a loss. I think we all would prefer to not have to sweat it out on Selection Sunday, so to avoid that MSU just needs to beat Minnesota.

Should be pretty easy, right? (sarcasm)