MSU hockey’s Big Ten Tournament pairing already was settled with a week left in the regular season, but the Spartans can improve their seeding for strategic and mental advantages.
MSU (10-16-7 overall, 4-8-6-4 Big Ten) sits fifth in the league and two points back of Ohio State, their opponent in the first round of the tournament. Although MSU is guaranteed to face Ohio State in the opening round, the Spartans could move into the fourth seed for the game. MSU can guarantee itself the spot if they gain three more points than the Buckeyes this weekend.
On paper, it might not make a big difference because MSU will be playing the same team, but head coach Tom Anastos looks at moving up the ladder as a goal for this weekend.
Outside of earning the home advantage of last line-change - used by coaches for strategic opponent pairings - Anastos said more importantly, earning the fourth seed would mean his Spartans had a successful final regular season weekend against national power No. 5 Wisconsin .
“The bigger issue to me, is that means we had a successful weekend points-wise, we’ve progressed and our team is gaining confidence,” Anastos said. “That’s really important.”
Senior forward Greg Wolfe also weighed in on the opportunity of leap-frogging the Buckeyes into the fourth spot in the tourney, but doesn’t see it necessarily as a big deal. Wolfe said he is more focused on the team simply improving in its final tune-up games before the Big Ten Tournament begins, rather than the seeding.
“Our biggest goal is to be playing good hockey - we want to make improvements over this weekend,” Wolfe said. “If we play our game, the points will take care of itself, but it’s out of our control at this point. If Ohio State wins, they clinch (the fourth seed), so we’re just focused on making as much improvement as we can before the Big Ten Tournament.”
Based on MSU’s current record and PairWise Rankings, MSU will need to win the Big Ten Tournament to continue its season into the NCAA Tournament.
Anastos has put plenty of emphasis on the importance of the Spartans’ success in the upcoming conference tournament, but isn’t worried about MSU overlooking Wisconsin this weekend. Like Wolfe, Anastos said the team needs another weekend of improvement before the tournament begins.
“To get our game in order to give us a chance to be productive in the Big Ten Tournament, we’ve got to play better, so this week’s important in the preparation in doing so,” Anastos said. “So I really don’t think we will look beyond the weekend.”
Other Big Ten races
The only other seeding race left in the Big Ten is between a couple rivals at the top of the league - No. 1 Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Minnesota holds a five-point lead over Wisconsin for the Big Ten regular season championship. Minnesota can clinch the championship and top seed in the tournament with a win or a Wisconsin loss this weekend. Both teams have already locked up first round byes in the tournament.
Anastos said he is expecting an even tougher Wisconsin team this weekend with the league crown on the line.
No. 13 Michigan will face last-place Penn State in the other first round game of the conference tournament.
