“All we can do right now is practice as hard as we can to get ready for March 17,” she said. “I hope it’s a very happy St. Patrick’s Day. It’s a big holiday in my family, and I plan on celebrating.”

The NCAA committee looks at RPI rankings, the last 10 games of the season, toughness of schedule and wins against ranked teams along with many other factors.

“We feel pretty good about where we’re at, and when you look at all the things that the NCAA looks at, we accomplished everything besides getting the obvious bid when you win the whole (Big Ten) Tournament,” Merchant said.

Overall, the Spartans are sitting at 19-13 – going 7-3 in their last 10 games. They have beaten top 50 opponents such as Kansas State, Ohio State, Iowa and Minnesota.

Ohio State, Minnesota and Iowa are all Big Ten teams that have guaranteed spots in the NCAA Tournament this season because of overall performances. Purdue secured a spot in the NCAA Tournament by winning the Big Ten Tournament during the weekend.

Merchant said Purdue beating Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament Championship did nothing but help the Spartans.

“It definitely helps,” she said.

“I think if Illinois won it would be a little harder to take six (Big Ten) teams to the tournament.”

No matter what its postseason tournament fate is, Merchant knows there are things to work on if the team wants to be successful — having the will to win, consistency in emotion and defensive rebounding being the most important right now.

“Is it about skill or will this time of year? It is will. It is,” Merchant said. “It’s hungrier, it’s will, it’s determination, it’s putting a team on your back and doing what you have to do to win games.”

Although the wait will be full of anticipation and nervousness for the team, they will continue preparing as usual.

“There is clearly some things we have to accomplish this week,” Merchant said. “Our defensive rebounding drives me absolutely crazy.”

The week will consist of watching tape — but not just the usual game footage of plays and opponents. This time the Spartans will be watching film of their bench. MSU has started breaking down the emotional side of their team.

“I mean, if you look at our bench, the referees came over three times during the Minnesota game to tell our team to sit down on the bench or they were going to give us a technical foul,” Merchant said. “I’m not sure we stood up once at the Illinois game.”

Merchant said she wants to go back to the team that had the heart and will to beat Minnesota, not the team that lacked any urgency or heart against Illinois in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament.