The MSU men's basketball team is in the NCAA Tournament for the 20th straight time. The Spartans will be the No. 9 seed in the Midwest.
This 20-season tournament streak — all under head coach Tom Izzo — is currently the third longest streak in the NCAA. Only the No. 2 seed Duke Blue Devils, 22 straight, and the No. 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks, 28 straight, currently have a longer streak.
The first round matchup will be against the No. 8 seed Miami. This game will take place in Tulsa, Okla. on March 17. The winner will move onto the round of 32 to face the winner of No. 1 seed Kansas and No. 16 seed NC Central/UC Davis.
Here is why the MSU men's basketball was selected in the tournament:
| Overall Record | 19-14 |
| Conference Record | 10-8 |
| RPI | 51 |
| SOS | 10 |
| Key Wins | Wichita State Minnesota (twice) Northwestern Michigan Wisconsin |
| Key Loses | Northeastern Penn State |
A key win is defined as defeating an opponent with an RPI under 50. A key loss is defined a loss against a team with an RPI outside the top 100.
The top four seeds in the Midwest include:
No. 1 seed: Kansas Jayhawks
No. 2 seed: Louisville Cardinals
No. 3 seed: Oregon Ducks
No. 4 seed: Purdue Boilermakers
Click here to make your bracket for this year's NCAA Tournament. Contestants can win a variety of prizes including gift cards, a $50 prepaid Mastercard from DTN Management Co. and the winner will get a $100 prize pack from Skyvue Apartments.
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