MSU’s 91-84 win over Iowa secured the outright title, just days after its road win against Michigan. Now, MSU aims for its 15th home win against its in-state rival on March 9, the final regular-season game. The matchup comes one week before the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis and less than three weeks before March Madness.

Regardless of Sunday’s result, MSU will open Big Ten Tournament play on March 14 in the quarterfinals. The Spartans haven’t won the tournament since 2019 but have their best shot at a title since then.

This MSU team differs from recent squads under Tom Izzo, relying on depth, lineup versatility and frequent rotations. Tre Holloman and Jeremy Fears Jr. are the main playmakers, accounting for 277 of the team’s 513 total assists, or 54%, of the team’s assists. Jase Richardson has emerged as a key scorer, including his 22-point performance at Iowa. Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper control the glass, combining for 12.6 of MSU’s 41 rebounds per game. Coen Carr’s high-flying dunks continue to energize the Spartans offensively.

But the Big Ten tournament isn’t the only task Izzo and company are looking toward. MSU is entirely in the position to grab a No. 2 seed at March Madness, a stark difference from its No. 9 seed last season — the Spartans eventually lost to the UNC Tar Heels in the second round. In recent weeks, MSU has stayed afloat in the top 10 of the AP and Coaches Polls and is currently ranked No. 9 on KenPom.

Sunday’s matchup against Michigan serves as MSU’s final test before tournament play. The Spartans spoiled Michigan’s night two weeks ago, the same day Wolverines’ head coach Dusty May signed a contract extension. Even Aidan Hutchinson attended, and center Vladislav Goldin proposed to his girlfriend postgame. But when the Big Ten is on the line, Izzo knows when the team needs to step up in crunch time, especially against the Wolverines.

Sunday’s result could set the tone for MSU’s tournament form.

Michigan is battling for a top-five NCAA Tournament seed, recently falling to No. 17 in the AP Poll and No. 28 in KenPom. To beat Michigan, MSU must capitalize on its home-court advantage, which has fueled key scoring runs and defensive stops all season. February and March revealed a Spartan team that performed better on both sides in the second half. It happened in Michigan, Iowa and Purdue, to name a few. Sunday has a great chance of being another example.

MSU and Michigan square off at Breslin Center on March 9 at noon, with the game streaming live on Paramount+.