"Now we're in the third part [of the season]," Fralick said after Sunday's loss to Ohio State. "Everyone we play, the margin [for error] is going to be small."

This year's team has already left its mark in MSU history, securing the best start in program history with a 17-1 record and receiving its highest AP Poll ranking in 15 seasons at No. 12. Now with the Big Ten Tournament arriving, they'll look to win a few more games to help secure a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament and earn home-court advantage.

Technically the squad has a shot at winning the conference tournament, but it's not very likely. No. 1 seed UCLA has cemented itself as one of the best teams in the nation, finishing with a perfect 18-0 record in conference play and beating the Spartans 86-63 at Breslin in the process. It would be a shocker if the Bruins don't walk away with the tournament title — they haven't lost to a Big Ten team since March 1, 2025.

As the No. 7 seed, MSU begins its tournament run on the second day after receiving a first-round bye and will face Illinois after the Illini took down No. 15 seed Wisconsin 82-70. In the lone regular-season meeting between the two teams, the Spartans beat Illinois 81-75.

Despite being the higher seed, Illinois' win against Wisconsin was impressive. The Illini struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 11% from 3-point range — a far cry from the norm for a team that ranks eighth in the nation in 3-point percentage. Even more impressive was how a mostly underclassman-heavy lineup handled the adversity and found a way to win, with just two upperclassmen logging minutes.

Illinois is a dangerous team in a tournament setting because of their shooting ability. All it takes is one night where they can't miss for them to knock a team out. The question becomes: What can MSU do to minimize the chance of an upset?

The Spartans just have to play their game — aggressive defense, a fast offense and getting everyone involved. They proved that formula worked back on Jan. 4.

In their first matchup, Illinois shot 43% from 3-point range, yet MSU still pulled out a six-point victory. An advantage the Spartans could build on in the rematch is winning the turnover battle again, this time by a larger margin.

If the Spartans get past Illinois, next up would be No. 2 seed Iowa on Friday, a team that beat them 75-68 in the regular season. A slow first half was the main culprit in that loss, as MSU entered halftime down 12.

If a rematch is in the cards, the biggest threat to a Spartan victory will be containing the Hawkeyes' star post players. The duo of senior forward Hannah Stuelke and sophomore center Ava Heiden combined for 42 points in the last meeting.

For now, all MSU (22-7, 11-7 Big Ten) can control is what they do against Illinois (20-10, 9-9 Big Ten). The two teams are set to tip off Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in Indianapolis.