clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Michigan State Spartans Basketball in the Final Four: Linking Laconically Is Throwing Bagels

By Joe Tuohey
Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

This is... actually happening!?!

MSU Police showed they've got a sense of humor:

OK but seriously, where'd those bagels come from? Did someone ransack Bruegger's? And why throw them? I have so many questions.

You may remember we have a decent football team, too. Phil Steele's got his Spring Guide out , and he's got MSU at #6 in the country. Here's what he had to say about the Spartans:

6. Michigan State Spartans
MSU made my article for the first time last year when I pegged them to be No. 8 in the AP preseason poll, and that is exactly where the Spartans opened up. That comeback win against Baylor in the Cotton Bowl was huge, and they do have 13 returning starters (including QB Connor Cook, which is always a good place to start) and a veteran O-line. The Spartans' Defense is always solid and has seven starters back. They have one road game against a team that finished in the AP Top 25, and that¹s a big one (Ohio State). They do get to host Oregon in Week 2 with the Ducks breaking in a new QB.

Ok, onto basketball. I've felt like Mark Titus from Grantland had been under-covering Michigan State during this particular run (and indeed, he doesn't talk much about MSU's actual games in his latest update) but his writing conveys an unbridled love of the game and I think he nails this:

Everyone who's pretending that Wisconsin and Michigan State making the Final Four means the Big Ten was one of the best conferences in college basketball this season needs to step away from the Internet. The Big Ten was decent, but it was nowhere close to as good as it's been in recent years. Getting two schools in the Final Four doesn't change that. All it means is that those two teams haven't lost in the NCAA tournament. As an Ohio State alum, I'm not going to pretend my team was slightly less crappy because three of its 11 losses came against Final Four teams. The same goes for the turd of a season Illinois squirted out, the season Michigan fans can't forget fast enough, Minnesota's disappointment, and Nebraska's embarrassment.

For most of the country, it's basketball coaching search time. Izzo's assistants have been terrific, so you knew something like this was going to happen:

Personally, I'd think Fife would wait for a more high-profile job since leaving IPFW. But who knows.

I think the math on this is right:

Could be big in 2018-19. Oh wow that makes me feel old.

If you're like me and requested tickets through MSU Athletics but aren't a big donor, you'll probably want to find another avenue:

Not surprising that MSU will have a solid following in Indy.

Finally, Joe Rexrode's gamer is on-point, as usual:

Is it likely that MSU wins and faces Kentucky or Wisconsin for the national title? No. But this team is majoring in unlikely. And for as emotionally spent as the Spartans were after collecting one of their program's grandest achievements, they'll probably be worth watching Saturday night.

...ONLY *PROBABLY* WORTH WATCHING?! #FireRexrode

More From The Only Colors