Remember me
Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans were the last team to go all the way and win a national championship for the Big Ten back in 2000, until the Michigan Wolverines did it this year.
So, on Monday, April 6, Dusty May and the University of Michigan won the title, snagging that top prize for the Big Ten once again.
Izzo couldn't be happy about it, even though in the Big Ten, you're supposed to root for each other.
So, Izzo and the Spartans are focused on next season. Now, they have some wind on their backs going into it.
The oddsmakers believe in the Spartans, and that has to make Izzo feel good. Even if Las Vegas isn't always right, they're not going to put their money on a team that they think will tank.
According to DraftKings research, the Michigan Wolverines, of course, are an early favorite to go all the way again with a +1200 to win it all next season. But, Michigan State, even though they didn't get past the Sweet 16, lands at No. 5 at +1600. Those are really good odds.
Vegas also likes Duke, Florida, Arizona, Kansas, Illinois, Houston, UConn and the usual suspects in their early projections for next season.
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Seth Davis, a college basketball analyst, has also released his "way-too-early" preseason rankings for next season, and he has the Spartans at No. 1, so that's a real boost. He also puts Illinois at No. 2, Duke at No. 3 and Michigan at No. 4.
In the piece, Davis says that Jeremy Fears "could start the season as the Preseason National Player of the Year, and a little more offensive improvement from Carr could make a huge difference."
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He adds, "Tom Izzo usually brings in freshmen who stay and develop, so this is an unusually strong class for him. Glenn transferred last year from FAU but suffered a season-ending knee injury during summer workouts."