MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 05: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans looks on during practice prior to the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 5, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)Michigan State is one of the college basketball blue bloods struggling during the 2020-21 season. Tom Izzo and the Spartans are in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1997.
Right now, Michigan State is 10-9 overall and just 4-9 and in 11th place in the Big Ten. They desperately need a strong finish or will find themselves sitting at home or in the NIT next month.
With his team coming off back-to-back losses to Purdue and Iowa, Izzo has issued a brutally honest message to his players via Brendan Quinn of The Athletic.
“Guys are up for an audition right now. You’ve got to see progress or there’s going to be changes,” Izzo said. “That’s the way it is in the world.”
Tom Izzo to @BFQuinn: “Guys are up for an audition right now. You've got to see progress or there’s going to be changes. That’s the way it is in the world.”
“A scholarship is a two-way street. We have an obligation to you. You have an obligation to us.”
— Graham Couch (@Graham_Couch) February 18, 2021
Making matters worse for MSU is they likely need to win at least four of their last five regular season games to have a shot at going dancing. That won’t be easy considering the run of opponents they’re about to enter.
To close out the season, Michigan State must face Indiana, Illinois, Ohio State, Maryland and Michigan. If you’re scoring at home, that’s three top-five teams and two others (IU and Maryland) who are battling to secure NCAA Tournament berths.
Things are not looking good in East Lansing.
