Can Michigan State basketball still win the Big Ten Conference?

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Michigan State basketball finds itself in an unfamiliar position late in Big Ten play. The Spartans are 6-4 in conference play putting them in a tie for 6th place along with Ohio State as of Feb. 2, 2016.

The question is can Michigan State win the Big Ten despite having lost four conference games already? History is not on the Spartans side. Since the 2005-06 season only four out of the past 10 teams have won the Big Ten with four or more losses in conference play.

Michigan State is going to need help, but what they really need to do is keep winning. The Spartans next three games are against teams with a better conference record. The three game stretch includes games on Feb. 6 at Michigan, Feb. 9 at Purdue, and Feb. 14 vs. Indiana. If Michigan State can go 3-0 through that stretch, they could be in business.

After a home game against Indiana on Valentines Day the Spartans wont play another ranked opponent until tournament time.

There are five teams that stand in the Spartans way of winning the Big Ten title. The first team is the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Michigan State Spartans guard Denzel Valentine. Photo by: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

The Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the Spartans twice already this season and are the most likely to win the Big Ten. However, five of the last nine games for the Hawkeyes are on the road including trips to Bloomington and Ann Arbor. Iowa is in the driver seat to win the Big Ten with only nine games to go, but stranger things have happened.

Maryland is another team that stands in the way of the Spartans. If you dont remember the Spartans defeated the Terrapins 74-65 on January 23. Maryland has only two conference losses, but also has a tough remaining schedule. The Terrapins still have to play at Purdue and at Indiana which are not guaranteed wins.

The next team in the way of Michigan States run to the Big Ten title is Indiana. The Spartans will host the Hoosiers on Valentines Day. Indiana has one conference loss coming to Wisconsin. Indiana has just one conference loss, but their remaining schedule is brutal. Six of their last nine games will come against teams sitting at sixth place or above in the conference standings. The Hoosiers play Iowa twice, Michigan State on the road, Maryland at home, Michigan on the road, and Purdue at home. It will be hard for the Hoosiers to win the Big Ten with that tough of a schedule.

The Purdue Boilermakers are another team that stand in the way of the Spartans. Michigan State will play Purdue on Feb. 9 in what should be a great game. Michigan State is in a must win situation if they want to have any chance at winning the Big Ten Championship. Just like Indiana, Purdues remaining schedule is brutal. Of their last seven games, five of them will be against top six teams in the Big Ten. Four of the games are against opponents ranked in the top 25. Purdue will have a tough time winning the Big Ten with a schedule like that to end the season.

The last team in the Spartans way is the Michigan Wolverines. Arch rival Michigan has two conference losses and is looking for their second Big Ten Championship in three years. Michigan has won four games straight and will need to keep their run going if they want any shot at a title. Michigan has a back loaded schedule. The Wolverines will play three top 10 teams to finish out the year. Although two of those games are at home, it seems like a difficult task for the Wolverines to win the Big Ten.

Looking at where teams stand heading into the final stretch of Big Ten play Michigan State isnt in too bad of shape. If they can beat Michigan, Purdue, and Indiana, then they should win every game the rest of the regular season. Iowa or Maryland looks like the likely favorite to win the Big Ten, but dont count out the Spartans just yet.

Source: http://isportsweb.com/2016/02/03/can-michigan-state-basketball-still-win-the-big-ten-conference/