Mar 28, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl at a press conference after defeating the Michigan Wolverines in a South Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Auburn HC Confirms Who the Best Big Ten Team Really Is

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Tom Cavanaugh | Last updated Mar 30, 2025 12:00 PM ET

Prior to the No. 2-seeded Michigan State Spartans' (30-6) Elite Eight matchup with the No. 1 overall seed Auburn Tigers (31-5), head coach Bruce Pearl sat down with the media on Saturday afternoon to discuss the matchup and his opponent. Pearl set the record straight as to who ran the Big Ten this season.

Pearl had previously faced the Spartans in this very same round, 15 years ago when he was the head coach at Tennessee. Michigan State came away with a 70-69 win, ascending to its eighth Final Four in program history in 2010.

Pearl was asked about if he saw any similarities between the teams but focused mostly on what the Spartans have done this season. Auburn's last opponent was none other than bitter rival, Michigan, taking down the Wolverines by 13 points. He knows the Spartans will be a much tougher battle.

"Michigan State was 17-3 in the Big Ten," Pearl said. "Michigan won the Big Ten Tournament, but Michigan State won the Big Ten, and they are the best team in that league."

Notice the distinction between Pearl's comments, presenting a large difference between the "tournament" championship and winning, "the Big Ten." He is very aware of the ceiling and capabilities that this team has to upset Auburn and head to yet another Final Four.

One of the premiere coaches in college basketball confirmed what every Spartan had been thinking all season. Michigan State was the best, most talented, and most dominant team in the Big Ten this season and it was not really close. Pearl affirms that the Spartans are simply better than Michigan.

Just after the Wolverines defeated Wisconsin to win the Big Ten Tournament a few weeks back, FOX 2 Detroit's own Ryan Ermanni made the argument that the conference tournament means more and has more importance than a regular season title. Pearl just obliterated that take with simple logic.

Going 17-3 in a conference like the Big Ten is nothing to sneeze at. Michigan lost its final three games of the regular season to basically hand the Spartans the conference title, taking it by with a three-game cushion. After what Pearl said, there is not much of an argument left to have.

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This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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