Report: How Far Did MSU Drop in Recent Rankings?

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated May 7, 2025 5:30 PM ET

Michigan State men's basketball is going to be looking considerably different next season after losing its top three scorers from its Elite Eight run.

The Spartans have made the effort to fill some voids, landing transfers Kaleb Glenn and Sam Fort, and will be returning two starters in Jeremy Fears Jr. and Jaxon Kohler, along with arguably the team's most significant X factor last season, Coen Carr.

After winning the Big Ten by three games, the quest to repeat is only going to be harder as other conference contenders, on paper, got better. Not to mention, Michigan State's non-conference and conference road schedules are anticipated to be quite challenging.

Even so, ESPN's Jeff Borzello still has the Spartans ranked in the site's "early NCAA top 25 rankings." They did, however, drop three spots from the last rankings, falling from No. 20 to No. 23.

Borzello projects Michigan State to go small with its starting lineup, starting Fears, Fort, Glenn, Carr and Kohler.

The Spartans' bitter rival, Michigan, one of the top winners of the transfer portal, is ranked ninth in the rankings, dropping just one spot.

College basketball blue blood, Duke, which Michigan State will see in East Lansing in December, rose 11 spots to No. 6. The Blue Devils are fresh off a trip to the Final Four.

UConn, which failed to pull off a national title three-peat, is back in contention, having risen six spots to No. 2. It replaces Kentucky, which dropped 10 spots. Michigan State will take on the Wildcats

Above the Huskies at No. 1 remains Purdue, which the Spartans will face at Mackey next season.

At No. 14 is UCLA, which Michigan State will host next season. The Spartans fell to the Bruins in Westwood last season, one of just their three regular-season losses in conference.

A couple spots behind UCLA is Wisconsin, which bested Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. The Spartans did, however, upset the Badgers in East Lansing earlier that month. The two will meet in Madison next season.

Right behind Wisconsin is Illinois at No. 17, which Michigan State swept last season.

The last team in the rankings is North Carolina, which the Spartans defeated in overtime in the Maui Invitational last season and will see again in the Fort Myers Tip-Off on Thanksgiving Day.

Don't miss any of our coverage when you follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook, Spartan Nation, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be sure to share your thoughts when you join our community group, Go Green Go White, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

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

More must-reads: