MSU Basketball Climbs Rankings after Blowout of Kentucky

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Jacob Cotsonika | Last updated Nov 24, 2025 2:00 PM ET

Michigan State is starting to get its respect again from the national landscape.

The Spartans rose six spots from No. 17 to 11th in the country when the weekly AP Poll was announced on Monday afternoon. MSU's rise has to do with the team's 83-66 victory over then-No. 12 Kentucky during the Champions Classic on Tuesday. The game was nationally televised on ESPN, with the network reporting an average of 1.6 million viewers.

Michigan State also defeated Detroit Mercy 84-56 at home this past Friday, which improved the Spartans to 5-0 on the season.

There are two games on the docket for MSU this week, both of which are during the Fort Myers Tip-Off. First up is East Carolina (2-3) on Tuesday and 16th-ranked North Carolina (5-0) during Thanksgiving.

Looking at East Carolina, UNC

Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

East Carolina

The Pirates have been the caliber of team that MSU should be able to handle with relative ease. East Carolina's two victories are a three-point home victory against Georgia Southern and a one-point win against Division II Elizabeth City State (who is 0-2 so far against fellow D-II teams).

As of Sunday night, KenPom ranks ECU well into the 200s of college basketball and considers the Pirates to be the worst team in the American Conference. The same site gives Michigan State roughly a 97% chance to defeat East Carolina during the first-ever meeting between the two schools.

Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

North Carolina

The big one this week, of course, will be the clash against the Tar Heels. UNC enters the week at 5-0, but it has not played an official game away from Chapel Hill --- though it did face BYU (currently No. 9) in an exhibition in Salt Lake City. Before North Carolina faces Michigan State, it will also play St. Bonaventure on Tuesday.

MSU's Thanksgiving game, which will start after the Detroit Lions' annual holiday game, will be the 19th all-time meeting between the Spartans and the Tar Heels. Facing UNC has been a struggle for Michigan State so far, as North Carolina holds a 13-5 overall advantage.

MSU did beat the Tar Heels last year during the Maui Invitational, though, during a 94-91 thriller in overtime.

UNC will end up as the Spartans' third AP top-25 opponent they will have faced in just seven games. The non-conference schedule already looked brutal before the season, but MSU is handling it well with its wins over Arkansas and Kentucky. That game against No. 4 Duke on Dec. 6 still looms large, though.