Spartan Hoopla: Big Ten Title Still Within Reach For Michigan State

The Michigan State Spartans are enduring their longest losing streak since 2006-07 when they dropped four straight contests. State finished 8-8 in the Big Ten and were demolished by the North Carolina Tar Heels in the NCAA tournament (round of 32, 81-67). 

In the midst of their current three game slide, it would seem that the white flags could come out at any moment. Kalin Lucas isn't 100 percent, and the green and white ship is sinking fast.

The season is drawing to a close and a league championship is passing the Spartans by—or is it?

Penn State (0-11, 8-15), the only Big Ten unit that has failed to win a league game in 2009-10, could be the sacrificial lamb Tom Izzo's clan needs in order to regain its confidence. Last Tuesday's loss to Purdue has done a number on Lucas and company; they'll have a chance to make it right on their road trip to College Station on Saturday.

Beating up on a lesser team usually doesn't do much for a team's psyche, but the Spartans need a win desperately. Perhaps a double-bonus for Izzo's unit is the fact that it will also get a chance to redeem itself by starting a win streak (assuming it beats PSU) after next Tuesday's game with the Indiana Hoosiers (3-8, 9-14). It's never a good idea to look down the road or count teams out, but Tom Crean's Hoosiers don't pose much of a threat to the 9-3 Spartans (19-6).

Riding a two-game conference win streak would do wonders for the hobbling Spartans, who are in danger of giving up the Big Ten title to either Illinois (9-3), Wisconsin (9-3), Ohio State (9-3), or Purdue (8-3). Izzo's historic 9-0 start is suddenly losing its luster and the absence of his right-hand-man Lucas has propelled the once mighty Spartans into a tail-spin.

Forecasting a win streak is easy, the hard part comes in the "doing."

If the Spartans can muster up their gumption from two weeks ago, it would come at just the right time—because after Indiana and Penn State, it's Purdue (again) in Mackey Arena. With two of three losses coming on the road , this could spell disaster for Sparty.

A season sweep by the Boilers would take a title from the Spartans, the worst-case scenario imaginable for Izzo.

Taking Penn State lightly would be a grave mistake on multiple levels. A fourth loss in the Big Ten would all but take the Izzo clan out of the conference crown picture. Michigan State can ill-afford another league loss, but four defeats should be good enough for all the chips, assuming it doesn't come to Purdue.

With its schedule on its side, Michigan State can rebound from its uncharacteristic slide and grab its sixth conference championship under Izzo—beating the Boilers Feb. 27 in Mackey is the only thing standing in its way.