Could MSU Basketball Defy Expectations and Dominate the Big Ten This Season?

As I’ve said during most of this offseason, I feel like anywhere from No. 15 to No. 25 is about right for the Spartans in next year’s preseason poll. I would be quite surprised if they were any higher than No. 15 and shocked if they were unranked when the official preseason polls drop in a few months.

AI-assisted summary
• Michigan State basketball is ranked No. 21 in Jon Rothstein’s updated preseason rankings.
• This places them 5th among Big Ten teams, behind Purdue, Michigan, UCLA, and Oregon.
• The Spartans’ lower ranking is likely due to the loss of key players from their Elite Eight team.
• The author predicts Michigan State’s preseason ranking will likely fall between No. 15 and No. 25.

Michigan State’s basketball team has found itself perched tantalizingly just outside the top 20 in Jon Rothstein’s freshly minted preseason rankings for the 2025-26 season — a spot many might argue reflects both promise and caution. The Spartans landed at No. 21, placing them fifth among their Big Ten peers, trailing behind powerhouses like Purdue, Michigan, UCLA, and Oregon. It’s no secret that the departure of key scorers from last year’s Elite Eight squad, notably Jase Richardson and Jaden Akins, has cast a shadow over expectations, sparking debates about whether this season will be a rebuilding effort or something more. My take? The Spartans will likely hover anywhere between No. 15 and No. 25 — solid but not soaring just yet, with surprises definitely not out of the question. Curious for the full lowdown on Rothstein’s insights? LEARN MOREAmong Big Ten teams, the Spartans rank No. 5 in Rothstein’s list but there is a notable drop off after the top three. He has Purdue (No. 1), Michigan (No. 5) and UCLA (No. 7) all in the top 10, and then next from the Big Ten is Oregon (No. 20) one spot before the Spartans.Click on the post below to see the complete updated rankings from Rothstein:

Michigan State is the reigning Big Ten champs and went the furthest of any team from the league in the NCAA Tournament by reaching the Elite Eight this past season. However, the Spartans have lost a number of key pieces off that highly-successful team, including leading scorers Jase Richardson and Jaden Akins — so many like Rothstein anticipate a step back from the Spartans next season.Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.

Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports has released an updated batch of preseason rankings for the 2025-26 college basketball season, and the Spartans remain listed just outside the top 20. Rothstein has the Spartans at No. 21 in his updated version of the rankings that were released on Tuesday.

Michigan State basketball remains just outside of the top 20 in the latest preseason rankings from one of the game’s top analysts.