- The Field of 68 Daily
- Posts
- Conference clinchers and thrillers
Conference clinchers and thrillers
Michigan State's all alone atop the Big Ten, while UC San Diego, Quinnipiac, SC State and Utah Valley all snagged at least a share of their league titles. We detail all of Thursday's action, including some late-game drama, and dive into Utah's new coach.
Tristan Freeman
March 07, 2025
Good morning! It’s been a great start to March. And it’s going to get even better.
To cover it all, the Daily will expand to 7 days a week, starting tomorrow. That means you’ll see us in your inbox on Saturdays and Sundays until the NCAA Tournament ends.
But that’s only for subscribers! If you don’t want to miss out, sign up now. It’s just $35 a year with our March deal!
Let's get to Thursday’s news.
1. Michigan St. clinches Big Ten title — has Izzo ever been better?
No. 8 Michigan State started slow on Thursday at Iowa (it trailed by seven at halftime), but things ended up where they usually have for the Spartans this season.
With a win.
Michigan State used a 22-5 run midway through the second half to pull away for a 91-84 victory and their first outright Big Ten title since 2018. It had already clinched a share of the crown earlier this week when Michigan lost to Maryland. Cue the celebration.
Big Ten Title No. 17 for @MSU_Basketball!
— Michigan State Athletics (@MSU_Athletics)
3:25 AM • Mar 7, 2025
Jase Richardson scored 22 points and was the key player in the second half, while Jaden Akins and Jaxson Kolher each chipped in 15 points.
Does this take some of the luster off Sunday’s home finale between the Spartans (25-5, 16-3) and Michigan? Nah. With what we’ve seen from Tom Izzo’s team this season, expect them to come out focused and ready. After all, they’re playing for pride — and potentially a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
It’s a credit to Izzo for the improvement his team’s made this season that they’re even in position for a 1 seed.
For Iowa (15-15, 6-13), it was another defensive letdown, a theme for them all this season. Had they won, the Hawkeyes would’ve been in a six-way tie in the Big Ten standings from 11-16. The good news for them is they can still reach the league tournament with a win over Nebraska (17-13, 7-12).
If the Cornhuskers were to lose that one, they could fall all the way off the NCAA Tournament bubble.
2. UC San Diego celebrates a clincher + more results
The Big West didn’t have any surprises on Thursday. Not that UC San Diego’s complaining.
