The Michigan State Spartans men’s basketball team had its worst finish in the final Big Ten regular season standings last season — tied for eighth place with Maryland — since the 1992-1993 season. That was the last time MSU, under then head coach Jud Heathcote, tied for eighth place, though back then there were only 11 teams in the Big Ten, as Penn State was competing as a brand new conference member for the first time that season.
Despite that poor finish, the Spartans have a retooled roster this year with transfers like point guard Tyson Walker and freshmen Max Christie, Jaden Akins and Pierre Brooks II joining the lineup.