EAST LANSING – A few weeks ago, the notion that Michigan State could remain in the Big Ten title hunt seemed as preposterous as Penn State playing a pivotal role in deciding the eventual champion.
Then the Nittany Lions upset Indiana and Iowa, and the sixth-ranked Spartans’ hopes were revived.
But that also increased the importance of Sunday’s matchup, morphing it from a seemingly sure victory for MSU into a fourth straight February showdown against one of the league’s hottest teams.
“If teams lose, we might still get a share or win (the title). You never know,” senior Denzel Valentine said Thursday.