Dance Card: Michigan State, Big Ten at-large

Who? The Spartans of Michigan State.

What? Sometimes it's better to ask forgiveness than permission, especially when your student body comes up with a name as uncreative as The Michigan Staters. (As a quarter Spartan by blood, I feel obligated to state that I don't feel offended by the use of my people's name, unless Michigan State has an awful, awful game.)

Where? East Lansing, Michigan. Wikipedia feels we need to know that it is directly east of Lansing.

When? March 23rd in College Park, Maryland.

Why? 24 wins and third in the Big Ten, you're going dancing.

How? They were an at-large selection.

Surprise? They finished tied for third in the conference with Purdue.

RPI: 21

SOS: 48

Record: 24-8 (10-6 Big Ten)

Good wins: That Texas Tech win in Las Vegas looks better than it did before.

Bad losses: Nothing really egregious. Maybe at Ohio State?

Who's running this show? Suzy Merchant, since 2007. She missed most of her last season at Eastern Michigan on maternity leave.

Extra, Extra! The Lansing State Journal.

Balance is the name of the game for the Spartans- they may only have two double-digit scorers in junior guard Klarissa Bell (11.1 ppg) and senior guard Jasmine Thomas (10.4), but right below them are a trio of 9.somethings in Becca Mills, Kiana Johnson, and Annalise Pickrel. Michigan State defends hard and their starters take decent care of the ball.