Make no mistake. Michigan State head basketball coach Tom Izzo saw the loss to the Northwestern Wildcats coming on Saturday.
Coach Izzo essentially said as much in his postgame press conference. Those watching closely were also not surprised. The Spartans have seemed a bit sluggish and unfocused since Christmas, and it seemed like only a matter of time before it caught up with the tea, in the form of a loss.
Had the Spartans managed to eke out a win against the Wildcats, Michigan State would be alone in first place at the top of the Big Ten conference.