Izzo Says Purdue Earned No. 2 Seed, Past Precedent Hurt Michigan State

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo believes Purdue deserved its NCAA Tournament seeding, despite past instances where Michigan State's Big Ten Tournament success was not rewarded.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 12:59am

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Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo acknowledged that Purdue deserved its No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, despite a belief that winning or losing the Big Ten Tournament Championship Game typically has little impact on final seedings. Izzo noted that Purdue's four victories during the Big Ten Tournament and eventual championship were the reasons for their higher seeding. However, Izzo also pointed out instances in the past where Michigan State's success in the Big Ten Tournament was not rewarded by the selection committee.

Why it matters

This story highlights the ongoing debate around how much weight the NCAA Tournament selection committee places on conference tournament results when determining seedings. It also touches on the perception that Michigan State has sometimes been overlooked by the committee despite strong conference tournament performances.

The details

During his weekly press conference, Izzo acknowledged that Purdue deserved its No. 2 seed due to the Boilermakers' four wins and the Big Ten Tournament championship. However, Izzo also noted that there have been past instances where Michigan State's success in the Big Ten Tournament did not translate to higher seedings from the selection committee.

  • The NCAA Tournament brackets were announced on March 17, 2026.

The players

Tom Izzo

The head coach of the Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team.

Purdue

The Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball team, who won the 2026 Big Ten Tournament championship.

Michigan State

The Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team, who have had past success in the Big Ten Tournament that was not rewarded by the NCAA Tournament selection committee.

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What they’re saying

“Tom Izzo isn't afraid to criticize the NCAA when he gets a chance, but he had no problem with the Selection Committee's decision to award Michigan State with a No. 3 seed and push Purdue up to a No. 2 seed. Purdue deserved it, Izzo said, because of the Boilermakers' four victories during the Big Ten Tournament and their eventual Big Ten Tournament Championship.”

— Tom Izzo, Head Coach, Michigan State Spartans

The takeaway

This story highlights the ongoing debate around how much weight the NCAA Tournament selection committee places on conference tournament results when determining seedings, and the perception that Michigan State has sometimes been overlooked by the committee despite strong conference tournament performances.