It’s been a rough day for those hoping for Tom Izzo’s second national title in 2026-27 because two of his biggest Big Ten title competitors just got a whole lot better.
Entering the 2026-27 season, Michigan State figures to have top competition like Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska, and Purdue pushing the Spartans once again for a Big Ten title. There are also rising programs like UCLA, USC, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Iowa, and Indiana. Well, two of those teams mentioned just got a whole lot better which will make Michigan State’s job even tougher.
Illinois was one of the teams that got better, returning four of their top eight scorers from a Final Four team over the past 24 hours in David Mirkovic, Tomislav Ivisic, Zvonimir Ivisic, and Jake Davis. They all announced their return and Illinois also brings in a top 20 recruiting class to go along with one of the better shooing guard transfers in Stefan Vaaks from Providence…