Don't Panic at MSU's February Slump

The Michigan State Spartans have not started February the way they wanted, but it's more common for this to happen than you might think.

Feb 4, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Jaden Akins (3) scores past the defense of UCLA Bruins center Aday Mara (15) and forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) in the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Michigan State Spartans have lost two consecutive games for the first time this season. 

Before this West Coast road trip, MSU lost two games all season. It doubled that with a rough stretch of games in an unfamiliar area. 

Tom Izzo’s team did not lose a game in December or January but suffered two just as the calendar has turned. As the games get tougher, fans have become concerned that the Spartans are choosing now to lose games. 

However, fans shouldn’t panic about MSU’s short losing streak during this month. History says the Spartans lose at the beginning of February often. 

In the last 10 years, the Spartans’ winning percentage is lowest in the first week of February. According to data collected by Spartans Illustrated's Paul Fanson, they only win 37.5 percent of their games during that time, the lowest out of any time period from November to early March. 

Over the last decade, MSU has won 71.3 percent of its games, excluding the first week of February, per Fanson. So, there is clearly something in the air when the calendar turns to February, but the Spartans settle in quickly after that. 

In fact, according to Fanson, MSU has won 93.8 percent of its games in the second week of February, so Izzo knows how to snap his team out of the funk it deals with early in the month. 

The Spartans have not played terribly in their last two games, either. They have given themselves a chance to win against both USC and UCLA but came up short. 

Unfortunately for Izzo’s team, the schedule does not get any easier. Its next six games include four ranked opponents, three of which are on the road. 

However, Izzo has been here before. He has seen tough schedules in the last two months of the season and knows when his team is prepared to handle them. 

The Spartans’ next game against Oregon will tell us a lot about where this team’s mindset is. The Ducks are a good team needing a win to get back on track. If the Spartans can’t put them away, it may be concerning. 

MSU has work to do as the schedule gets more difficult. Fans shouldn’t panic just because the team has dropped a few games during the time of year they normally do, though.

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