Where Michigan State Basketball Stands in Latest AP Poll

Michigan State men's basketball stayed put in the AP Poll this week. On Monday afternoon, the latest rankings were released, and MSU maintained its spot at No. 17.

The Spartans (3-0) only played one game over the last week, defeating San Jose State last Thursday, 79-60. MSU has two contests on the schedule this week, with a neutral-site matchup against No. 12 Kentucky during the Champions Classic on Tuesday (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) and a home clash versus Detroit Mercy on Friday (6:30 p.m. ET, BTN).

More on the Week Ahead

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo yells to his players during a game against San Jose State on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Kentucky

Of course, the game against Kentucky is going to be the game this week with the most eyeballs on it. This type of test is built into MSU's schedule this year during the Champions Classic, since it's a rotation between the Wildcats, Duke, and Kansas.

Kentucky stands at 3-1 during the young season, with the lone loss being to then-No. 12 Louisville, who largely rose to No. 6 on Monday as a result of its 96-88 win over the Wildcats from last Tuesday.

That's the only impressive team that Kentucky has played this season. The Wildcats' three wins are against Nicholls (77-51), Valparaiso (107-59), and Eastern Illinois (99-53). At the time this article is being written, those three teams are ranked No. 277, 258, and 313 on KenPom.

Despite the drop in the rankings, Kentucky is still one of the most talented teams in the country. Five different players are averaging at least 10 points per game so far.

Nov 14, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope gives his players a thumbs up during the second half against the Eastern Illinois Panthers at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The Wildcats should also be pretty fresh. Denzel Aberdeen leads the team in minutes, and he's only averaging 24.0 per game. Michigan State has four different players who have averaged more minutes per game so far.

Also, according to KenPom, this is the second-hardest game on MSU's schedule this season. The site currently only gives the Spartans a 27% chance to win. Only Michigan State's road game at top-ranked Purdue has a lower number: 20%.

Tom Izzo, Mark Montgomer — Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, left, and Northern Illinois coach Mark Montgomery, a former Izzo assistant shake hands following their game, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, in East Lansing, Mich. Msu Vs Northern Illinois Basketball | Al Goldis | For the Lansing State Journal

Detroit Mercy

The other opportunity this coming week comes against Detroit Mercy on Friday. That will be a nice game for MSU's Tom Izzo, since he will be coaching against one of his former players and assistants, Mark Montgomery.

Montgomery played at MSU from 1988-92 while Izzo was an assistant under Jud Heathcote, becoming an All-Big Ten Third Team selection in '92. To this day, he is eighth in program history for assists (561) and fourth in steals (168).

He has since been an assistant himself under Izzo two different times. The first stint lasted from 2002-11 before he accepted the head coaching job at Northern Illinois. His second stint as an assistant in East Lansing was from 2021-24 before taking the Detroit Mercy job.

Jeremy Fears, Tom Izz — Michigan State's coach Tom Izzo, right, talks with Jeremy Fears Jr. during the first half against Colgate on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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