"It hurts me to say this, Michigan State is really good; they should be a 1-seed,” John Beilein said after Spartans beat Oregon in Big Ten tournament.

Michigan State basketball continues to march toward Tom Izzo's 27th straight NCAA tournament bid. Here's where Spartans stand in March 10 projections.

Carlson’s book, “Making March Madness: The Early Years of the NCAA, NIT, and College Basketball Championships, 1922-1951” points out that the National Invitation Tournament, the NIT, was considered a more prestigious event for years. It was held at Madison Square Garden, the mecca of college basketball at the time. And it paid better.