After a strong regular season and a victory in the Big Ten Tournament, the Michigan State men's basketball team departed the Target Center on Friday with a sense of optimism about their chances of making it to the NCAA Tournament. However, a series of upsets on Saturday has potentially altered their fate and placed them dangerously close to the tournament cut line.

Four surprising upsets occurred in various conference tournaments across the country, significantly impacting the NCAA Tournament picture just one day before Selection Sunday. Teams that were projected to secure at-large bids, namely North Carolina, Florida Atlantic, San Diego State, and Colorado, suffered losses to opponents who were not expected to be part of the tournament field.

These unexpected outcomes have transformed the landscape, with previously projected automatic bids now falling into the category of at-large bids, and vice versa. Unfortunately for Michigan State, they were already on the lower end of the list for potential at-large teams, and these recent developments have pushed them even closer to the tournament cut line.

According to projections from ESPN, Michigan State currently occupies the 32nd spot among at-large teams in the tournament. The last team to make the cut is ranked at 34th. With teams that were previously not expected to make it now securing automatic bids, the Spartans find themselves in a precarious position.

Bracket projections indicate that Michigan State may have to compete in the play-in games scheduled in Dayton, Ohio on Tuesday and Wednesday. This predicament seemed unlikely just a day ago, as the Spartans were originally projected to be a No. 10 seed, only a few spots away from guaranteeing an at-large bid.

The situation was further complicated by the fact that different bracket projections had placed Michigan State at varying distances from the tournament cut line before the Saturday upsets unfolded. CBS Sports had the Spartans outside the "last four in," while most projections positioned them as a No. 10 seed, with a small margin separating them from an at-large game.

The Michigan State basketball program, along with their dedicated fanbase, now anxiously awaits the official announcement from the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee. On Sunday at 6 p.m., the team and their supporters will discover their fate and whether they have secured a spot in the prestigious tournament.

As the countdown continues, Michigan State must hold on to their hopes, maintaining the belief that their impressive regular season and recent tournament success will be enough to secure them a cherished berth in the NCAA Tournament.