Michigan State vs Penn State preview, predictions and more

Here’s everything you need to know for Sunday’s Michigan State vs Penn State game.

Losing three straight games near the beginning of conference play looked to doom the Spartans and some were even calling Michigan State ‘overrated’ even while posting one of the top non-conference records in the nation. The Spartans have since rebounded, winning seven of eight games and beating Maryland, Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin in the process.

After starting Big Ten play with a 2-8 record, the Penn State Nittany Lions have buckled down to become one of the hottest teams in the conference. Yes, you read that right, the Nittany Lions have won four of five games, taking down the likes of Iowa and Indiana in the process.

They’ll look to continue that hot streak at the Breslin Center on Sunday while Michigan State will also look to win its eighth in nine games.

Details for Sunday’s Michigan State vs Penn State game are below:

Date: Sunday, Feb. 28
Start Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Location: East Lansing, MI
Stadium: Breslin Center
TV Info: Big Ten Network
Live Stream: BTN2Go
Radio: For Michigan State radio affiliates, click here. For Penn State radio affiliates, click here.

Three Keys to Victory

Feb 18, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Matt McQuaid (20) defends Wisconsin Badgers guard Jordan Hill (11) during the second half of a game at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /

Staying out of foul trouble. It’s obvious that foul trouble is what helps keep Michigan State’s opponents in games these days. Even against Ohio State the Spartans let them hang around because of the bonus. Less fouls will equal bigger wins.
Bench play. The bench has been pretty quiet in recent games and that must change moving forward. That doesn’t mean scoring should be at an all-time high, but the way Marvin Clark Jr. played against the Buckeyes should be a sign of things to come.
Bryn Forbes. When Bryn Forbes is making his shots, no one in the country is able to stop the Spartans. It seems like when he’s hot, he doesn’t miss and that has been the case all year. He needs to keep it going against Penn State because when he struggles, the team suffers.

Three Storylines to Follow

Feb 23, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Denzel Valentine (45) speeds past Ohio State Buckeyes center Daniel Giddens (4) during the second half at Value City Arena. The Spartans won 81-62. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports /

Triple-double watch. Always, always, always. Denzel Valentine is on a permanent triple-double watch and he’s come oh so close for the past few games. Against one of the weakest opponents in the conference, he could finally add another to his season total.
Tum Tum’s role. Will the sophomore captain come off the bench to provide some solid minutes or will he disappear once again? Michigan State is going to need him to be a much larger contributor moving forward.
Eron Harris’ shooting. Like Bryn Forbes, if Eron Harris is making his shots, the chances opponents have to take down Michigan State decrease significantly.

Betting Odds

Point Spread: Michigan State -19

Penn State Players to Watch

Brandon Taylor — 16.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 37% three-point shooting
Shep Garner — 14.0 points, 3.2 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 1.3 steals
Payton Banks — 9.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 37% FG shooting

Prediction

Michigan State gets hot early on and rides the crowd to victory. Bryn Forbes continues his sharpshooting and making 6-of-8 threes on the day while the Spartans increase the lead to 20 before getting the backups in. Penn State makes a minor push at the end, but it’s all green on Sunday afternoon.

Final Score: Penn State 57, Michigan State 72

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