Michigan State Basketball: Game-by-game predictions for 2017-18
By Adam Zdroik
Jan. 4 (Maryland) through Jan. 31 (Penn State)
Jan. 4 vs. Maryland: With a New Year that sees Michigan State ranked as the No. 1 team in the country, things get even better due to a favorable schedule to start 2018. The Terrapins will be a tough out in College Park, but without Melo Trimble, they’ll struggle on the road early in the conference season. Cassius Winston will have problems against a physical backcourt and Miles Bridges will be hounded by Justin Jackson, but Josh Langford will have a new confidence in the New Year that exposes Kevin Huerter’s defense. Win (15-1, 3-0)
Jan. 7 at Ohio State: Micah Potter can only do so much against teams with multiple bigs and gets into foul trouble early against Nick Ward. The Buckeyes come in with seven losses and leave with another home loss that has them looking like the worst team in the conference. Win (16-1, 4-0)
Jan. 10 vs. Rutgers: After giving their all in the first meeting back in December and losing by double digits, Rutgers gives the keys to Corey Sanders, who goes 5-of-21 from the floor. The Spartans take care of business with a hungry Michigan team on the horizon. Win (17-1, 5-0)
Jan 13 vs. Michigan: The Wolverines get upended by Isaac Haas a few days prior and now have to deal with Ward and a completely different team from a season ago. Ward trash talks Moritz Wagner out of Breslin, as Winston has his first 30-point game of the season against Zavier Simpson, who gets benched and changes his name back to Xavier for the rest of the season with hopes of better results. Win (18-1, 6-0)
Jan. 19 vs. Indiana: The friendly schedule continues for Michigan State with yet another home game against a team in transition. The speed of the Hoosiers will be problematic, but they won’t make their shots on the road, while De’Ron Davis and Collin Hartman are handled by Ward and Jaren Jackson, respectively. Win (19-1, 7-0)
Jan 22 at Illinois: Normally a trap game in Champagne, Michigan State will be ready to travel after three-straight home games. The Spartans will show former recruit Mark Smith what he’s missing when Tum Tum Nairn locks down on the freshman and holds him to three points. Win (20-1, 8-0)
Jan. 26 vs. Wisconsin: The Badgers end a brutal stretch with five of six games on the road and come out flat. D’Mitrik Trice tries to do more than he can, as Nairn enters the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year, locking down yet another player. Ethan Happ gets hounded by Jackson and has his worst game of the season up to this point. Win (21-1, 9-0)
Jan. 28 at Maryland: The Terps change their lineup in an effort to go smaller and force Ward and the bigs to run the court more than they want. The starting five of Anthony Cowan, Dion Wiley, Darryl Morsell, Kevin Huerter and Justin Jackson causes the Spartans fits due to lack of depth in the backcourt. Matt McQuaid is forced to play and defend, but can’t keep up while playing a season-high 31 minutes. Loss (21-2, 9-1)
Jan. 31 vs. Penn State: Bumming from a loss, Michigan State has to take on the Nittany Lions, who are suddenly a tournament team having won six of their last seven games. Taking the same script from last year’s Big Ten tournament game, the Spartans use their size to limit Mike Watkins, while Lamar Stephens can’t do anything against Bridges on either end. Win (22-2, 10-1)