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Michigan State Basketball: 5 bold predictions vs. Rutgers in Week 5

By Connor Muldowney

PORTLAND, OR - NOVEMBER 26: Andrew Platek #3 of the North Carolina Tar Heels and Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans go after a loose ball in the second half of the game during the PK80-Phil Knight Invitational presented by State Farm at the Moda Center on November 26, 2017 in Portland, Oregon. Michigan State won the game 63-45. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - NOVEMBER 26: Andrew Platek #3 of the North Carolina Tar Heels and Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans go after a loose ball in the second half of the game during the PK80-Phil Knight Invitational presented by State Farm at the Moda Center on November 26, 2017 in Portland, Oregon. Michigan State won the game 63-45. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /
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Rutgers will host Michigan State basketball on Tuesday night and it’s the Spartans’ first road game of the year. Here are bold predictions for the matchup.

For the first time this season, Michigan State will play a true road game. Fortunately, it’s against a Rutgers team that was just dismantled by Minnesota. However, no win in the Big Ten comes easy, especially on the road, and Tom Izzo knows that.

The Spartans are coming off their first conference victory of the season over Nebraska, 86-57, but Izzo wasn’t pleased with his team’s lack of aggressiveness on both ends. Rutgers will provide an interesting test and it’s a good opportunity for the Spartans to correct their mistakes.

Here’s our best attempt at being bold heading into Tuesday night’s road game at Rutgers.

5. Rutgers will be held under 35 percent shooting

For the second straight game, Michigan State will hold an opponent under 35 percent shooting from the floor, but this time, it won’t allow a 3-point barrage. Nebraska shot just 27 percent against the Spartans, but made 10-of-22 shots from 3-point land. That won’t happen Tuesday.

The Scarlet Knights are one of the worst shooting teams in the Big Ten, making just 41 percent of their shots, and are even worse from outside — 26 percent from 3-point range.

That trend will continue on Tuesday as the Spartans will be smothering on the defensive end and the reason the Scarlet Knights will break the 60-mark on the day will be due to free throws. The Spartans will be in foul trouble for most of the game, but that’s not much of a surprise.

Rutgers will finish the game with a 33 percent shooting rate, making just 3-of-15 shots from 3-point land as well.

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