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

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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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) /

4. Michigan State will finish with less than 10 turnovers — again

Michigan State had just six turnovers against Nebraska, which was the start of potentially a strong trend in the Spartans’ favor. If Michigan State can average less than 10 turnovers per game in Big Ten play, there’s not a team in the league that will be able to take the Spartans down.

Nebraska wasn’t able to force many turnovers and the green and white looked smart with the ball, which Tom Izzo had to love. They had been turnover-prone all season long, even recorded 20-plus on multiple occasions, but hovering around the 15-18 mark each contest.

Nebraska’s smart game will start that trend for Michigan State and it will finish with less than 10 for the second straight game against Rutgers on Tuesday. Even though it is the Spartans’ first true road game and the young players might be a little rattled — although it is Rutgers — Michigan State will finish with just eight turnovers and 18 assists.

Having a positive assist-to-turnover ratio is always a good thing, especially when it’s plus-10. This team seems to have figured out how to beat teams with smart play and that’s going to continue.

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