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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EAST LANSING, MI – NOVEMBER 19: Miles Bridges #22 of the Michigan State Spartans dunks during the game against the Stony Brook Seawolves at Breslin Center on November 19, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

2. Miles Bridges will finish with 20-plus points, 10 rebounds

We haven’t seen Miles Bridges play like himself in a while now, it seems. The sophomore sensation and national player of the year candidate has gotten off to a slow start to the season, under his standards, and he’s going to be poised for a breakout.

Bridges had a quiet game in the Spartans’ only matchup with Rutgers a year ago, scoring six points in 17 minutes in his first game back from a high-ankle sprain. He’s not going to go two straight games against the Scarlet Knights without breaking through for a 20-point performance.

Before the season, I predicted Bridges would average 20 points and 10 rebounds in the first month of play, but he didn’t quite hit that. It’s very possible he does that in the second month. It started against Nebraska with 12 points and six rebounds, but he will have a 20-plus point, 10-rebound performance against the Scarlet Knights Tuesday.

The sophomore is going to take over the game and make the Scarlet Knights wish they hadn’t even shown up to play. Bridges will put a couple of players on posters Tuesday.

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