Michigan State Basketball: 5 reasons Spartans will beat Michigan in Week 10

Michigan State Basketball: 5 reasons the Spartans will beat Michigan in Week 10

EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 4: Nick Ward #44 and Jaren Jackson Jr. #2 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrate from the bench during the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Breslin Center on January 4, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

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EAST LANSING, MI – DECEMBER 18: Nick Ward #44 of the Michigan State Spartans battles against the Houston Baptist Huskies at the Jack T. Breslin Student Events Center on December 18, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

3. Nick Ward will win battle vs. Mo Wagner

This could be the most important matchup on Saturday afternoon. The battle between Nick Ward and Mo Wagner, assuming the latter is healthy, could decide the game. Luckily for the Spartans, Ward will win the matchup, but not before there is some chippy play between the two.

Just like a season ago in East Lansing, the two will go at it down low and there will be some elbows thrown and some words exchanged. This will be the battle to watch and it will end up in Ward’s favor.

Will it be due to Wagner not being 100 percent? It’s possible, but Ward will play with a chip on his shoulder and he’ll show that he’s the more dominant post player.

Ward will get doubled down low on occasion, but there’s no doubt he practiced how to beat that after his three-point outing in a loss to Ohio State last weekend. He’s going to have one of his better games, finishing with yet another double-double and clearly out-dueling Wagner.

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