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Michigan State Basketball: Staff score predictions vs. Indiana in Week 11

By Connor Muldowney

BLOOMINGTON, IN - JANUARY 21: Nick Ward #44 of the Michigan State Spartans attempts a shot in the first half against the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall on January 21, 2017 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, IN - JANUARY 21: Nick Ward #44 of the Michigan State Spartans attempts a shot in the first half against the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall on January 21, 2017 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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Michigan State basketball hosts Indiana looking to get back on track on Friday night. What does our staff think of the matchup?

Must-win game in January? It wouldn’t be a Michigan State basketball season if that wasn’t the case. The Spartans usually hit a rough patch early on in conference action before turning up the heat in February and March to make a deep run.

Must Read: MSU Basketball: 5 reasons not to panic after Michigan loss

Tom Izzo’s confidence in his team hasn’t wavered and that’s a good sign. Players buy into the coaches and Izzo’s even-keeled persona has been a breath of fresh air. Could that mean his team is ready to get back on track with a win against Indiana on Friday? It certainly feels that way

Plenty needs to happen for the Spartans to win back some doubters, but a comfortable win over the Hoosiers would be a nice start.

Will Michigan State bounce back in a big way against the Hoosiers?

Connor Muldowney: Believe it or not, this is a must-win for Michigan State. The Spartans have had three poor games in a row, resulting in two losses, and need to show that they can bounce back with a strong win over Indiana. Cassius Winston will have a much more effective game facilitating the ball, finishing turnover-less for the third time this season, and Miles Bridges leads the team in scoring with 20-plus points and some highlight-reel slams. This will have the feeling of a typical Tom Izzo “I told you we were going to be alright” game.

Final Score: Indiana 66, Michigan State 76

Adam Zdroik: Indiana is led by its guards, which could lead to more problems for Michigan State. Can Cassius Winston stop Josh Newkirk or Joshua Langford keep Robert Johnson in check? I don’t know. But with De’Ron Davis out, the Hoosiers don’t have much down low outside of Juwan Morgan, which should mean Jaren Jackson and Nick Ward do enough to get the win. If Winston and Langford can play defense, it could even be a blowout.

Final Score: Indiana 66, Michigan State 75

Michael Briggs: Michigan State is in the midst of a surprising rough stretch that has some questioning the potential of this team. A nearly week-long break between games has offered the Spartans plenty of time to reflect, get mad and focus on getting back on track.

I expect MSU to come out strong, but will Miles Bridges finally show us a little more “Spartan Dawg”? If this Spartans team is even going to sniff a Final Four, Bridges needs to be more of an alpha. We all know Michigan State can win as a team, but it won’t beat everyone with that mentality. Sometimes, you need your stars to play selfishly. I don’t buy into the chatter that Bridges doesn’t have a killer instinct. He’s running out of time to show that side of his game, though.

Final Score: Indiana 61, Michigan State 74

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Stephen Robb: The Indiana Hoosiers have struggled under first year coach Archie Miller who made the move from Dayton where he enjoyed much success. However, Indiana is 11-7 and in a must-win situation to make a tournament case. Indiana’s lineup is mostly upperclassmen with freshman Justin Smith. This game makes me nervous because MSU got exposed by Michigan. The Hoosiers have a great coach and experienced team. Michigan State will get a better defensive effort from Joshua Langford. Miles Bridges may have to carry this team.

Final Score: Indiana 67, Michigan State 71

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