Michigan State Basketball: 5 bold predictions for Iowa battle in Week 5

PISCATAWAY, NJ - NOVEMBER 30: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans drives to the basket as Caleb McConnell #22 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights defends during the second half of a college basketball game at the Rutgers Athletic Center on November 30, 2018 in Piscataway, New Jersey. Michigan State defeated Rutgers 78-67. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images,) /

4 of 5

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 22: Jalen Hill #24 of the UCLA Bruins battles for a rebound against Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans during the 2018 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on November 22, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

2. Michigan State holds Iowa to under 70 points

Defense has been the name of the game lately and even without the team’s top perimeter defender, the Spartans have been able to play well enough to earn a win and make a comeback in another game, sending it to overtime.

The Spartans have improved ever since the FGCU game where they gave up 82 points at home and getting back to East Lansing will be big for this team’s confidence.

You’ll see plenty of floor-slaps and big stops down low, especially against Tyler Cook, which will lead to one of the Spartans’ top defensive performances of the season. No, this won’t be like Tennessee Tech when they allowed just 33 points, but more like Rutgers when they surrendered just 67.

Against a team that averages over 80 points per game and has a couple of guys who shoot 40-plus percent from 3-point range, that’s not too shabby.

Michigan State’s defense could be a difference-maker, but the outcome all depends on how well the Spartans protect the ball.

Home/Spartans Basketball