Michigan State Basketball: 5 bold predictions for road battle at Florida

Saturday afternoon’s Florida vs. Michigan State basketball could be the Spartans’ last tough battle before Big Ten play resumes in January.

Following a Louisville loss up with two straight double-digit victories to start Big Ten play had to be the ideal way for Tom Izzo’s team to bounce back, but one final roadblock stands between the Spartans and a clear path back to conference play in January.

Michigan State will travel to Florida on Saturday to face the Gators (5-3) in the Spartans’ last matchup against a power conference team. The Gators haven’t exactly been dominant this season, but they are coming off their best win of the year, a 10-point defeat of West Virginia on a neutral court.

Can the Gators pull off the upset of the Spartans on Saturday afternoon? According to ESPN‘s Basketball Power Index, the Gators have a 55 percent chance of winning. That could be all the motivation this MSU team needs.

What can we expect from Michigan State’s battle with Florida on Saturday?

5. Spartans grab over 15 offensive rebounds

On the year, Michigan State is averaging 13 offensive rebounds per game, but it’ll finish with 17 against the Gators who aren’t exactly powerful on the boards.

We will see plenty of Kenny Goins on the offensive glass along with Nick Ward and even guards such as Aaron Henry and Josh Langford. The Spartans have gotten plenty of rebounding production from Goins and Ward this season and Xavier Tillman off the bench and the former leads the team with 25 offensive rebounds through nine games.

Tillman is second on the team with 23 offensive boards and Ward has 19.

These offensive rebounds will lead to a number of second-chance points which will be the difference in this one. For the second straight game, it’ll be hustle plays and smart decisions that lead the Spartans past an opponent and not 3-point success.