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Michigan State basketball faces toughest Big Ten test yet at Nebraska

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 3: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans handles the ball against Glynn Watson Jr. #5 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Breslin Center on December 3, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 3: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans handles the ball against Glynn Watson Jr. #5 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Breslin Center on December 3, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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Michigan State basketball is 6-0 in the Big Ten this season, but Nebraska is the toughest conference test to date for the Spartans.

Tom Izzo has been open about his displeasure for Michigan State’s play over the last couple of games, but the Spartans have won by 18 over Purdue and 15 at Penn State. Those tests may not have anything on what Michigan State is going to see from Nebraska on Thursday night.

No one likes playing in Lincoln as the home atmosphere for the Cornhuskers is fairly hostile. Nebraska fans love their sports and this game will be in front of a sellout crowd in a place where upsets are the norm.

It’ll be the toughest Big Ten test to date for the Spartans, and that’s not throwing shade at the Buckeyes of Ohio State seeing as they are one of the league’s toughest contenders, but Nebraska is playing at a high level and it’s coming off a big road upset of Indiana by 15 points.

Here’s how you can watch Thursday night’s game in Lincoln:

Date: Thursday, Jan. 17
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Lincoln, Neb.
Venue: Pinnacle Bank Arena
TV: FOX Sports 1
Live Stream: FOX Sports Go or FuboTV

Keys to Victory

This one’s not going to be easy, no matter how you slice it, but Cassius Winston needs to be on his ‘A’ game. The junior point guard was off against Penn State on the road but that didn’t hurt the Spartans much since the Nittany Lions had been struggling this season, but that won’t fly against the Cornhuskers in Lincoln. Glynn Watson Jr. is a guy who can capitalize on a poor game from Winston, so he needs to be on his best at both ends of the floor. Three turnovers or less and 20-plus points would be a winnable scenario for the Spartans from Winston.

On the defensive end, the obvious key would be stopping James Palmer Jr. The senior guard will likely draw Matt McQuaid defensively, so the Spartan senior will need to do his best to hold him in check and keep him to 10-15 points. He’s one of the Big Ten’s top scorers at over 19 points per game. If the Spartans can keep him under his season average by 5-7 points, they should be able to escape Lincoln with a W.

Players to Watch

As mentioned before, the Cornhuskers are led by a guy who averages over 19 points per game and is one of the Big Ten’s leaders, but they have some solid role players surrounding him.

  • James Palmer Jr.: 19.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.5 steals, 40% 3-point
  • Isaac Copeland Jr.: 14.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 54% FG
  • Glynn Watson Jr.: 13.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 42% 3-point
  • Isaiah Roby: 11.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, 52% FG

dark. Next. 5 takeaways from MSU's blowout win over Penn State

Prediction

It’s going to be a fight from start to finish, but Michigan State has been in these spots before, especially with a veteran team. There’s a good chance Josh Langford and Kyle Ahrens will both be out again but expect a big defensive game from McQuaid on the road and the Spartans will need just that. Michigan State and Nebraska will have a back-and-forth battle until the bitter end and a big offensive rebound kicked out to an open Winston for three with under a minute left will seal the deal.

Final Score: Michigan State 78, Nebraska 75

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