Michigan State Basketball: 5 bold predictions for Week 16 Rutgers battle

Michigan State basketball is set to host a struggling Rutgers team on Wednesday evening, but what can we expect from the Nick Ward-less matchup?

You might be thinking that a home matchup against Rutgers would be a cakewalk, but now that Michigan State is without Nick Ward and Josh Langford, Wednesday’s game could be closer than expected.

The Scarlet Knights provide the Spartans their final test before Sunday’s final exam against the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor and if Michigan State can pass on Wednesday, it would have to make Tom Izzo and the entire fan base breathe a sigh of relief.

What can we expect from Wednesday’s late-February Big Ten battle against Rutgers?

5. Thomas Kithier, Marcus Bingham Jr. combine for 15 points

Thomas Kithier and Marcus Bingham Jr. have a total of 49 points this season between the two of them but they’ll add 15 together on Wednesday night.

With Nick Ward out, Tom Izzo talked about digging deep into his bench and playing everyone, which includes Kithier and Bingham Jr.

Actually, Kithier was who Izzo turned to when Ward went down against Ohio State and Xavier Tillman was in foul trouble, and he didn’t disappoint. He played solid defense against a much larger Kaleb Wesson and even scored a bucket of his own.

Bingham Jr. is a guy who everyone has wanted to see given an opportunity. The 6-foot-11 freshman is extremely thin for his height and that’s presumably why he doesn’t see the field more. He’s going to get plenty of time with Ward out and he’ll score a career-high seven points to go along with four rebounds.

Together, this freshman duo may combine for a double-double, but at the very least, they’ll score a total of 15 points.