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Michigan State Basketball: 3 bold predictions for must-win battle at Michigan

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 05: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts in the second half while playing the Michigan Wolverines at the Breslin Center on January 05, 2020 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 87-69. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 05: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts in the second half while playing the Michigan Wolverines at the Breslin Center on January 05, 2020 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 87-69. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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Michigan State basketball is facing a must-win battle for Big Ten title hopes on Saturday afternoon in Ann Arbor. Can the Spartans beat Michigan?

Tom Izzo knows what needs to happen in Crisler Center on Saturday. The Spartans need to take care of a struggling Michigan team to improve to 9-4 in league play and end a two-game losing skid.

It was around this time last year that the Spartans lost three straight games but followed that up with a red-hot finish to the regular season, winning the Big Ten title and then following that up with a conference tournament championship. We all know what happened in the NCAA Tournament as well.

Will this be the game that turns Michigan State’s season around and gets the uber-talented Spartans back on track?

Will the Spartans take care of Michigan on Saturday?

3. Spartans start hot

Unlike the road games in recent weeks, Michigan State will get off to a red-hot start on Saturday afternoon, mounting a 10-point lead early on. While this lead will get chipped away at before halftime, this is exactly what Tom Izzo wants to see from his team away from the Breslin Center.

Getting off to slow starts on the road leads to avoidable losses such as Indiana and Wisconsin. I would group Purdue in there, but winning at Mackey Arena has proven to be one of the toughest tasks in the Big Ten this year — just ask Iowa.

Michigan State will shoot 50 percent in the first half and hold a lead going into the locker room, but it won’t be a major one. It’ll be a three-point game.

Still, having a lead in the first half on the road is something that Michigan State has struggled with for the past two months.

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