Michigan State Basketball: 3 bold predictions vs. Detroit Mercy in Game 4

1. Spartans hold Detroit Mercy to under 50 points

Michigan State’s defense is borderline elite three games into the season and I use the term “borderline” because it’s hard to call anyone or any aspect of teams “elite” three games in. But Michigan State is incredibly close to earning that “elite” distinction defensively.

If you just looked at the final scores of the three opponents the Spartans have faced, you wouldn’t think much of the defense, but that’s more so an effect of late-game lapses.

Michigan State’s defense smothered Duke and held the Blue Devils to just 32 percent shooting from the floor and just over 20 percent from beyond the arc. That wasn’t just because of poor shooting by the Blue Devils, but they didn’t get any open shots against the Spartans.

Detroit Mercy has an elite scorer in Antoine Davis but with Rocket Watts, Aaron Henry and Josh Langford playing stingy defense this season around the perimeter, he’ll have a long day in East Lansing.

The Spartans are going to hold him under his usual 20-plus point outing and the rest of the lineup won’t be able to pick up the slack. Detroit Mercy finishes with just 49 points.