Michigan State Basketball: 3 bold predictions for crucial February 2021

Michigan State basketball has had a forgettable start to Big Ten play, but will things turn around to start the month of February?

The hope has been sucked out of East Lansing during Michigan State basketball season for the first time in decades as Tom Izzo has made a number of coaching blunders and the Spartans have shown little fight, losing three games in a row for the second time this season.

Through the month of January, everyone is just assuming Michigan State won’t be dancing this March as it has a 2-6 record in Big Ten play and sits at just 8-6 overall.

After losing to Ohio State by 17 and Rutgers by 30, no one is expecting much from the Spartans in February, but this is their chance to shock the nation.

Will the Spartans turn things around?

3. Marcus Bingham Jr. takes over as starting center

How the heck has Marcus Bingham Jr. seen his minutes and production decrease from his sophomore season in which he was behind Xavier Tillman on the depth chart? That’s a question we may never find the answer to, especially since many believe he’s the team’s top option, at least defensively, in the post.

Right now, however, Thomas Kithier is Tom Izzo’s choice as starter but he hasn’t done many positive things over the past few games whereas Bingham Jr. has stepped up his game.

It won’t be a drastic change, but Bingham Jr. is going to be the starting center by the end of the month and play somewhere in the ballpark of 15-20 minutes per game. He’s truly the team’s only chance of holding elite opposing bigs in check.

Bingham Jr. is averaging 3.7 points, five rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game over the past three outings and Izzo is going to realize he needs more of that.