Michigan State Basketball: 3 bold predictions for important Penn State battle

2. Marcus Bingham Jr. records first career double-double

Tom Izzo has to start riding the Marcus Bingham Jr. hot hand more and extend that short leash that he has the junior big man on. Frankly, Bingham Jr. has been the Spartans’ best big this season — other than Joey Hauser — and it hasn’t been all that close.

Thomas Kithier has been kind of a failed project to this point although he has had his share of bright moments, Malik Hall is in a massive slump, Julius Marble is tough to judge because he doesn’t get a ton of minutes, Mady Sissoko is still raw and Hauser has been ice-cold lately. On the defensive end, Bingham Jr. can be a beast when he applies himself.

When that motor is running on the defensive end and he stops thinking and just uses his length and athleticism to wreak havoc, he’s dangerous down low — he even had his best career game last season on that end versus Kofi Cockburn.

Bingham Jr. has played well over the past few games and has even earned himself a starting role. He will likely be starting again on Tuesday and if he doesn’t take any ill-advised 3-pointers early in the shot clock, he should play anywhere from 15-20 minutes.

If that’s the case, I’m going to predict a double-double for the junior big man — his first as a Spartan.