Michigan State basketball hoping to learn from mistakes vs. Northwestern

Michigan State basketball takes on the traveling Northwestern Wildcats looking to continue its winning streak. Here is what to expect.

Michigan State is coming off a buzzer-beating win against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. They led by as much as 10 points in the first half before letting Minnesota go on a run and it was a tight one from there on out.

The Spartans will try to get back on track against a lowly Northwestern before they go on a grueling road trip to face Wisconsin and Illinois. Northwestern has lost four games in a row and will try to get back to Northwestern basketball against a Michigan State squad that has struggled to put teams away.

Northwestern is led by senior forward Pete Nance and junior guard Boo Buie. Nance is a force down low but can also step out and make the deep shot to spark his full of energy. In the Wildcats’ last game against the Spartans two weeks ago, Nance led his team with 13 points and Buie added 12 for the Wildcats.

Boo Buie has had clinics against the Spartans throughout his career. He scored 26 points against them last year and 30 points against the Spartans two seasons ago keeping his Wildcats in the game. Buie will do everything he can to upset the Spartans. They will need to limit Buie’s production if they do not want to be upset at home before traveling to two rough venues.

Michigan State is led by Gabe Brown who has been their most productive product all season long. However, Max Christie is starting to let his offensive game come to him and he has been great in his last four contests. He has been shooting lights out in those contests making 62 percent of his shots from the floor and totaling 69 percent from deep while averaging 16 points per game.

The Spartans will continue to look for No. 5 and ride his success on the offensive end of the floor. The Spartans will also look for Joey Hauser, who hit an incredible buzzer-beater to win the game against Minnesota. Hauser, who has struggled with confidence since the beginning of COVID-19 has slowly gained his confidence back throughout this season. Hitting that buzzer-beater to win the game might have just helped Hauser get over the hump and we could be seeing a brand new player who we have not experienced yet.

Tyson Walker has been another crucial piece to the Spartans this year. When he is on his best game, the Spartans are rolling. When he has struggled they have struggled with him. This is what happened against Minnesota and Walker will try to get back on track in this game against Northwestern.

Tune in to Big Ten Network at 12 p.m. ET to watch.

Records

Northwestern is coming off a four-game skid. Once they start on a losing skid, it lasts a while. The last time the Wildcats haven’t had a four-game losing streak or more was 10 seasons ago.

Michigan State is on a nine-game winning streak which they will look to continue. However, it is around this time of year that the Spartans hit a skid themselves, that way Izzo can correct things and get the team ready for March.

Starters

Northwestern

• F – Pete Nance
• F – Robbie Beran
• G – Ty Berry
• G – Chase Audige
• G – Boo Buie

Michigan State

• F – Marcus Bingham Jr.
• F – Joey Hauser
• F – Gabe Brown
• G – Max Christie
• G – Tyson Walker

Final prediction: Northwestern 74, Michigan State 78