Michigan State basketball: 3 bold predictions vs. Brown

Brown comes to East Lansing on Saturday evening for a little non-conference battle before Michigan State basketball gets a whopping 11 days off.

The Spartans have been playing an absolute gauntlet of a schedule through the first month-plus of the season and getting this break after facing Brown is much needed.

But Michigan State can’t overlook the Bears who sit at 6-4 but are riding high with a five-game winning streak after starting the year 1-4. The Bears haven’t faced a single Power Six team yet, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t tested, fresh off four straight road wins.

Will Michigan State take care of Brown on Saturday night?

3. Jaden Akins has a career game

I predicted Jaden Akins would have a big game against Penn State and while he played fairly well with seven points and a couple of big shots, he didn’t quite live up to what I said would happen.

Now I think he’ll actually have a breakout game and it’ll end up being the best of his young Spartan career, posting over 15 points with seven boards and three steals. He may even add a block on a fast-break by Brown which will ignite the Breslin Center crowd.

Akins will get on track against a non-conference foe and shake off the rust that he’s experienced over the last two Big Ten games since returning from injury.