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Michigan State basketball: 3 bold predictions vs. USC in Round of 64

By Connor Muldowney

Mar 17, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo guides his team’s practice for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus DispatchBasketball Ncaa Men S Basketball Tournament
Mar 17, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo guides his team’s practice for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus DispatchBasketball Ncaa Men S Basketball Tournament /
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Friday’s Michigan State basketball game will be the most important of the season as the Spartans are now into elimination territory. It’s survive and advance time.

The Spartans will be looking to beat the 10th-seeded USC Trojans in the first game of the day and kick St. Patrick’s Day off right. A win would get the Spartans to the second round for the second year in a row and the fifth time in the past six tournaments.

Michigan State will also look to shake off that ugly performance in the Big Ten Tournament to beat a team from outside the conference for the first time since December.

Let’s get bold ahead of Friday’s big game.

3. AJ Hoggard has statement game

AJ Hoggard may have the tough task of matching up with Boogie Ellis on Friday, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that was Jaden Akins for most of the afternoon. That could free Hoggard up to match up with someone who he has a clear advantage against.

This is going to allow him to have a big game and silence the doubters after the debacle on the bench against Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament.

People seem to forget that Hoggard was red-hot right before the Big Ten Tournament, playing his best basketball of the season. He can snap right out of this funk and have one of his best games of the year. And I think he will because he’s the leader of this team and they go as he goes.

Hoggard will finish with 18 points and 10 assists in a huge performance to start the tourney.

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