Losing to Michigan has put a bit of a damper on the Michigan State basketball season, but we have to remember that this team is 19-3 and still a top 10 team in the country. The Spartans will have an opportunity to exact revenge on the Wolverines to end the season.
But first, Tom Izzo and the Spartans will take on a pesky Minnesota team in Minneapolis on Wednesday night. The Gophers are just 10-12 on the year, but they’ve picked up two ranked Big Ten wins against Indiana and Iowa at home. They’ll look to make that three on Wednesday against the No. 10 Spartans.
Jeremy Fears and the Spartans have other plans.
Let’s get bold.
1. Michigan State out-rebounds Minnesota by 20
Michigan State is one of the best rebounding teams in college basketball and Minnesota, well, the Gophers are not. The Spartans average over 41 rebounds per game while the Gophers are somewhere around 33, which may not seem like much, but an eight rebound-per-game difference is massive in college basketball.
We’re going to see just why there’s a massive rebounding discrepancy on Wednesday night as the Spartans get their toughness back and dominate the glass for 40 minutes.
Jaxon Kohler will have a huge game on the glass with 10-plus boards, and Carson Cooper will add eight. Guys like Coen Carr, Jordan Scott, and Cam Ward will also get in on the fun, grabbing at least four each, leading to one of the best rebounding performances of the season. The Spartans win the rebounding advantage by 20.
2. Jordan Scott masterclass
I’m not sure if Tom Izzo will stick to his word and make some changes like he said he would after the Michigan loss. He hinted that the starting lineup could see a new face, and everyone’s best guess is that it’ll be Jordan Scott in for Divine Ugochukwu.
If that’s the case, I’m going to feel a lot better about this prediction.
Scott will enter the starting lineup (another prediction, I guess?) and he’ll score 12 points with six rebounds, and two stocks (steals + blocks). He’s going to continue doing everything really well, and his performance will get fans to fully buy back in after that devastating home loss to Michigan.
3. Slow start, strong finish
Once again, Michigan State will get off to a slow start, and like the Spartans do often, they’ll finish the game strong. Unfortunately, they didn’t do that last time out.
They’ve learned from their mistakes.
Michigan State will come out against a 10-12 Minnesota team a little too amped up, missing some open shots, but the Spartans will settle in, crawl back out of a six-point hole early, and recapture a lead by half, only to extend it in the final 20 minutes.
The Spartans will trail early, bu they’ll get the last laugh with a 78-65 win in Minneapolis.