In true Tom Izzo and Michigan State basketball fashion, the Spartans will be playing yet another ranked opponent on Thursday to conclude their Feast Week in Fort Myers, Fla.
Michigan State took care of East Carolina in its first Fort Myers Tip-Off game, and now it’ll face North. 16 North Carolina on Thursday evening. This will be the perfect game to turn on during Thanksgiving dinner as you completely ignore your family while Izzo does work.
North Carolina presents a tough matchup for Michigan State, however.
The Tar Heels, too, are 6-0 on the season and they have a ranked win under their belt, beating Kansas earlier in the season when the Jayhawks were still in the AP Top 25. Michigan State is favored slightly in this neutral-site game, but the Tar Heels still have some clear advantages.
What disadvantages could the Spartans face on Thursday?
1. UNC has a more explosive offense
I would say that North Carolina’s offense is an advantage, but Michigan State’s defense is every bit as effective. The Tar Heels may have a tough time scoring with ease like they have to this point in the season, but they do average over 87 points per game, and if this turns into a shootout, North Carolina will have a slight advantage.
The Tar Heels shoot a little better from the floor, slightly better from three, and average about seven more points per game. They can score in bunches.
2. No true go-to scorer
Related to the No. 1 disadvantage that Michigan State faces, North Carolina has a go-to scorer whereas the Spartans do not. In a game like this where every point is going to matter, that’s a critical component. Michigan State could rely more on Trey Fort, Coen Carr, or Jaxon Kohler, but it just feels like different guys step up every game — that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
But if the game comes down to the wire, the Spartans don’t have that Tyson Walker-type player who can knock down shots. North Carolina has Caleb Wilson who’s averaging 20.5 points on over 60 percent shooting this year. That’s dangerous.
3. Rebounding
I know, this is shocking. For the first time this season, the Spartans face a team that could very well out-rebound them. They go into every game expecting to out-rebound the opponent, but North Carolina is one of the best teams on the boards in college basketball, averaging 45.8 per game — and 12.8 offensive boards per outing.
This is a slight disadvantage for the Spartans, but they could very well step up and become the aggressor on the glass on Thursday. I think whoever wins the rebounding battle wins the game.
We just have to hope the Spartans can out-tough the Tar Heels on the glass like they did to Arkansas.