It’s been over a decade since Michigan State won a basketball game at Mackey Arena, and that includes the 2021 NCAA Tournament loss in the First Four to UCLA. It’s been a house of horrors for Tom Izzo and the Spartans, but they’re hoping that all changes on Thursday night.
Izzo has addressed the fact that he’s struggled at Mackey and it’s because Matt Painter always has his program near the top of the Big Ten. The Boilermakers just win.
Michigan State needs a lot to go its way if it’s going to upset No. 8 Purdue at Mackey, but it’s very possible.
How the Spartans can “upset” Purdue
If Michigan State is going to March into Mackey and leave with a win, it’ll need the best possible game out of Jeremy Fears on both ends of the floor. That’s just the start, though.
Here’s a list of things that must happen on top of Fears playing his ‘A’ game:
- A hot start to the game. No more falling behind by 10-plus in the first half and being forced to scratch and crawl back into the game.
- Get one of Purdue’s stars into foul trouble early. This would help out majorly.
- Good 3-point defense. If Michigan State is going to win, it’ll need to lock down the 3-point line because Purdue can really hurt the Spartans there.
- Win the rebounding battle. That one’s pretty self-explanatory. Have to own the glass.
- Win the fastbreak game. The Spartans are at their best when they get out and run. Fears has to be aggressive on every outlet.
- Shoot around 40 percent from deep. The Spartans are going to need one of their best offensive games of the season, which includes from 3-point range.
- The December and early-January version of Jaxon Kohler.
- An aggressive (not ghost-like) Coen Carr.
If Michigan State crosses all — or most — of these off the checklist on Thursday night, I would expect the game to come down to the wire or the Spartans to be on the right side of an intense battle.
A lot needs to go right for Michigan State at Mackey, but I fully expect Izzo to have his guys ready.