After another road loss - its fifth in as many games - the MSU men's basketball team is returning to the refuge of Breslin Center.
The Spartans (10-8 overall, 2-4 Big Ten) host No. 19 Indiana (14-4, 4-2) at 7 tonight.
The Spartans haven't lost to the Hoosiers at home since 1991, and last season the Spartans managed to barely eke out a 57-54 victory over Indiana at Breslin.
The last time the teams met, however, was in last year's Big Ten Tournament, when Indiana eliminated MSU 67-56 in the first round.
Tonight's game is a virtual must-win situation for the Spartans. After hobbling back following a 60-58 defeat to Michigan in Ann Arbor, MSU is hoping to avoid its worst conference start since going 1-5 in 1988.
MSU has lost six of its last eight games.
The focus of the Spartans' interest will be in the health of Indiana guard Bracey Wright. The freshman, who averages 19.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest, has been sidelined the last four games with back problems.
MSU head coach Tom Izzo said he knows what Wright brings to the table when healthy.
"This team without Bracey Wright is a good basketball team," Izzo said. "But with him, it becomes a very, very, dangerous team."
Izzo added the addition of Wright "stretches the defense," requiring MSU to extend farther on the perimeter. Wright was described by Izzo as a dead-eye from long range and easily Indiana's most athletic guard.
But while Izzo was confident Wright would play tonight, Indiana head coach Mike Davis was more reserved.
"We're looking (forward) to going up there (tonight) and competing against a well-coached team," Davis said. "We're looking forward to hopefully getting Bracey back. He worked out at shoot-around and said he felt great.
"But I'm not going to play him until the doctor clears him and I've talked to his mother about it."
It will likely be a game-time decision.
Sophomore guard Tim Bograkos, who has started the last two games, should draw the task of defending Wright. Added as a starter to bolster defense, Bograkos said he was looking forward to the challenge Wright brings.
"We've watched a lot of film trying to find some of his tendencies and pointing out his strengths and weaknesses," he said. "He's a great player."
MSU sophomore guard Chris Hill will likely draw a lot of attention from the Hoosier defense. The 6-foot-3 Indianapolis native earned Big Ten Player of the Week accolades Monday averaging 20 points and six rebounds in his last two games.
Hill, who has come off the bench the last two games, is the award's recipient for the first time in his career and the first Spartan to win it this season. He said Bograkos won't be the only person concerned with Wright.
"I think we can't focus on just one guy," Hill said. "We know they have a lot of different players who can do a lot of different things.
"We can't guard him with one guy it has to be a whole team effort."
