When MSU and Ohio State met earlier this season, most people expected the two to combine for 100 points by halftime. It ended up taking two overtimes.
The Spartans were held scoreless for the final 7:20 of regulation in that game and ended up squeaking by in double overtime, 62-59.
So what happened in that game to derail the Big Ten's two highest-scoring offenses?
"We missed some shots that were open; they missed some shots that were open," MSU head coach Tom Izzo said. "It wasn't like there were a million turnovers. It was just one of those games that the tempo wasn't what most Michigan State games are or most Ohio State games are."
Izzo expects the high-scoring affair that never came when the two teams meet again at 8 p.m. today at Breslin Center.
"I thought the first one would be an 80-80 game, and I still think this one will be a very much up-and-down game," Izzo said.
Since that game, both teams have resumed their offensive dominance. The Buckeyes shot 59.6 percent from 3-point range (28-of-47) in back-to-back wins against Michigan and Illinois, and the Spartans are coming off a 90-point performance against the Wolverines.
"What we've got to do is just keep our offense going," senior center Paul Davis said. "We're at home — that's where we hit shots, that's where we score points. If we defend teams like we should, we're going to be winning because our offense is going to be there regardless."
Center Terence Dials was the Buckeyes' lone offensive bright spot in the previous meeting, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds. He leads Ohio State in scoring at 14.6 a game, and his 6-foot-9, 260-pound frame is even more difficult to handle because of the perimeter weapons around him. The Buckeyes are the Big Ten's best 3-point shooting team at 40.8 percent.
"In Dials, you have a guy inside who's very difficult to guard by himself, and with four shooters in four spots around the court, it's hard to double down and get help on (him)," Izzo said.
The Spartans will be without senior forward Matt Trannon, who suffered a broken jaw in Saturday's win against U-M. The injury couldn't come at a worse time. Trannon was pivotal in MSU's earlier win over the Buckeyes, setting career highs with 14 points and 11 rebounds and giving MSU another player capable of defending any of the Buckeyes' four perimeter options.
Redshirt freshman forward Marquise Gray is expected to start in place of Trannon.
"I guess you could say it's a blessing in disguise," said Gray, who's averaging 3.3 points and 3.8 rebounds in 13.6 minutes a game this season. "I'm not trying to be Matt, but bring the same energy and intensity that he brought to the team."
Junior forward Delco Rowley also will likely see expanded minutes.
The game's implications for MSU are obvious. If the Spartans win their last four games, they would only need a loss by Iowa to clinch a share of the Big Ten title.
"We have a chance," Izzo said. "It's a chance, just because so many things have to happen. Somebody else still has to do our dirty work for us.
"But there is some light in the tunnel. The tunnel was kind of closed there for a while."
