Right? Not quite. Actually, not at all.

MSU head coach Tom Izzo called Sunday’s 63-54 loss to the Buckeyes in Columbus one of the biggest letdowns in his 13-year career — and I couldn’t agree more.

Never once in the first 30 minutes of the game did I expect to see the Spartans heading home from blizzardy Columbus with their heads hung low.

I just knew they were a better team who wanted to finish the regular season right, with its third straight win — heading into the Big Ten Tournament with a fire beneath them to do some serious damage.

But I was wrong. They didn’t smell blood and go for the jugular like the team I thought they were becoming. And I know for a fact Spartans fans across the nation will call MSU, a team they once supported, a squad of choke artists who can’t win in pressure situations.

I know, I know. I’ve read the comments on my stories. There are three types of readers: loyal fans who’ve stuck it out all season, those who have despised Spartans basketball from the get-go, and my favorite, those who have jumped on and off the bandwagon more times than MSU has turned the ball over.

I know I’ll hear from some of you again, and before you leap off the wagon for good, think about how prepared the Spartans will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday, when they battle Ohio State for the third time this season — except this time, on a neutral floor.

It will prove who truly is the better team, who came to play and fixed errors from Sunday’s game. My opinion? It’s on Izzo and his staff.

They’ll watch film, take notes, run plays and cure the plague MSU suffered the last 10 minutes of its previous game.

The problems will be addressed and the Spartans will thrive off the bitter taste that will still be in their mouths Friday.

Remember the Indiana game on March 2? I do.

Sean Ely is a State News men’s basketball reporter. He can be reached at elysean@msu.edu.