The unpredictability of conference tournaments is here — and for the No. 19 Spartans (24-7 overall, 12-6 Big Ten), it’s showtime.

Junior guard Travis Walton said it’s not just about winning a Big Ten Tournament game and advancing to the semifinal round — regaining dignity is a big motivating factor.

“We just gotta redeem ourselves, we’re playing more for our pride,” he said. “People have been criticizing us for letting (Sunday’s) game slip away. (Ohio State has) their high hopes up. It’s a big game for them to make the tournament, but it’s just as big of a game for us, too.”

On Monday, Spartans head coach Tom Izzo said he would watch films and run plays with his team throughout the week, allowing them to better understand how to attack the Buckeyes’ (19-12, 10-8) press and close off lanes on the defensive end.

“The nice thing is you don’t have to overprepare for a team that you already know and just played,” Izzo said.

“We pulled it out more and I’ve always wanted to attack a press. We didn’t make them pay for pressing us.”

And with one-and-done scenarios, every dribble, juke, shot, cut or steal is worth gold.

“One of the big things I always say heading into tournaments in March is, ‘Possessions and turnovers count more,’” senior center Drew Naymick said. “This is Drew (Neitzel) and my last shot at the Big Ten Tournament, and we’re going to attack it with everything we have.”

It’s a new season according to Neitzel, the team’s senior guard and co-captain, who has gone through three league tournaments in his MSU career.

But this postseason, Neitzel sees much more promise in the backcourt compared to what the competition has to offer.

“We have a lot of depth — hopefully we can use that to our advantage,” he said. “In past years, we haven’t had the depth. We want to play on to the final day.”

Sophomore forward Raymar Morgan said this is his first time in his basketball career playing any team back-to-back.

“It’s new for me, but it’s quite an experience,” Morgan said. “We were a little timid on the zone, but that’ll all change. We’re fresh … and we’re coming ready to play Ohio State.”

Izzo has been impressed with his team’s ability to stay fresh for the full 40 minutes of every game — never having to blame one of the seven losses on fatigue.

Rather, it’s been the step or two behind where the Spartans occasionally find themselves when trying to read various defenses.

“(The turnovers) weren’t sloppy — they were not proper reads more than they were just a casual turnover,” Izzo said. “I was angry over the situation that we are not reading things right. And some of the reads are pretty simple and basic — that’s what I can go over.”

Game time is set for 2:30 p.m. at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.