“This is a good basketball team that plays a terrific schedule … and so when you do that you’re not intimidated about being on the road,” said MSU head coach Tom Izzo, whose Spartans host the Golden Grizzlies 7 p.m. Thursday at Breslin Center. “It is the home state team, so I think that gives them more incentive and motivation. And we’re not playing as well, they’ve had a little rest, so I’m worried about a lot of things.”

The Grizzlies (4-4) are led by 6-foot-11 center Keith Benson (17.3 points, 10.8 rebounds per game), forward Derick Nelson (13.9 ppg, seven rpg) and guard Johnathon Jones (13.8 ppg). In MSU’s 82-66 against Oakland last season at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Benson led all scorers with 20 points, while Jones had 10 points and dished out nine assists.

The Spartans are led by their captains, junior guard Kalin Lucas (16.4 ppg) and senior forward Raymar Morgan (11.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg), who is averaging more than 16 points per game in MSU’s last four contests.

The Golden Grizzlies have wins this season against Rochester College, Tennessee Tech, Central Arkansas and Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne.