The No. 9 Spartans (6-2) face The Citadel (6-4) at 7 p.m. tonight at McAlister Field House in Charleston, S.C.

Tonight’s game is MSU’s fifth in the past 11 days, and fourth on the road. Both of MSU’s losses this season have come away from Breslin Center during that stretch.

The Spartans lost 77-74 to Florida on Nov. 27 in New Jersey and again to North Carolina on Dec. 1. Although the loss to the Gators was at a neutral site, junior guard Kalin Lucas said the team is well aware of its struggles on the road.

“Our biggest thing is it’s going to be a road game, we’ve played two road games and lost so far,” Lucas said. “So this road game will be big for us so we’ve got to come out ready to play.”

The Citadel comes into tonight’s game battle-tested after a Nov. 28 game against then-No. 8 West Virginia, which it lost 69-50. The 2009-10 Bulldogs are just the third team in school history to face multiple ranked teams in a season and are hosting a ranked team for the first time in more than 10 years.

“This is a game that our students, fans and alumni should embrace and remember for a long time,” head coach Ed Conroy said in a school release. “Michigan State is among college basketball’s elite every year and we are excited to compete against them in front of our home fans.”

The Bulldogs are led by the trio of Cameron Wells (17.4 points per game), Zach Urbanus (13.7) and Joe Wolfinger (12.3), who are the team’s only players averaging more than five points a game.

The Spartans, led by four players averaging double figures, are coming off a 72-60 win against Wofford on Friday that went in the books as a win, but left head coach Tom Izzo visibly upset. Izzo said he was disappointed because he felt the Terriers came out with more passion than the Spartans, something he hoped to change before tonight’s game.

“We have a lot of work ahead of us, not insurmountable work, but we have to start playing for the name on the front, not the name on the back,” Izzo said. “We have to start playing unselfish and we have to start playing with a little more energy and passion and that’s what I’m going to work on (Saturday) for many, many hours.”

Greater expectations

There were plenty of things Izzo was upset with following Friday’s win. But he seemed disappointed — or better yet, confused — with Durrell Summers the most.

The junior guard played just 18 minutes, finishing with two points, six rebounds and three turnovers. When asked why he was upset with Summers, Izzo couldn’t pinpoint a reason.

“I’m just looking for him to play like the player he is,” Izzo said.

“He’s just got to play better. Honestly, he’s just got to play better. I don’t have a good answer for that, maybe he does.”