Junior guard Chris Allen finds himself on the floor after trying to take possession of the ball from Purdue guard E’Twaun Moore during the second half. Allen had 21 points in the Spartans’ 76-64 defeat to the Boilermakers on Feb. 9 at Breslin Center.
When the No. 14 MSU men’s basketball team heads to Purdue this week, there will be plenty more than revenge on the line.
The No. 3 Boilermakers (24-3 overall, 12-3 Big Ten) came to East Lansing on Feb. 9 to hand the Spartans (21-7, 11-4) their first home loss of the season, part of three consecutive MSU losses that dropped it from standing alone in first place in the Big Ten.
Now the Spartans will head to West Lafayette, Ind., for a game that could be decisive for both teams.
A possible Big Ten title is on the line Sunday (4 p.m., CBS).
Here are some key matchups for the game:
Frontcourt
There have been games this season in which the Spartans simply have been outplayed or seen opponents on their best shooting days. There also have been days when opponents scout and exploit the Spartans’ flaw — the MSU frontcourt. The loss on Feb. 9 was one of those losses. Even with a quiet night from Robbie Hummel, JaJuan Johnson tore the Spartans apart inside in the teams’ first meeting, going for 19 points and seven rebounds. Contrastingly, MSU’s five frontcourt players combined for 19. But if Hummel is on the bench for Sunday’s game, it completely changes Purdue’s complexion.
Advantage: Push
Backcourt
The Boilermakers are a complete team, and while their domination of the Spartans on the glass was the headline in the last meeting, their backcourt was just as dominant. Purdue guard E’Twaun Moore scored a game-high 25 points and guard Chris Kramer was the lockdown defender he always is. A hidden gem in the Purdue backcourt is Keaton Grant. After missing time due to injury, Grant has improved each game. He scored 10 points against Minnesota on Wednesday and hit the game-winning shot with less than 10 seconds remaining.
Advantage: Push
Bench
Both teams like to use their bench and keep their starters fresh. Purdue has nine players who see at least nine minutes of playing time, compared to seven for MSU. But the Spartans get more bang for their buck. MSU gets 23.6 points per game from the bench, compared to just 17.6 for Purdue. If Hummel doesn’t play, then the Boilermaker bench will be even more shorthanded and someone will have to step up. It has happened for Purdue when John Hart scored 14 at Illinois, but Purdue has lived and died by their big three this season.
Advantage: MSU
Coaching
There’s no question that Purdue head coach Matt Painter brought in one of the most talented recruiting classes in Purdue history (and the country for that year, as it has panned out) three years ago. But what after Johnson, Robbie and Moore? Those three could be the most talented trio in the nation, but beyond them, Painter’s latest recruits have sparsely contributed. MSU head coach Tom Izzo’s game plan against Ohio State on Sunday was to utilize the Spartans’ superior depth. They will, again, have the advantage Sunday. This time, it would be wise for the Spartans to listen.
Advantage: MSU
Intangibles
Emotions will be running higher than ever at Mackey Arena for this game that fans and players have had their eyes on since the schedule was released. For both teams, the game is key in their quest for a Big Ten title — for the Boilermakers, to win it outright; for the Spartans, to win a share. Meanwhile, Purdue is coming off three games in a row against tough competition and will rally around their injured teammate. For MSU, the Spartans have had a week to prepare for the biggest game of the year. Mackey will be rocking for what should be a prepared MSU squad.
Advantage: Purdue
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Prediction: Purdue 73, MSU 70
