It's the obvious key to a win but it can't be stressed enough. Russell, Ohio State's freshman guard, has been incredible this year. In his team's 32 games, he's averaged 19.3 points per game, good for second in the conference. In the first meeting between the two teams, MSU rotated a variety of players on him but notably, freshman guard Lourawls Nairn pestered him for much of the game, holding him to a modest 10 points. Last night against Minnesota, Russell finished with 23 points. It's not only his scoring that can beat a team and much like MSU junior guard Denzel Valentine, Russell can pass the ball extremely well, ranking third in the Big Ten with 5.2 assists per game. It will be interesting to see how the freshman can hold up for a game on back-to-back nights given the already heavy work load he's shouldered this season.

Take care of the ball

Only Minnesota turned teams over more than the Buckeyes, as Ohio State is second in the league with a +3.59 turnover margin. OSU is also second in steals, averaging 7.8 per game. When MSU has the ball, it will be important to value it and avoid any unforced turnovers. Buckeye senior guard Shannon Scott has been terrific with the ball this year, and for much of the season, he was near the top of the league in assist-to-turnover margin. He won't make any big mistakes to hurt his team so it's important for MSU to match that. On the offensive glass, the Spartans would be wise to take advantage of OSU's rebounding struggles and extend possessions. The Buckeyes are 13th in the Big Ten in defensive rebounding percentage (68.6 percent) so if MSU can have a good day on the boards, success won't lie too far away.

Big games from the Big Three

Head coach Tom Izzo has talked about it, the players have talked about, and the fans have talked about it. If MSU intends to beat the Buckeyes tonight and do some damage the rest of the weekend, the team will need superb performances from Trice, Valentine, and Dawson. Dawson is playing his first game since suffering a concussion against Purdue but because he's been practicing with the team again, he will be expected to find his mid-season form. In February's meeting, Dawson finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds and drew praise from OSU head coach Thad Matta. Valentine hit the game-winner to finish with 17 points, and Trice totaled 9 points but added five assists. MSU's success leans on those three players, so big games will be important tonight.