"We’ve got a quick turnaround here," MSU head basketball coach Tom Izzo said. "It is going to be unique and interesting because it is kind of the exact opposite. A team like Michigan that has four perimeter guys that are shooting threes from everywhere, and you have a team like Purdue that has two of the biggest guys not only in the league, but in the country. They pound it in a lot and get the ball inside. It is complete opposite prep. It is interesting and fun and you get to see what it will be like in the NCAA Tournament when you play different teams."

While MSU will likely hold the upper hand in the matchup of both teams' backcourts, much of MSU's game prep will be focused on preparing for the Boilermaker front court, and a trio of Purdue big men who Izzo referred to as the "three monsters" during a press conference on Monday.

The first two are a pair of 7-footers in sophomore Isaac Haas and senior A.J. Hammons. Hammons leads the team with averages of 14.5 points, 8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game, while Haas chips in with 10.2 points, 4 rebounds and 1 block per game. Freshman Caleb Swanigan — a former MSU commit — rounds out the three monsters with averages of 9.8 points and 9 rebounds per game.

With basketball teams trending toward smaller lineups in recent years, MSU senior forward Matt Costello welcomes the different style of play, as it keys in on his game more for Tuesday night.

"It’s really exciting," Costello said. "You don’t get that opportunity that much in college basketball anymore, where it’s all perimeter-laden and you have such good guards. But Purdue is a big man team."

Costello also acknowledged the fact that both Haas and Hammons have come a long way in the last year, and looks forward to going to battle with fellow Spartan big men, Gavin Schilling and Deyonta Davis.

“They’ve both gotten better in the post, more confident and more consistent," Costello said about Haas and Hammons. "But I realize I’m smaller and I lose about 30 pounds to both of them, so I’m not going to win in a wrestling match. So I have to figure out different ways to beat them, and it helps having Gavin and DD, who both have their strengths, that we can combat them. It’s going to be a battle, it’s going to be fun to watch if you like old-school basketball. We’re going to be throwing punches, so it’s going to be fun.”