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Preview: Spartans basketball set to rebound against Nebraska

March 4, 2019
<p>Then-freshman forward Aaron Henry (11) drives to the net during the men's basketball game against Ohio State on Feb.17, 2019, at Breslin Center.</p>

Then-freshman forward Aaron Henry (11) drives to the net during the men's basketball game against Ohio State on Feb.17, 2019, at Breslin Center.

Photo by Nic Antaya | The State News

Who: No. 6 Michigan State (23-6, 14-4 Big Ten) and Nebraska (15-14, 5-13 Big Ten) 

Where: Breslin Student Events Center, East Lansing

When: 7 p.m., March 5 

TV: ESPN 2 

The Spartans are coming off a 63-62 loss to Indiana, concluding the Hoosiers’ sweep of Michigan State this season. 

Player of the Year candidate, junior point guard Cassius Winston led with 20 points and five rebounds, followed by redshirt senior forward Kenny Goins’ 14 points and sophomore forward Xavier Tillman’s double-double (11 points and 10 rebounds). 

Michigan State shot 54.2 percent from the field, 40 percent from three point range and 80 percent from the line. 

The Cornhuskers come off a 82-53 defeat to No. 9 Michigan Feb. 28. 

Sophomore guard Nana Akenten had 11 points off the bench and senior guard Glynn Watson Jr. had 10 points and four rebounds. 

Nebraska shot 34.3 percent from the field, 16.7 percent from behind the arch and 55.6 percent from the line. 

Michigan State is looking to complete the sweep this season after winning 70-64 over Nebraska Jan. 17 in Omaha. 

The Spartans are 13-1 at home while the Cornhuskers are 2-8 on the road. 

An injury-plagued season has caused some uncertainty when it comes to the starting line-up for MSU. Coach Tom Izzo has not yet stated whether redshirt junior guard/forward Kyle Ahrens will play on Tuesday. The Spartans have also faced season ending injury for junior guard Josh Langford and  junior forward Nick Ward is out indefinitely. 

Potential Spartan Starters: Winston, Goins, Tillman, freshman forward Aaron Henry, redshirt junior forward Kyle Ahrens or senior guard Matt McQuaid.

Potential Cornhusker Starters: senior guard James Palmer Jr., senior guard Glynn Watson Jr., senior forward Isaac Copeland Jr., junior forward Isaiah Roby and sophomore guard Thomas Allen.

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