MSU put together its most dominant half of the season in the final 20 minutes after freshman guard Max Christie’s 14-point first half gave them a 12-point lead at halftime. Christie (16 points), junior forward Malik Hall (15 points), senior forward Joey Hauser (14 points) and sophomore guard A.J. Hoggard (11 points) contributed to the balanced and effective offensive efforts. The Spartans' 13 turnovers did not plague the Spartans as they have in the past and MSU put up its fourth-highest point total of the season. 

“I thought after watching the film, (the effort) showed ... especially in the second half although it was good in the first half,” Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo said. “We did a better job, a little bit, with turnovers especially in bunches. If we continue to knock those down, I think this team has a chance to become better and better, like I said two weeks ago, but now we're back on the road.”

Michigan State now sits in third place in the Big Ten with a 7-2 conference record, behind Illinois and Wisconsin who are both 8-2. The Spartans are looking to stay in the race heading into the final stretch of the season, starting with back-to-back road trips this week to Maryland and Rutgers. 

“Every game is a big game for us now, because we put ourselves in a position where, at the halfway point, we have a chance,” Izzo said. “My goal here every year is to win a Big Ten championship but my real goal is, with two (or) three weeks left in the season, to mathematically have a chance. We're not quite there yet, but we're getting closer to that.”

Scouting the Opponent

Maryland enters this game with an 11-10 overall record and a 3-7 record in conference play. The season has been a tough one for the Terrapins, who fired former head coach Mark Turgeon eight games into the season. Interim Head Coach Danny Manning has guided Maryland to a 6-7 record under his watch with wins over Illinois and Florida but sits outside of tournament contention at this moment.

Despite the turmoil and struggles Manning and Maryland have faced this season, Izzo is still wary of the challenges that will be presented for MSU Tuesday night. Izzo praised Manning for his ability to steer the ship despite the walls of the program starting to cave in around him.

“They have some really good talent,” Izzo said. “They were ranked in the preseason. Yes, they've had a coaching change, (Turgeon) not there anymore. But Danny Manning is a good coach, a good guy and I think he's trying to do a job that's not easy.”

The main concerns for Michigan State heading into the matchup are senior guard Eric Ayala, junior forward Donta Scott and graduate student point guard Fatts Russell. Ayala and Scott were two of Maryland’s best players last March when the Terrapins knocked MSU out of the Big Ten Tournament.

This year, Ayala leads the way again, averaging 15.8 points per game. Russell (13.0) and Scott (12.2) also both average double-digits. The losses have masked a strong statistical year from Maryland’s big three and Izzo knows the talent is there for an upset.

“They have Ayala who has been a thorn — him and Scott, have been a thorn in our side their entire careers,” Izzo said. “He's shooting the ball as well and as deep as I've ever seen. Fatts Russell, the point guard, might be the quickest guard in the league.”

Michigan State begins its week of road trips in Maryland on Tuesday night. The game will tip-off at 7 p.m. and air on ESPN 2.