“It didn’t look any better on film than it did in person,” Izzo said on Thursday. “We looked at it from a scheme standpoint, we looked at it from an effort standpoint and as I said that night, I think all of us just have to do a better job,” he said. 

On a more positive note, the Spartans’ rematch against Wisconsin marked an end to one of their toughest stretches of the season. After a six-game stretch with four road games, they’re set to close the regular season with four games at home and on the road. 

That balance will be critical to Michigan State’s fortunes as it looks to further correct some of the issues it’s dealt with all season. Regardless of turnovers, fluctuating performances in their backcourt and the overall consistently inconsistent feeling that has marred portions of the season, Izzo said he believes the Spartans can reach their ceiling in this stretch, so long as they bring one thing to the table. 

“We need to play with a little more energy and give these fans what they deserve and play like Spartan teams in the past have done,” Izzo said. 

Scouting the opponent 

In Head Coach Mike Woodson’s first year at the helm, Indiana (16-7, 7-6) has been one of the more puzzling teams in the Big Ten, with both resume-boosting victories against rival Purdue and Ohio State and tough losses against Syracuse and Penn State to its name. It’s the mark of a rebuilding team, one that's surpassed expectations but struggled to maintain a high level of play.

The Hoosiers are led by junior forward Trayce Jackson–Davis, a player who was heavily courted by Michigan State before he committed to Indiana. In his third season in Bloomington, he’s averaging 17.6 points per game and 8.5 rebounds per game as Indiana’s leading scorer and the go-to guy who can pass and score in the post. 

Redshirt senior forward Race Thompson joins him in the frontcourt with 11.6 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game to form a potent 1-2 punch among their forwards. Michigan State will likely look to counter Indiana’s two most valuable players with their centers from the get-go in an attempt to stunt the core of the Hoosier’s offense. 

From there, Indiana rounds out their frontcourt with senior forward Miller Kopp (6.1 points per game) but gains a measure of offensive inconsistency with its guards. Senior guard Xavier Johnson (10.6 points per game) runs the point, and sophomore guard Trey Galloway (6.4 points per game) is positioned as a shooting guard on a team that has often had its fortunes determined by guard play.

Senior guard Rob Phinisee and redshirt senior guard Parker Stewart mark Indiana’s other options to score off the bench, while sophomore guard Anthony Leal has received a surge in playing time over the last few games. With that in mind, Izzo said Indiana does some “nice things offensively,” with the second-highest effective field goal percentage in the Big Ten. 

In Izzo’s eyes, it’s a testament to how they keep things simple and look to make sure the other team has to beat off their two primary players. 

“They keep it simple,” he said. “I don’t think they’re tricky. I think they just come right at you. And you gotta be able to guard that guy in the post because Trayce can pass it in there, and he can score it in there.” 

Amid some offensive inconsistencies, Indiana has been buoyed by strong performances on the other side of the ball. The Hoosiers have the highest-rated defense efficiency in conference play (97.6), according to KenPom, a significant jump for a team that finished ranked 12th in the same statistic last season. 

The game also marks a homecoming of sorts for Indiana assistant coach Dane Fife, a former assistant for Michigan State from 2011 to 2021. Izzo said Fife’s familiarities with the home team’s players and tendencies would undoubtedly help the Hoosiers but noted that experience could only go far in terms of impacting the game. 

“Coaches can help win games, but players play the games,” he said. 

Michigan State hosts Indiana on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on Fox.