Michigan State is heading back to the Big Ten conference slate this Tuesday, welcoming the Nebraska Cornhuskers to East Lansing.
It’s been an odd couple of months for the Spartans. After opening the season with multiple weeks chock-full of games – many against some of the better programs in the nation, December offered a well-needed resting period. In fact, MSU played just five games in the final month of the year.
In its most recent matchup, Michigan State took on Buffalo at the Breslin Center. While there was some choppiness to the Spartans' offensive rhythm and a few defensive lapses, they ultimately came away with a comfortable 89-68 victory.
“We looked like a team out of sorts,” Head Men's Basketball Coach Tom Izzo said. “I think it's hard to go two games in 23 days, I really do.”
A contributing factor to that win was the return of senior forward Malik Hall. In order to ease Hall back into the lineup, Izzo put him into the rotation for just over 12 minutes. However, even with limited minutes, Hall looked very sharp in his return. He notched 11 points, bolstering the bench rotation and aiding heavily to its 38-point performance with his presence.
“He’s good, he’s tough, he’s strong,” Izzo said of Hall after the win against Buffalo. “I think he’ll be fine.”
However, that was against Buffalo. Tuesday’s matchup is against a fellow Big Ten opponent, not a Mid-American Conference foe. In conference games this season, Michigan State is 1-1. The Spartans fell to Northwestern at the Breslin Center in the Big Ten opener and squeaked out a win against Penn State on the road.
Scouting the opponent
In the past, a home game against Nebraska wouldn’t be seen as much of a struggle. The program's last appearance in the NCAA Tournament was back in 2014, consistently finishing near the bottom of the Big Ten. However, this iteration of the Cornhuskers looks a tad different.
Nebraska is 8-6 with a few solid wins under its belt (namely Creighton). In fact, the Cornhuskers nearly pulled off a monster upset in the Big Ten a few weeks back, losing 65-62 to the then No. 2 Purdue Boilermakers.
“It’s a much different Nebraska team,” Izzo said. “I think Nebraska is going to be one of the toughest teams.”
Nebraska is currently 1-2 in conference play, with its sole win coming against Iowa.
Statistically, the Cornhuskers don’t look quite as good as their record might suggest. Nebraska ranks in the bottom half of the league in scoring, field goal percentage, free-throw percentage, three-point percentage, assists and blocks.
However, a balanced approach on offense and an improved defense (compared to previous Nebraska teams) have led the Cornhuskers to a handful of impressive performances.
Leading the way in average points per game is senior forward Derrick Walker, who currently averages 13.6. He also leads the team in rebounds per game, with 8.1. However, as previously mentioned, the scoring has been mostly spread across the lineup. Behind Walker in scoring is a trio of guards, each averaging roughly 10 points a game.
Tipoff from the Breslin Center is set for 7 p.m. with streaming available on the Big Ten Network.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
