Ahead of Tuesday’s match, MSU has an undefeated 22-0 record against Oakland, including its most recent win in December 2023, and is 3-0 all-time at Little Caesars Arena.

Scouting Oakland

Three Golden Grizzlies — graduate forward Allen Mukeba, senior forward Tuburu Naivalurua and senior guard DQ Cole — have averaged just over a combined 37 of the team’s 61 points per game. Cole, a 6-foot-3 guard, is Oakland's volume three-point shooter, having made 17 of 62 attempts on the season. Naivalurua, the Sydney, Australia native, has gone 12-for-20 from the free-throw line, leading the team in attempts. Oakland's strength thus far has not been at the charity stripe. 

As a team, Oakland shoots just above 41% from the field and a measly 25% from three-point range. The Golden Grizzlies don’t get to the line as often as MSU does, making just over eight free throws per game. 

Oakland has averaged 34.6 rebounds per game, and Naivalurua leads the team averaging 7.6. Mukeba adds another 5.6 rebounds per game.  

On both sides of the ball, Mukeb — who scored 17 points against Youngstown State — along with Naivalurua and Cole are Oakland's main playmakers and finishers, and will likely pose the biggest threat to MSU on Tuesday. Depending on the score, expect all three to play at least 30 minutes. 

Defensively, MSU players and head coach Tom Izzo said Oakland plays a tricky, trap defense, which could take the Spartans time to figure out during the game. 

Longtime Grizzlies head coach Greg Kampe is known for deploying something of a rotating zone in defensive sets. Expect no different on Tuesday against MSU, which has struggled against zone defense in recent years.

Scouting MSU

A lot of moving parts prior to the season have worked well for MSU through 10 games. The Spartans have averaged over 82 points per game, a 14-point differential to their opponents, are shooting above 48% from the field, have improved their three-point shooting in the past three games and have been consistent at the free-throw line, taking just over 19 free throws per game and shooting 80%.

A big factor has been MSU’s deep roster. Izzo has played at least 10 players each game. Lineup experimentation has persisted but also been toned down as things have shaken out on the court. 

Senior guard Jaden Akins, who leads the team with 13 points per game on 45% shooting, said MSU is in a really good place right now compared to last season, when, at this time, it was 4-5 and 0-2 in conference play. 

"Right now, I feel like the team has good energy," Akins said after practice on Friday. "We’re just trying to find things comfortable and keep it cool."

A huge asset to the team has been freshman guard Jase Richardson, who has averaged over 10 points and just under two assists per game. He’s been one of MSU's primary biggest playmakers, an unexpected development this early in the season, next to redshirt freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr. and junior guard Tre Holloman. 

Though Richardson is only a freshman, he’s played around 20 minutes per game and been on the court during crunch time in almost all of MSU's close finishes. 

"I’m just trying to help the team out. I feel like I’m impacting the team in a positive way," Richardson said. "My teammates put me in positions to score or help them out with rebounds, so they definitely contribute a lot to my success."

Izzo said his team has good chemistry and ball movement, which has helped MSU win close games, like against Samford and North Carolina.

Izzo also said sophomore forward Coen Carr has "improved an incredible amount," while becoming a better leader. Carr has worked on his shot more and become increasingly comfortable with it, making "giant strides the last few weeks," Izzo said. 

Carr has been one of MSU's biggest energizers off the bench. Some part of his 8.5 points per game are usually show-stopping dunks. The athleticism has always been there. Now he's starting to get comfortable in the half-court offense. 

MSU and Oakland will tip off at 7 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena. ESPN2 will air the game.