Michigan State Basketball: Nebraska Preview

Michigan State looks to start off 2023 with a win as the Spartans welcome Nebraska to the Breslin Center on Tuesday night. The game will take place at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the Big Ten Network.

The Spartans (9-4 overall, 1-1 in the Big Ten) will be taking on the Cornhuskers (8-6, 1-2 in the Big Ten) after coming off an 89-68 victory over the Buffalo Bulls. Nebraska is coming off a big win over Iowa by a score of 66-50.

This Husker team is one that has had a season full of highs and lows. UNL has a win against Creighton in Omaha on its resume and also went toe to toe with the No. 1 team in the country Purdue. With this game being played before the big matchup against Michigan on Saturday, this is a classic trap game for the Spartans.

Michigan State must do its best to stay focused on the current opponent and also recognize that this is not the Nebraska teams of the past. The Huskers have an identity and a vision that has them equipped to hang with any team on any given night.

1 - A.J. Hoggard (6’4” Jr.), Tre Holloman (6’2” Fr.)

2 - Tyson Walker (6’0” Sr.), Jaden Akins (6’4” So.)

3 - Pierre Brooks II (6’5” So.), Malik Hall (6’8” Sr), Keon Coleman (6’4” So.)

4 - Joey Hauser (6’9” Sr.), Jason Whitens (6’6” Sr.)

5 - Mady Sissoko (6’9” Jr.), Jaxon Kohler (6’9” Fr.), Carson Cooper (6’11” Fr.)

Injured: None

Rankings & Ratings: RV (AP), RV (Coaches), No. 68 (NET), No. 46 (Kenpom), No. 65 (Barttorvik)

After a string of games against lower level teams, Michigan State returns home to resume its run in the Big Ten Conference against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. In the Spartans' last game, the team was able to get its full complement of players going and it worked wonders for MSU on both ends of the floor.

Coming into this portion of the schedule healthy is massive for the Spartans. In order for Michigan State to compete with the best of the best in this conference, the Spartans must have its full arsenal of players available.

As mentioned, this game is the definition of a trap game, but It’s "trappy" in different ways. The most obvious way that it is a trap is the fact that the Spartans could overlook any opponent with Michigan coming into the Breslin on Saturday. The other way that this game is a trap that I think is overlooked is the fact that this is not your normal Nebraska team. The Huskers may not have the star power that UNL has had in past years with players like Bryce McGowens or Dalano Banton, but this team has a clear identity and a good collection of players. This identity and balance makes for a tough Nebraska team to beat.

If Michigan State takes this team lightly, the Spartans could be in for a rude awakening. However, head coach Tom Izzo will certainly have his team ready and focused on Nebraska.

Note that Malik Hall is listed behind Pierre Brooks II on the depth chart as he is still likely not fully recovered from his foot injury. If Izzo feels he is ready for a larger role, Hall could return to the starting lineup.

1 - Sam Griesel (6’7” Sr.), Keisei Tominaga (6’2” Jr.)

2 - CJ Wilcher (6’5” So.)

3 - Emmanuel Bandoumel (6’4 Sr.)

4 - Juwan Gary (6’6” Jr.)

5 - Derrick Walker (6’9” Sr.), Wilheim Breindenbach (6’10” So.)

Injured: None

Rankings & Ratings: N/A (AP), N/A (Coaches), No. 77 (NET), No. 82 (Kenpom), No. 81 (Barttorvik)

What head coach Fred Hoiberg has done with this Nebraska team is one that should be admired. Though the Cornhuskers have not broken into the Associated Press Top-25 rankings, Nebraska is a team that will catch you off guard if you take it lightly. This is a much-improved team.

When you speak about the dominant bigs in the Big Ten, many forget to mention Derrick Walker. The 6-foot-9 senior is a powerful post player that uses his frame to get buckets and also is an anchor on the defensive end. Walker, with the combination of Sam Griesel and others on this Nebraska team, form a formidable unit.

For a team that came into the year with very low expectations, the Huskers have given some of the best teams in the country a tough challenge. As mentioned, Nebraska gave Purdue all it could handle, forcing overtime, but ultimately losing against the Boilermakers. Nebraska also defeated then No. 7-ranked Creighton earlier this season.

Michigan State is in a dangerous spot this game with Michigan coming into town Saturday, so the attention and focus to detail must be at an all-time high. Nebraska is a team that must not be taken lightly. This is going to be a grinder of a Big Ten game where the last team standing is the one that will come out with the victory.

One key difference-maker in this game that will sway the grinder battle is the Spartans' ability to shoot from deep. Michigan State is currently 26th in the country in made 3-pointers. Another swaying factor will be the turnover battle.MSU is ranked 35th in turnovers per game, while Nebraska is ranked almost 200th in the country. I expect these two factors to ultimately contribute to the Spartans coming out on top.

Michigan State 70, Nebraska 60