Michigan State is once again on the road as the Spartans are set to take on the in-state rival Michigan Wolverines on Saturday night.

This game will take place at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor at 8 p.m Eastern Time and will broadcast on FOX.

The Spartans are coming off an 80-72 victory on the road versus Penn State, while the Wolverines dropped their last contest to Illinois by a final score of 97-68.

In the first meeting between the two heated rivals in East Lansing in late-January, the Spartans were able to knock off the Wolverines by a final score of 81-62. Michigan State will look to complete the season sweep over Michigan this weekend.

Michigan State: Depth Chart and State of the Team

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

2 - Tyson Walker (6’0” Graduate Sr.)

3 - Jaden Akins (6’4” Jr.), Coen Carr (6’5” Fr.), Gehrig Normand (6'5" Fr.)

4 - Malik Hall (6’8” Graduate Sr.), Xavier Booker (6'11" Fr.)

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

Injured: Jeremy Fears Jr. (6'2" Fr.)

Rankings & Ratings: No. N/A, RV (AP), No. N/A, RV (Coaches), No. 21 (NET), No. 15 (Kenpom), No. 15 (Barttorvik)

As mentioned, the Spartans (15-9 overall, 8-6 in Big Ten play) are coming off a good road win at Penn State that was a product of some great play from graduate senior forward Malik Hall and junior guard Jaden Akins.

Hall scored 20 of his career-high 29 points in the second half. He hit 10-of-13 shots from the floor and all eight of his free-throw attempts, while adding 10 rebounds for his second double-double this season. Akins scored 20 points, including 16 in the first half, while sophomore center Carson Cooper tied his career-high with 10 points and grabbed four rebounds.

The Penn State victory marked back to back 20-plus point outings from Hall, and came when the Spartans needed him most. The Graduate senior is currently playing the best basketball of his career and starting to find the level of consistency head coach Tom Izzo has been asking for. Hall will need to show up big again on Saturday night, and his teammates will need to help him out, if the Spartans want to win a road game in Ann Arbor.

Michigan: Depth Chart and State of the Team

1 -Dug McDaniel (5'11" So.), Jaelin Llewellyn (6'2" Sr.), George Washington II (6'2" Fr.)

2 - Nimari Burnett (6'4" Sr.)

3 - Terrance Williams II (6'6" Sr.), Jace Howard (6'8" Jr.)

4 - Olivier Nkamhoua (6'9" Sr.), Will Tschetter (6'8" So.)

5 - Tarris Reed (6'10" So.)

Injured/Suspension: N/A

Rankings & Ratings: No. N/A, RV (AP), No. N/A, RV (Coaches), No. 114 (NET), No. 104 (Kenpom), No. 100 (Barttorvik)

Outside of an unexpected upset win at home versus Wisconsin on Feb. 7, the Michigan Wolverines have been in a free fall this season. They are coming off back-to-back losses by 20 points on the road versus Nebraska and Illinois, respectively.

Some good news for Michigan on Saturday is that the Wolverines will get their do-it-all point guard back in Dug McDaniel. Of course, McDaniel has been suspended for away games due to academic issues. He missed the loss to the Spartans in East Lansing earlier this season.

On paper, the Wolverines have talent, but the losses and other distractions around the basketball program have really taken a toll on this team, which currently sits in last place in the Big Ten (8-17 overall and 3-11 in conference play).

Olivier Nkamhoua, Nimari Burnett and Terrance Williams II are all capable players that when they play well, along with McDaniel, the Wolverines have won games, but that scenario has rarely happened this year.

It will be another difficult task for Michigan on Saturday night at home against a Michigan State team that appears to be finding its footing. But road wins have been hard to come by in the Big Ten this season, and McDaniel's presence makes the Wolverines a much more formidable team.

Rivalry games are always tricky because they can truly go either way, despite what each team's record is, and as of late, the Spartans have struggled in the Crisler Center.

But defensively, I think the Spartans can really slow down the Wolverines, and on the other end of the floor, Michigan State should be able to get any shot it wants, whenever it wants.

I also expect there to be a lot of green in the stands at Crisler. I think the Spartans complete the season sweep of the Wolverines and claim another victory.

Prediction: Michigan State 80, Michigan 67

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