The Michigan State men's basketball team will have its two-game Big Ten winning streak put to the test as the Spartans travel to Minnesota to take on the much-improved Golden Gophers on Tuesday night.

This game will be at Williams Arena in Minneapolis and will stream live on Peacock at 9 p.m. Eastern Time.

In their last game, the Spartans were able to slow down an upward trending Maryland team, beating the the Terrapins by a final score of 63-54. Meanwhile, Minnesota is coming off a 75-66 overtime victory versus Northwestern.

The Golden Gophers will look to defend home-court and also avenge a 76-66 loss in East Lansing they took earlier in the season to the Spartans. Michigan State will look to sweep Minnesota.

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. 22 (NET), No. 17 (Kenpom), No. 14 (Barttorvik)

As mentioned, last time out, Michigan State (14-8 overall, 6-5 in the Big Ten) was once again able to defend home-court in the Big Ten, as the Spartans defeated the Maryland Terrapins.

Graduate senior forward Malik Hall and graduate senior guard Tyson Walker each scored 19 points to lead the Spartans. Hall scored 14 of his 19 points in the second half, including 10 of the team's 14 points during the decisive run, while grabbing a team-high seven rebounds. Walker scored 12 of his 19 points in the first half, adding three rebounds, two assists and one steal.

Additionally, senior point guard A.J. Hoggard added six points, five rebounds, eight assists and three steals and junior guard Jaden Akins chipped in seven points, five rebounds and two steals.

Stellar defense was the real MVP of the game versus the Terps, as the Spartans were able to hold many of Maryland's key players under their average. The Spartans will have to be sure to bring that same defensive intensity on the road on Tuesday against Minnesota inside "The Barn" — a place that is always tough to get a win.

Minnesota: Depth Chart and State of the Team

1 - Elijah Hawkins (5'11" Jr.)

2 - Mike Mitchell (6'2" Jr.)

3 - Cam Christie (6'6" Fr.), Braeden Carrington (6'4" So.)

4 - Joshua Ola-Joseph (6'7" Jr.), Parker Fox (6'8" Sr.)

5 - Dawson Garcia (6'11" Jr.), Pharrell Payne (6'9" So.)

Injured: N/A

Rankings & Ratings: No. N/A, RV (AP), No. N/A, RV (Coaches), No. 91 (NET), No. 77 (Kenpom), No. 86 (Barttorvik)

The Minnesota Golden Gophers are a team that has exceeded preseason expectations, and on any given night, can win a game in a difficult Big Ten Conference. Minnesota enters the game with a 14-7 overall record and a 5-5 mark in Big Ten play.

The Golden Gophers succeed on the defensive end, holding foes to 68.2 points per game. Their opponents shoot 42.4% from the floor, 33.7% from beyond the arc, and attempt 16.7 free throws per contest.

Dawson Garcia is capable of big numbers (he had 22 points in the first meeting versus MSU), and the junior forward has recorded an average of 17.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Joshua Ola-Joseph is an underrated piece for this Minnesota team in the front-court that does a lot of the little things. And you can't forget, when healthy, Pharrell Payne is one of the best post players in the conference.

In the back-court, the Golden Gophers have some nice pieces there as well. Freshman wing Cam Christie (brother of former Spartan and current NBA player Max Christie) is a promising young guard who can shoot it from deep,. Meanwhile, transfer point guard Elijah Hawkins leads the country in assists per game (7.8).

Led by head coach Ben Johnson, this Minnesota team gives its best every single night, and if you aren't prepared, the Gophers are more than capable of beating you.

The Golden Gophers have been great at home, while Michigan State has been a mess on the road all season. Minnesota is a team that needs every win it can get if the Gophers want to keep their tournament hopes alive.

With that said, I think that the Spartans will be able to use that same defense that has won them many of the home games this season, but this time on the road in Minnesota to sweep the season series.

Prediction: Michigan State 72, Minnesota 68

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