No. 16 Michigan State looks to stay perfect in Big Ten play as the Spartans head to Northwestern to take on the Wildcats. This game will take place at Welsh Ryan Arena in Evanston, Illinois at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time and will broadcast live on FOX.

The Spartans are coming off an 88-54 victory over the Washington Huskies Thursday night in East Lansing while the Wildcats return to their home court after a week off following a 79-61 loss at Purdue. NU will be looking to to break a two-game losing streak while the Spartans will look to remain perfect in league action and extend the team's win streak to nine games.

Michigan State: Depth Chart and State of the Team

1 - Jeremy Fears Jr. (6’2” RS Fr.)

2 - Jaden Akins (6’4” Sr.), Jase Richardson (6'3" Fr.), Kur Teng (6'4" Fr.)

3 - Tre Holloman (6’2” Jr.), Frankie Fidler (6’7” Sr.), Gehrig Normand (6'5" RS Fr.)

4 - Jaxon Kohler (6’9” Jr.), Xavier Booker (6'11" So.), Coen Carr (6’5” So.)

5 - Szymon Zapala (7'0" Sr.), Carson Cooper (6’11” So.), Jesse McCulloch (6''10" Fr., expected to redshirt)

MSU has been rolling lately and looks to keep that momentum Sunday at NU. The Spartans rolled in their last game, absolutely dismantling the Huskies. Senior guard Jaden Akins scored 20 points to lead four players in double figures. Redshirt freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr. scored 12 points and tied a career-high with 10 assists, freshman guard Jase Richardson had 12 points and five steals, and junior guard Tre Holloman finished with 11 points and six assists. Games at Welsh Ryan Arena have been a struggle for the Spartans in the last several years, so they will need to exorcise some demons in this game.

NU men's basketball team holds a 10–5 overall record heading into Sunday's matchup against MSU and holds a 1–3 mark in Big Ten action. Under the leadership of 12th-year head coach Chris Collins, the Wildcats have demonstrated strong performances in non-conference games, including victories over power-five opponents such as Georgia Tech and DePaul as well as a league win over Illinois in Evanston last month.

Key contributors this season include junior forward Nick Martinelli, who has emerged as one of the top scorers in the Big Ten, averaging 20.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 0.8 steals per game. Along with Martinelli, Brooks Barnhizer is one of the best players in the conference that no one talks about. Barnhizer is averaging 19.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assist per game..

The Spartans have been known to struggle while the Wildcats have been known to knock off teams that are better than them at home. There is a basketball saying that is as old as time that defense travels, and I think that is the case in this game as the Spartans will have a defensive game plan that will not allow two great players to both have amazing games against them. It may also help that Boo Buie finally exhausted his eligibility and will not be in an NU uniform this season as well.

Join the discussion on this article in our premium forums by clicking here.

You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Threads, TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky.

For video content, including our Red Cedar Radar and WE GOT IT podcasts, find us on YouTube and consider subscribing.