For the final time in the 2023-2024 season, the Michigan State men's basketball team will take the court at the Breslin Center as the Spartans welcome in the Northwestern Wildcats. This game will take place at 7 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday and will broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
The Spartans (17-12 overall, 9-9 in Big Ten play) are coming into this game on a three-game losing streak after dropping their last game to then-No. 2 Purdue, while Northwestern (20-9, 11-7) is coming off a home loss at the hands of Iowa.
Earlier this season, the Wildcats bested the Spartans by a final score of 88-74 on Jan. 7 in Evanston, Illinois.
With the regular season winding down, the Spartans are having fewer and fewer chances to make their tournament resume stand out, and this game versus Northwestern is becoming almost a must-win.
It is also senior night for Michigan State, so expect the Spartans and the Breslin Center crowd to do everything they can to help send the seniors off with a victory.
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. 19 (Kenpom), No. 19 (Barttorvik)
Facing a tall task at Mackey Arena versus Purdue, the Spartans battled throughout the game, but the Boilermakers were able to answer all things that Michigan State threw at them.
MSU had an early first-half lead and trailed by just three points, 38-35, at halftime, but Purdue used a 13-4 run over the opening 4:44 of the second half and opened up a 51-39 lead on a layup from center Zach Edey at the 16:03 mark. The Boilermakers extended their lead to 54-39 on a three-point play from Edey at the 14:26 mark, and the Spartans scored just four points over the opening five minutes of the second half.
Michigan State responded with an 8-0 run over 2:02 and pulled to within 58-55 on a 3-pointer from seniorpoint guard A.J. Hoggard with 9:13 left to play. Following a Purdue timeout after Hoggard's 3-pointer, the Boilermakers scored the next four points to build their lead back up to 62-55 at the 8:20 mark. MSU would not get the Boilermakers' lead under five points the rest of the game. Purdue went on to win by a final score of 80-74.
Graduate senior guard Tyson Walker scored 14 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had four assists to lead the Spartans against Purdue, while junior guard Jaden Akins added 13 points and three rebounds.
After dropping the game at Mackey Arena, the Spartans find themselves in a somewhat uncomfortable position. According to many bracketologists, Michigan State is currently safely in the NCAA Tournament field, but the Spartans are certainly not a sure-bet at this time if they cannot earn another win this season. So, a victory versus the Wildcats would go a long way toward a stress-free Selection Sunday.
Northwestern: Depth Chart and State of the Team
1 -Boo Buie (6'2" Sr.), Jordan Clayton (6'2" Fr.)
2 - Blake Smith (6'6" So.)
3 - Nick Martinelli (6'7" So.)
4 - Brooks Barnhizer (6'6" Jr.), Blake Preston (6'9" Sr.)
5 - Luke Hunger (6'10" So.)
Injured: Ryan Langborg (6'4" Sr.), Ty Berry (6'3" Sr.), Matthew Nicholson (7'0" Sr.)
Rankings & Ratings: No. N/A, RV (AP), No. N/A, RV (Coaches), No. 53 (NET), No. 47 (Kenpom), No. 37 (Barttorvik)
Northwestern is a team that has exceeded expectations this season, currently sitting in third place in the Big Ten standings, but the Wildcats now find up to three starters who are currently injured coming into Wednesday's game versus Michigan State in East Lansing.
Potentially without three starters — Ryan Langborg, Ty Berry and Matthew Nicholson — a lot falls on All-American guard candidate Boo Buie. Buie has developed the reputation for being a "Spartan Killer" the past couple years as he and the Wildcats always seem to give Tom Izzo and Michigan State issues (as mentioned, the Wildcats won the first meeting this season as well). Buie leads Northwestern with 19 points per game, while also chipping in 5.3 assists per game, which also leads the team.
With many starters down, other players obviously must player larger roles. Brooks Barnhizer and Nick Martinelli have relished in their roles so far and have really stepped up to the plate in others' absence. Barnhizer is the Swiss army knife for the Wildcats, doing a little bit of everything, while Martinelli is a do-it-all forward with size who seems to get better every time he plays.
Head coach Chris Collins, despite the injuries, will have his team well prepared and playing hard in search of a victory.
Game Prediction and Breakdown
With the combination of senior night and also Michigan State playing with a sense of urgency to secure a tournament bid, I expect the Spartans to come out as focused as they have been all year.
With potentially three starters for the Wildcats out, there is a lot of pressure on Buie to do everything. The Spartans are ranked 12th in the nation in defensive efficiency, and they will be able to focus their energy on Buie, and make the rotational players try to beat them. I think this strategy will work in MSU's favor.
Prediction: Michigan State 72, Northwestern 68
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