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Big Ten Basketball: 2018-19 Storylines for Michigan State at Nebraska

By Joe Cook-Shugart

COLUMBUS, OH - JANUARY 5: Head Coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans shouts instructions to his team in the first half against the Ohio State Buckeyes on January 5, 2019 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - JANUARY 5: Head Coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans shouts instructions to his team in the first half against the Ohio State Buckeyes on January 5, 2019 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 08: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans talks with Cassius Winston #5 while playing the Purdue Boilermakers at Breslin Center on January 08, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 77-59. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 08: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans talks with Cassius Winston #5 while playing the Purdue Boilermakers at Breslin Center on January 08, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 77-59. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Michigan State is taking their unblemished conference record into Pinnacle Bank Arena Thursday night to take on Nebraska. Here are the key storylines.

After a tough loss to open the season against a full-strength Kansas Jayhawks team, the Michigan State Spartans are Cassius Winston fouling out away from having rattled off sixteen straight wins. Nevertheless, the boys in green and white are undefeated in Big Ten conference play and squarely in the hunt for a one-seed come tournament time.

Standing in the way of their pursuit to maintain a zero in the loss column in Big Ten play is the Nebraska Cornhuskers. James Palmer Jr. and company have not lost at home this season, amassing an 8-0 record (as part of a 20-game home winning streak). It should be noted that half of their home wins this season have come against quadrant 4 opponents, so facing a Michigan State team that is currently 7th in the NET rankings is a completely different ball of wax.

Last season, the Cornhuskers were left on the outside looking in at the NCAA tournament, and this was due in large part to a lack of quality wins. Tim Miles will very likely be able to navigate his squad to the tournament this time around. Even so, it wouldn’t hurt to take advantage of the lone opportunity his team has this season to take down one of the two teams from the mitten at home.

From the perspective of the Spartans, this game offers an excellent opportunity to score the type of quality road win that will enhance the appearance of their already sterling tournament resume. If it has been said once, it has been said a million times – winning a conference road game is difficult. Just ask Ohio State.

Here are the two major storylines for Thursday’s Big Ten clash.

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