Michigan State vs. Indiana: College basketball game preview, TV schedule

Michigan State has struggled mightily over the past few games. Will they be able to right the ship versus Indiana or will they drop another home game?

Date and time: Friday, Jan. 19 at 7:00 p.m. ET

TV schedule: Fox Sports 1

Arena: Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan.

Michigan State 16-3 (4-2) is in a rut right now and needs to find a way to stop it. In a span of a week, the Spartans have lost two games and had to survive a home overtime battle from Rutgers in between.

Now according to some who support this team, like former Michigan State basketball player and NBA champion Draymond Green, this is a good thing and that the adversity the current team is going through will enhance their long-term success.

And I can agree with that to an extent, but the problem is the conference. In this week’s edition of Busting Bracket’s Bracketology, five teams from the Big Ten received bids. The Spartans received a No. 4 seed and conference leader Purdue got a No. 1 seed.

The other three were from No. 6 seeds on down, meaning the number of big wins available Michigan State to enhance the team’s resume further is dwindling. This team is certainly not in danger of missing the Big Dance altogether, but a few more losses will put them in the same position as last year.

The opponent in this one, Indiana 11-7 (4-2), might be in the tournament if the program refused to play mid-major teams within the Hoosier state. This team has been playing very well of late, despite losing third-leading scorer De’Ron Davis to an Achilles injury for the season. The sophomore was averaging 9.6 ppg and 4.3 rpg before the injury.

The Hoosiers have won the last three league games, including wins at Minnesota as well as holding Northwestern to just 46 points during their last time out. Robert Johnson, the team’s leading scorer, had 17 points in that game. Indiana has been a surprise in the Big Ten, a league full of disappointments.

Next: Why the Spartans resume is weak to this point

The bubble is so soft right now that a Hoosier win would immediately put them back in the conversation and they could be playing the Spartans at just the right time. This is a game, however, where the loss of Davis will be felt, as the deep Spartan’s frontcourt led by Nick Ward and Jaren Jackson Jr. could have a field day. Unless, of course, Johnson has a similar performance to Moritz Wagner nearly a week ago.

Prediction: Michigan State 75 – Indiana 69

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