Michigan State Basketball: 3 keys to success against Ohio State

In a battle of top-25 teams, Michigan State basketball travels to face Ohio State. Here are three keys for the Spartans to take the big win.

In one of the marquee games on Saturday, the No. 14 Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1) host No. 8 Michigan State Spartans (12-2) in a Big Ten battle. As is almost always the case, Tom Izzo had his team play a stacked non-conference slate and they seemed to be up to the task, finishing with a 9-2 record and are 3-0 in conference play entering this game after wins over Rutgers, Iowa, and Northwestern. After a successful first season, Chris Holtmann and his team have picked up where they left off, already racking up 12 wins, with their only blemish coming at the Carrier Dome against Syracuse.

The Spartans are the No. 1 assist team in the country, averaging 21.8 per game. They also rank 3rd at KenPom.com in offensive efficiency, as well as being a top-five rebounding team, an Izzo staple. Offensively, they average 87 points per game and are led by juniors Cassius Winston, Joshua Langford, and Nick Ward, who are all averaging over 15 per game. The rebounding, for the most part, has been a three-man show with Ward, Kenny Goins, and Xavier Tillman snatching 23.9 per game.

The Buckeyes will certainly be a stiff test for that Spartan offense, as Ohio State is the 23rd-best defensive team in the country, allowing just 61.9 points per game and opponents shoot just 38.2% from the field. This is almost certainly an early-season statement game for both teams, more so for Michigan State, who eyes a key road win. Here are three keys for the Spartans to come away with a win.