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Michigan State Basketball: 3 keys to success against Ohio State

By Jason Burgess

EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 20: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans looks on during a game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Breslin Center on February 20, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 20: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans looks on during a game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Breslin Center on February 20, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – DECEMBER 29: Xavier Tillman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans and Lacey James #4 of the Northern Illinois Huskies battle for ball control during the first half of the game at the Breslin Center on December 29, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State defeated Northern Illinois 88-60. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – DECEMBER 29: Xavier Tillman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans and Lacey James #4 of the Northern Illinois Huskies battle for ball control during the first half of the game at the Breslin Center on December 29, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State defeated Northern Illinois 88-60. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /

2. The Spartans must control the defensive glass

The next key to a Michigan State road win will be their ability to hang with Ohio State on the defensive glass. Both teams shoot the ball at over 48% so defensive rebounds will be at a premium. This might be one area that Izzo and his squad can get a bit of an upper hand on Ohio State. The Buckeyes have just 124 offensive rebounds in 13 games. Wesson has grabbed 33 of them, which is almost as many as the next top two, sophomores Kyle Young and Musa Jallow combined (36).

Michigan State is one of the best defensive rebounding teams in the country, pulling down 32.43 per game, which is not only tops in the Big Ten but 2nd in the country.

The Spartans have three players that average over six rebounds per game, Ward, Tillman, and Kenny Goins, and eight players total that have grabbed at least 20 defensive boards, with that trio nabbing 238 of the team’s 454 on the year.

For Michigan State to be successful, controlling their defensive boards will be key for them in a game where misses could be few and far between relatively speaking. At the final buzzer, the rebounding stat will be an indicator as to which team came out on top.

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