Michigan State vs UCLA: 2019-20 Maui Invitational game preview, TV schedule
Michigan State takes on UCLA in the Maui Invitational 5th place game. Which teams leaves the island with a pair of wins and positive momentum?
TV schedule: Wednesday, November 27, 2:30 pm ET. ESPN2
Arena: Lahaina Civic Center in Maui, Hawaii
One the one hand, the Maui Invitational does present a game between a pair of blue bloods in the sport; UCLA and Michigan State. But it’s not the placement game we expected, as the programs face off in the 5th place of the consolation portion of the bracket.
It started with the Spartans, viewed along with the Kansas Jayhawks as a clear-cut favorite to make it to the finals, fell to Virginia Tech, 71-66. Only Aaron Henry (18 points) made it into double-digits for the team, making just 41% of their total shot attempts. But Michigan State did recover on Wednesday, outlasting Anthony Edwards and Georgia for a 93-85 win. Cassius Winston had a bounce-back performance, going for a team-high 28 points and eight assists on 10/16 shooting.
It’s not too surprising that UCLA is here, losing to BYU in what was viewed as a tossup to begin. However, the Bruins were abysmal defensively all night, giving up 62% shooting from the field in a 78-63 loss. It’s a far cry from Mick Cronin’s teams looked like at Cincinnati, having suffering back-to-back defeats (Hofstra before the Maui Invitational). They even struggled against D-II host Chaminade, tied at 22 at the start of the second half. UCLA finished the game on a 52-26 run to win 74-48 but this is a team that is clearly struggling at the moment.
The contest against Michigan State can go one of three ways. If can be a massive upset victory that can propel the Bruins right back into the NCAA Tournament conversation, a close loss that at least shows the young team that they’re capable of playing at a high level or a blowout loss that leaves the team demoralized as they enter December in a tailspin.
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As for the Spartans, they won’t have a chance to face Kansas in a heavyweight bout but they still need to play well also, looking to avoid another loss before they take on Duke on December 3. They’re taking on a UCLA team who while talented on paper, has looked undisciplined and unable to stop opponents. I don’t see how they manage to guard one of the best teams in the country.