Busting Brackets
Fansided

Big Ten Basketball: Ranking each team’s league schedule for 2021-22 season

By Trevor Sinodhinos

Feb 13, 2021; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2021; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
14 of 15
Next
Big Ten Basketball Joey Hauser Michigan State Spartans (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
Big Ten Basketball Joey Hauser Michigan State Spartans (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

2. Michigan State Spartans

Home & Away – Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Penn State, Wisconsin
Home Only – Indiana, Nebraska, Purdue
Away Only – Iowa, Ohio State, Rutgers

By now we know all the shortcomings and advantages of the Spartans. They are not great at defending the paint, but if they put Hauser at the five-spot, maybe the bigger opposing center has trouble defending.

The upside for the Spartans, Minnesota, Penn State, Northwestern, and Wisconsin is not only projected to be four of the five bottom teams in the Big Ten, but they do not have a high scoring center that will make it difficult for the Spartans to win the vast majority of the eight games. Even their toughest two-game opponent is in-state rival the Michigan Wolverines, a rivalry where the game will be decided on the court like it was last season when they split the games played and it must be mentioned Michigan Stae won at home 70-64.

Their home only slate of games could only be beneficial as Indiana and Purdue are teams projected to finish ahead of them in the standings, and while it will be difficult to limit Trevion Williams, the combination of Bingham, Marble and Sissoko might be enough to allow the trio of Spartans guards to outplay Hunter, Ivey, and Stefanovic. Indiana – which is a much more possible victory – will be a battle of the guards if Michigan State hopes to win.

Ohio State on the road may not have a high-scoring center, but at home, the Buckeyes will hold the advantage. Iowa will remain behind the Spartans in the standings and with their lack of depth and Rebraca being the biggest scoring threat in the frontcourt, the Spartans will pull out a victory. The Spartans traveling to Rutgers will make it a closely contested game.

Home/Big Ten