Michigan State Basketball: 2016-17 Game-By-Game Predictions
January 4 (12-3, 2-0) – v. Rutgers
Former Stony Brook boss Steve Pikiell is a high-upside signing for Rutgers, but they’re still a ways away. They were the least efficient major-conference team a season ago according to Sports Illustrated and are still extremely young. They’ll get better, but this will not be a contest. Michigan State wins.
January 7 (13-3, 3-0) v. Penn State (Philadelphia)
Penn State is another young team with plenty of upside, but they also still have a ways to go. Brandon Taylor, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder from a season ago, is no longer there, the Nittany Lions will deploy several freshmen in key roles and there isn’t senior leadership to lean on. The Spartans are simply better at a technically neutral-site game in Philadelphia. Michigan State wins.
Michigan State Spartans
January 11 (14-3, 4-0) v. Minnesota
Michigan State’s second matchup with the Golden Gophers will look a lot like the first. Richard Pitino is still not an impressive coach and certainly won’t be able to make up for the talent disparity between his team and Izzo’s. Michigan State wins.
January 15 (15-3, 5-0) @ Ohio State
The Spartans play their first game in an opponent’s arena in nearly three weeks by taking on the Buckeyes. Thad Matta and Tom Izzo have gone it at for a long time, and matchups between these two teams are historically very competitive. Michigan State will likely be coming into the game confident and perhaps a bit sleepy after starting 5-0 against a weak early conference schedule. Ohio State has an impressive amount of experience for being such a young team. The Buckeyes return all of last year’s starters, none of whom are seniors this season, giving them a dearth of scoring threats. At home against a young Michigan State team yet to be tested in conference play, the Buckeyes pull off the upset and gain a huge plus on their tournament resume. Ohio State wins.
January 21 (15-4, 5-1) @ Indiana
Six days after their first conference loss, the Spartans will be tested again on the road at Indiana. It’s another tough road game for a young Michigan State team and the Hoosiers have reloaded a roster that lost Yogi Ferrell and Troy Williams to the NBA by giving larger roles to high-upside sophomores Thomas Bryant and OG Anunoby. James Blackmon Jr. will likely have a large role as well following his return from knee surgery, and between those three, the Spartans may lack the defensive depth to keep Indiana from scoring. Add to that a raucous Indiana home crowd and the Spartans lose their second in a row, dropping several spots in the top 25. Indiana wins.
January 24 (15-5, 5-2) v. Purdue
The Boilermakers will be without their leading scorer and best player from a year ago, A.J. Hammons, but still have a ton of height in the paint—led by Caleb Swanigan and 7’2,” 290-pound Isaac Haas—and Vince Edwards can stretch the floor while also standing 6’8.” Purdue’s rebounding is formidable, and Michigan State currently lacks the personnel to match up with them. If Nick Ward can become the paint presence that the Spartans need and/or the other big men on the roster get healthy, Michigan State will have a chance, but as is, Purdue wins this one by double-digits and East Lansing begins to fret after a three-game losing skid. Purdue wins.
January 29 (15-6, 5-3) v. Michigan
Almost everyone is back for Michigan and senior Zak Irvin should be fully healthy. The saving grace for the Spartans in this matchup is the Wolverines’ lack of a true glass-cleaner. Michigan will need to shoot well to make up for it, but like last season after now-graduated Caris LeVert went down, it’s unclear if they will have someone who can bear the necessary scoring load. It’s a close game, but home-court advantage gives the Spartans the edge and they end their losing streak. Michigan State wins.