The Michigan State Spartans will lay their 52 game non-conference home winning streak on the line, when they play 22nd-ranked Texas at home tonight. Tom Izzo is back after his ridiculous(in my opinion) one game suspension. Michigan State has only won one game out of four against the Top 25 this season, which was against then-11 ranked Washington. That doesn't include a loss to a then-unranked Connecticut team. Michigan State needs a redemption win. They need to beat Texas. It would help extremely, as of now, with seeding purposes come March. Michigan State has won two straight, while Texas has won three straight. Last year, Texas beat Michigan State 79-68
More after the jump....
Michigan State has played by far the most challenging non-conference schedule in the Big Ten this season. Just because the Spartans have lost three games, which all were to really good teams, doesn't mean a thing to me. It seems as if the Spartans do this time after time... and guess what? Where do they always end up? The Final Four. I have not lost and ounce of faith in this Michigan State team. The talent and athleticism is there and they will let it explode in Big Ten season. It seems as if Michigan State waits until March to peak.. which is a good thing.
Texas will be MSU's final tune up before the extremely tough Big Ten season begins. The only thing that could hold Michigan State back, somewhat, would be injuries. Will they be healthy? Korie Lucious hurt his right ankle again while Keith Appling hit his head in the last game, left and never returned.
Texas has played a tough non-conference schedule as well, which prepares them to go into the Breslin Center and play Michigan State.
I can't wait to get these final non-conference tune ups out of the way, so we can get to what really matters and what is sure to be one of the most interesting conference races in recent memory.
If everyone stays healthy in this game, I think Michigan State wins it at home. It's Michigan State at home in a big game. I think the crowd will be pumped, I don't know how many students will be there due to break, but either way, the crowd should be rockin. I dont think the 54 straight non-conference home win streak ends tonight.