Del.icio.us
Facebook
Digg
Reddit
Newsvine
Twitter
• Where: Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind.
• When: 9 p.m. today
• TV/Radio: ESPN; Spartan Sports Network radio, including WJIM 1240-AM and WMMQ 94.9-FM
• Records: MSU is 20-4 overall, 8-3 in the Big Ten; Indiana is 20-4, 9-2.
• Series: Indiana leads 63-42.
• Coaches: MSU - Tom Izzo is 298-125 in his 13th season, all with the Spartans. Indiana - Kelvin Sampson is 496-272 in his 25th season overall, and 41-15 in his second with the Hoosiers.
• Projected lineups
MSU
Pos. Name/Ht. PPG
F (34) Drew Naymick/6-10 4.0
F (41) Marquise Gray/6-8 5.2
F (2) Raymar Morgan/6-7 15.6
G (1) Kalin Lucas/6-0 10.3
G (11) Drew Neitzel/6-0 13.7
Indiana
F (3) D.J. White/6-9 17.6
F (44) Kyle Taber/6-7 0.7
G (13) Jamarcus Ellis/6-5 7.3
G (1) Armon Bassett/6-1 10.2
G (23) Eric Gordon/6-4 21.4
• MSU update: Lucas and Gray are the anticipated lineup changes, although Izzo said Thursday that he wasn't 100 percent sure about what he's going to do. The Lucas switch makes sense because, for one, he's playing so well lately. For two, this means MSU won't have all three freshmen on the floor together - defensive poison - as much. As for Gray starting for Goran Suton, the idea there is simply to spark Gray. He has been fading and is, to date, the single most curious and disappointing personnel development of the season for the Spartans. MSU must find a way to tap into his wealth of athleticism. If Lucas and Gray do start, the Spartans will be a more dangerous running team from the start. The overall top priority tonight is the same as it has been all season: Take care of the ball. In the first half of Tuesday's loss to Purdue, MSU had 14 turnovers and couldn't do anything offensively. In the second half, MSU had five turnovers and carved up Purdue's defense. Last season, MSU committed 43 - yes, 43 - turnovers in two games against Indiana, yet won one of them.
• Indiana update: Wednesday's crushing home loss to Wisconsin - on a prayer of a 3-point bank shot from Wisconsin's Brian Butch - capped a horrendous day for Sampson and the Hoosiers. The NCAA alleged major violations committed by Sampson, and he could be relieved of his duties after the school conducts its own investigation over the next week. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers are still in the thick of the Big Ten race and still have the look of a team that could make a Final Four run. White and Gordon are the league's top two scorers and two toughest individuals to guard. There's tons of perimeter depth, although veteran guard A.J. Ratliff left the team this week (pretty big news that has been understandably overshadowed). If the Hoosiers can win the next two home games - tonight and Tuesday against Purdue - they'll still be in very good shape in the race. IU's only remaining road game against a Big Ten contender is March 2 in East Lansing. The Hoosiers have played a lot of 2-3 zone lately, but the way to beat the Spartans is to disrupt them with pressuring man-to-man.
Matchups
• Backcourts: Here's a stat that may surprise some: Neitzel and Gordon are having the exact same season from 3-point range. Both are 60 of 150 (40 percent). Gordon's numbers have been declining lately, in part because of shot selection, but he can get to the rim whenever he wants. MSU is most concerned about letting him get into the paint and to the foul line. Lucas and Walton will share the duties on him. Lucas has the quickness to stay with him, while Walton can provide a more physical approach. Neitzel is coming off a rough night at Purdue, and he'll try to turn it around in a place that has seen him struggle mightily in the past two seasons. Morgan will match up with Ellis, an all-around player who rebounds and passes, and who glues everything together when he's at his best. Morgan, like Neitzel, needs to raise his level of play. MSU can't forget Bassett, a point guard with a scoring mentality. He put 25 on the Spartans in Breslin Center last season.
Edge: Even
• Frontcourts: White had his way with MSU last season in a blowout win at home, scoring 21 points. But with Naymick on him for most of the night, he struggled to score nine at Breslin in an MSU win. Naymick-White is the matchup of the game. Naymick is really turning it on as his final season winds down. White has raised his play two notches as a senior and is the favorite for Big Ten Player of the Year. Taber is a hustling role player who gives IU a little more beef up front to help White. But Sampson will go small often. If Gray gets the start, MSU should try to get him some touches inside.
Edge: Indiana
• Benches: Both teams have lots of options. MSU's bench was non-existent, other than Lucas, against Purdue. If Walton and Suton are coming off it now, you'll obviously see more production from reserves. Also, Izzo said Thursday he is absolutely committed to getting freshman wings Durrell Summers and Chris Allen more minutes in this game and beyond. We'll see if it happens. Don't be surprised to see Idong Ibok come off the bench to use some fouls on White. For IU, Lance Stemler is a heady, clutch player who can shoot. He often plays as an undersized power forward, which likely will force MSU to go small with Morgan at that spot. Freshman guard Jordan Crawford (10.1 points per game) is talented and fearless. Massive DeAndre Thomas is there when Sampson wants to go big. He may look like he needs a diet, but he is skilled and knows how to use the weight.
Edge: Even
• Prediction: The Hoosiers will come out and play hard, there's no reason to doubt that. But you have to think the past week has affected their focus and preparation. If the Spartans can learn from the first half of the Purdue loss and build off the second, they can keep alive their faint Big Ten hopes.
• Make it: MSU 67, Indiana 64
- Joe Rexrode
