Michigan State vs. Illinois Prediction, Game Preview
Michigan State vs. Illinois prediction and game preview for when the Spartans host the Illini in the Breslin Center.
The Michigan State Spartans will welcome the Illinois Fighting Illini to the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich. on Thursday. Below is the Michigan State vs. Illinois prediction and game preview.
Michigan State vs. Illinois Game Preview
Game Broadcast
Date: Thursday, Jan. 7
Game Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Breslin Center, East Lansing, Mich.
Network: ESPN
Why You Need To Care
The good news though is that the Spartans bounced back with a 69-61 win on the road against Minnesota. And it was difficult to imagine Tom Izzo’s team staying undefeated without its best player — one of the nation’s best players.
Now Michigan State will host Illinois, which has seen better times than the 8-7 record it’s sporting right now. The Fighting Illini were on a five-game winning streak before dropping their last two games to Michigan and Ohio State. The last thing head coach John Groce needed was to start 0-2 in Big Ten play.
Why Michigan State Will Win
Bryn Forbes has developed into a legitimate scoring threat, and maybe the loss of Valentine was a blessing in disguise for him. He’ll have to use matchups like these to mold his game, and when he does get his running mate back, Forbes will be more than just a secondary option on offense — more of a 1a to Valentine’s 1. If Forbes flashes the jumper in this one, the Spartans will get rolling. Some added buckets and assists from Lourawls Nairn Jr. will go a long way as Matt Costello does work on the boards.
Why Illinois Will Win
The Fighting Illini might just have to put a couple of players on Forbes and staple their jerseys together because if he gets open looks, Illinois is in trouble. Illinois will have to keep Costello and Deyonta Davis off the glass while Jalen Coleman-Lands and Kendrick Nunn space the floor with some clutch threes. Coleman-Lands and Malcolm Hill will have to do extra work and crash the boards to help steal a win in East Lansing, Mich.
What’s Going To Happen?
Forbes will torch the Illini for 20-plus points. Costello and Davis will combine for 15-plus rebounds, and Nairn will help create open looks for everyone else while managing to snag a few buckets of his own. Coleman-Lands and Nunn will hit on a few threes, but they’ll rely on the long ball a little too much, and it will end up hurting them in the end.
Michigan State vs. Illinois Prediction
Prediction: Michigan State 77, Illinois 75
Line: Michigan State -13.5
