Michigan State basketball looking to rebound from underwhelming start to the season

Game Preview: The Michigan State Spartans (10-7) prepare for battle against the Minnesota Golden Gophers (12-5) at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center.

This is another must-win matchup for the Spartans as they try to improve their Big Ten record. They started off 1-4, but managed to secure a win against Rutgers, moving to 2-4 and 11th in the Big Ten.

It’s been a disappointing season so far for MSU. Once a preseason top-5 team in the nation, they now find themselves unranked and near the bottom of their conference. If they want to salvage their season and find success in March, they’ll need to win all their remaining home game and secure a few victories on the road as well.

Minnesota entered the season with more modest expectations but will also be looking to get back on track with a win.

Their season has been promising up to this point, as they’ve racked up 12 wins; however, three of their five losses have come against Big Ten opponents. They’ve also dropped their last two games, including one at home—something you can’t afford to do in the Big Ten. The Golden Gophers will be aiming to regain momentum and return to the win column when they travel to East Lansing to battle the Spartans.

Key Players:

Michigan State:

• Tyson Walker: Tyson has had a stellar season so far and looks to be an All-Big Ten First Team selection. He's been a spark plug for Michigan State and always finds a way to score. While also being able to heat up like a microwave and take over a game.

• Malik Hall: When Malik filled the stat line with multiple goose eggs against Northwestern it led to a loss. When Hall is able to be the second or even the leading scorer on the team they perform better. He also has exceled at securing easy buckets when the Spartans encounter scoring droughts. Meaning his scoring ability and occasional rebounding could be the difference between a blowout win or a close game.

Minnesota:

• Dawson Garcia: Dawson is the leading scorer and rebounder for this Golden Gophers squad. The senior forward has been the squad's best player all year and one of the best in the Big Ten. If Michigan State manages to shut down Garcia, the Gophers will have to seek an alternative source of offense. A difficult task against a defensive-minded team like MSU, so the success of Garcia will be vital.

  
  

• Elijah Hawkins: Elijah is the conductor of the offensive and when he's orchestrating it moves swiftly. He leads in both assists and steals for Minnesota, consistently creating opportunities for his teammates. Steals could play a crucial role against a talented team like MSU, as they could disrupt the Spartans' offense and prevent them from finding any rhythm. Meaning with Hawkins being injured it'll be hard for the Golphers to steal one in East Lansing.

This will be the first matchup between the two schools since the 2021-2022 season, when MSU won 71-69. The Spartans are 8-2 in their last 10 meetings, and Minnesota has only beaten them once at Breslin in 18 attempts. The game tips off tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing, as both the Spartans and Golden Gophers look for a win to get back on track.