No. 13 Michigan State Spartans vs. No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks
Heading into Tuesday’s Michigan State vs Kansas game, both the Spartans and the Jayhawks are really just trying to figure out how good they are. For No. 13 Michigan State, not much is known about how good the newcomers really are after a blowout win over Florida Atlantic, but freshman big man Deyonta Davis looks to be the real deal.
As for Kansas, the Jayhawks are considered one of the few title favorites to begin the year and a team who could realistically overtake that No. 1 spot in the rankings after a couple of weeks of play. Luckily for them, they still have Perry Ellis — even though it seems like the team’s leader has been there for about 10 years.
This is going to be one of the best early games of the season and we could potentially see a Final Four rematch down the line.
Details for Tuesday’s game are below:
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 17
Start Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
Location: Chicago, IL
Stadium: United Center
TV Info: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Radio: For Michigan State radio affiliates, click here. For Kansas radio affiliates, click here.
Ticket Info: For Michigan State ticket info, click here. For Kansas ticket info, click here.
Keys to Victory
Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State needs to make sure to work the ball around and not settle for the three-point shot every time. All too often last season, this team failed to get it into the post and instead took some ill-advised threes when all it had to do was move the ball.
Denzel Valentine is going to be the guy to watch for the Spartans, but don’t sleep on Bryn Forbes and Eron Harris. If the Spartans can’t develop a post presence and maybe one or two more scorers, this game will be in good shape for Tom Izzo’s squad.
Kansas Jayhawks
Get the ball in Ellis’ hands. Sure, there are other solid options on offense, but when in doubt, rely on the most veteran player on the team who has provided that spark many times in the past. He scored 16 points in 20 minutes in the Jayhawks’ opening win over Northern Colorado, so he can put some points up, especially without MSU’s Gavin Schilling in the post as he’s out with turf toe.
On defense, though, rebounding will be the No. 1 priority. The Spartans have been trained to rebound like mad men during the Tom Izzo era, and this team is no different. Davis, the Spartans’ big freshman, recorded a double-double in his first game thanks to eight offensive rebounds.
Prediction
Kansas and Michigan State will play one of the better games of the early season and it will be a preview of a deep tournament matchup later on in March. Michigan State will have a tough time with Perry Ellis in the post because of the absence of Gavin Schilling, leading to a points in the paint advantage for the Jayhawks which will ultimately decide this one.
Final Score: Michigan State 71, Kansas 75