5 months ago
- Spartans
- Updated: Jan. 01, 2026, 6:01 a.m.
- Published: Jan. 01, 2026, 6:00 a.m.
With only 1 nonaccomplishment successful nan first 13 games, Michigan State is disconnected to its champion commencement successful 8 years.
The adjacent situation for nan No. 9 Spartans is going connected nan roadworthy to look No. 13 Nebraska, which conscionable wrapped up nonconference play unbeaten for nan first clip successful astir a period amid nan champion commencement successful programme history.
“I cognize what they’re tin of, that’s why I’ll beryllium willing to spot what we’re tin of,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo told reporters aft believe connected Wednesday. “This is going to beryllium a challenge. We’ve astir apt played much talented teams but we’ve ne'er played a squad for illustration this connected their location tribunal and that’s why it’s going to beryllium nosy to spot really my guys respond.”
Michigan State (12-1, 2-0 Big Ten) is heading into its 2nd existent roadworthy crippled of nan play connected Friday (9 p.m., Peacock) astatine Nebraska (13-0, 2-0), 1 of nan conference’s early surprises. The Cornhuskers, who person only 1 NCAA Tournament quality successful nan erstwhile six seasons nether coach Fred Hoiberg, were picked to decorativeness 14th successful a Big Ten preseason media poll. They won their first classed crippled of nan play astatine Illinois earlier this period aft smashing Wisconsin by 30 successful nan Big Ten opener.
“I deliberation Fred was ever 1 of nan champion violative coaches successful nan country,” Izzo said, “but I deliberation he’s really adapted that defensively correct now, they’re a batch amended than I deliberation they utilized to be.”
Michigan State won 12 of nan past 13 games against Nebraska since 2017 pinch nan lone nonaccomplishment successful that span since a seven-point conclusion successful Lincoln 2 seasons ago. This will beryllium nan Spartans’ first travel backmost and Pinnacle Bank Arena is already sold retired for Friday’s crippled pinch a chance for nan Cornhuskers to unafraid their biggest triumph of nan season.
“I emotion nan atmosphere, Nebraska’s a awesome place,” Izzo said. “I wish we didn’t person to play location this year.”
The Cornhuskers person a veteran-led squad pinch six players scoring much than 8 points per game. At nan apical is 6-foot-10, 250-pound guardant Rienk Mast astatine 16.5 points and 6.8 rebounds aft missing each of past play owed to a knee injury.
“Getting Mast back, he’s arsenic bully arsenic immoderate large successful our league,” Izzo said. “You deliberation astir a feline who tin sprout it, take sides it, reliable arsenic nails, tin move, pass. He’s a really, really bully player.”
Pryce Sandfort, a guardant transportation from Iowa, is tied for nan squad lead astatine 16.5 points per crippled and has already deed 39 triples this season. Jamarques Lawrence is backmost aft a stint astatine Rhode Island and Hoiberg’s son, Sam Hoiberg, is 3rd successful nan federation successful assist-to-turnover ratio astatine 5.4 per game.
“Making plays is 1 thing, making winning plays is another,” Izzo said of Sam Hoiberg. “That kid makes winning plays.”
Michigan State is coming disconnected a 114-97 triumph against Cornell connected Monday astatine nan Breslin Center while posting nan program’s highest constituent full since 2008. The Big Red presented a unsocial situation pinch their prolific 3-point shooting, which Izzo mostly gave his squad a walk for extracurricular of a precocious surge by nan visitors.
Jaxon Kohler posted his 4th consecutive double-double and eighth of nan play pinch 11 points 10 rebounds while Jeremy Fears turned successful a career-high 21 points to spell pinch 11 assists. The Spartans person been dealing pinch a fewer illnesses pinch defender Divine Ugochukwu nan latest casualty but it hasn’t been a awesome disruption.
“They’ve travel backmost from Christmas and we’ve practiced difficult and they’ve practiced good pinch awesome focus, a consciousness of purpose, a consciousness of urgency,” Izzo said. “I’m really enjoying that astir my team.”
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Matt Wenzel has been nan Michigan State shot hit writer for MLive since 2017 and besides covers men's and women's basketball, lucky and different sports.
