East Lansing, MI (My Sportsbook) - The seventh-ranked Michigan State Spartans put their 28-game home winning streak on the line tonight, as they host the Northwestern Wildcats in a Big Ten matchup at the Breslin Center.
The home winning streak is currently tied for third longest in the nation and includes a 63-57 besting of Illinois on Saturday. It was the 11th straight victory overall for the Spartans, whose last loss came to North Carolina (98-63) all the way back on December 3rd. Included in the current run is five wins against Big Ten foes, giving MSU its best start to conference play since opening 7-0 during the 1977-78 campaign.
As for Northwestern, it kicked off league action with four straight losses before stunning than 18th-ranked Minnesota, 74-65, on Sunday. It was certainly a big confidence booster for the Wildcats, who lost two of their four conference outings by four points or less. Now at 9-6 overall, Northwestern returns to the road, where it has dropped four straight decisions.
In regard to the all-time series, MSU holds a 77-36 lead over Northwestern and that takes into account a 44-7 advantage in East Lansing. The Spartans have also won the last 12 encounters, including a 77-66 triumph in the first meeting on January 3rd.
The Wildcats aren't an explosive team, but they have done well to compensate for that with some stingy defense, forcing 16.0 turnovers per and holding foes to just 57.9 ppg. Kevin Coble has been a factor at both ends of the floor and he paces Northwestern in scoring (14.6 ppg), rebounding (5.2 rpg) and steals (21). Craig Moore has provided a nice complement to him with 14.1 ppg and 20 steals and he is shooting a solid 45.0 percent from three-point range. On Sunday, Moore made 6-of-9 shots from downtown and he finished with 22 points in an upset of Minnesota. Coble also had a big day, posting 20 points and four assists. The Wildcats went 9-of-21 from long distance and 21-of-27 at the foul line and they also forced Minnesota into 19 turnovers.
The Spartans are netting a solid 76.8 ppg on the season and they have also fared well on the boards, outrebounding opponents by 10.2 rpg. Raymar Morgan is the team's top scorer (14.8 ppg) and second leading rebounder (7.0 rpg) and he is shooting an efficient 59.4 percent from the floor. Kalin Lucas follows with 13.7 ppg and he has been in charge of running the show, handing out a team-high 5.4 apg. On Saturday, MSU used a 42-30 advantage on the boards, including an 18-12 edge on the offensive glass, to outlast Illinois in a defensive battle. The Spartans also held a 16-8 advantage in free-throw points and that certainly played a part in the win. Goran Suton led the way with 12 points and six boards, while Lucas had 10 points and three helpers.
