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The Michigan State Spartans will look to continue their current momentum as they prepare to host the No.4 Ohio State Buckeyes in a Big Ten showdown on Thursday night.
The Spartans are coming off a huge win over the Illinois Fighting Illini on Tuesday night, keeping their NCAA tournament hopes alive.
Meanwhile, the Buckeyes are coming off a loss to the Michigan Wolverines in their last outing. They will be looking to bounce back to improve their chances of earning a number one seed in the March Madness tournament.
Match Details
Fixture: Ohio State Buckeyes vs Michigan State Spartans - NCAA Men's Basketball
Date and Time: Thursday, February 25, 9:00 PM ET
Venue: Jack Breslin Student Events Center, East Lansing, Michigan
Ohio State Buckeyes Preview
The Ohio State Buckeyes lost for the first time in over a month to the Michigan Wolverines (92-87) on Saturday, snapping a seven-game winning streak.
The Buckeyes had issues controlling the paint against the Wolverines. The 7-foot-1 frame of Hunter Dickinson had several inches over the Michigan frontcourt, and he scored all 22 of his game-high points from inside the arc.
Chris Holton, head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, acknowledged this when he said:
"I thought his [Hunter Dickinson] length and size bothered us."
The Ohio State Buckeyes have now announced that they will be without their starting forward, Kyle Young, who has been listed out with a concussion, via Buckeyes Wire. Although the Michigan State Spartans are smaller than their in-state rivals, this news could mean that the Buckeyes are in for another defensive nightmare.
Key Player - E.J. Liddell
With Kyle Young now being sidelined, E.J. Liddell will see an increased workload. The sophomore forward scored 23 points and had 10 rebounds in his last outing, earning his third double-double of the year.
Liddell will need to have another strong outing against the Michigan State Spartans, similar to the one he had against them earlier this season. He finished with 20 points and eight rebounds on 50% of shootings in that game.
Ohio State Buckeyes' Predicted Lineup
F Zed Key, F Justice Sueing, F Justin Ahren, F E.J. Liddell, G Duane Washington Jr.
Michigan State Spartans Preview
This is the Michigan State Spartans' biggest game of the year. We said that about their game against the Illinois Fighting Illini on Tuesday night because that was also true.
Every game for the remainder of the season is a must-win for the Spartans if they are to ensure a bid to this year's March Madness tournament.
In the Michigan State Spartans' latest two victories, they got back to their Big Ten roots - physicality. They held the Fighting Illini to 26 points in the first half and disrupted Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn's rhythm.
Here is what Tom Izzo had to say when asked about his team's impressive 81-72 victory on Tuesday night:
"For the most part, we fought and scrapped and that's all you can ask of a team."
The Michigan State Spartans will need to maintain their suffocating defense to earn their ninth straight victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center.
Key Player - Aaron Henry
Aaron Henry is the key player for the Michigan State Spartans. In the last two games, he scored a total of 47 on 50.2% shooting. Tom Izzo has given his junior guard total control of the offense, averaging over 35 minutes in his last three outings.
However, Henry struggled in his first outing against the Ohio State Buckeyes, scoring 10 points while going two of eight from the field.
Michigan State Spartans' Predicted Lineup
F Gabe Brown, F Rocket Watts, C Julius Marble II, G Joshua Langford, G Aaron Henry
Ohio State vs Michigan State Match Prediction
The Michigan State Spartans will be a much greater challenge for the Ohio State Buckeyes than the matchup in January.
However, the Buckeyes are playing some of the best basketball in the country. We expect E.J. Liddell to have another great game and to lead his team to a win.
Where to watch Ohio State vs Michigan State
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
ALSO READ: NCAA March Madness 2021: Complete Schedule, Dates & Time
