Minnesota hits the road for another difficult test, as they take on #10 Michigan State in East Lansing at 6pm tonight. Minnesota has already played MSU at home this year, falling 67-75 in what was their first loss of the season. We'll be breaking down some a few players to watch, as well as some keys to the game if Minnesota hopes to win.
TV: BTN
WHO: Minnesota at Michigan State
WHEN: 6:00 PM (CST)
WHERE: Breslin Center - East Lansing, Michigan
RANKINGS COMPARISON - MINNESOTA | MICHIGAN STATE
ESPN BPI: No. 86 | No. 24
KENPOM: No. 87 | No. 19
SAGARIN: No. 72 | No. 16
NET RANKINGS: No. 67 | No. 17
KEY RESERVES: Malik Hall (9.9 PPG; 4.7 RPG), A.J. Hoggard (6.7 PPG; 66 ASSISTS),
MICHIGAN STATE RECORD: 13-2, 4-0; KEY WINS: Loyola-Chicago, UConn, Louisville; KEY LOSSES: Kansas, Baylor
SERIES HISTORY: Michigan State leads 66-58
LAST MEETING: Michigan State 75, Minnesota 67 (Dec. 8th, 2021)
KEYS TO VICTORY:
Improvements From Three
Not only did it hurt the Gophers in their last game, but looking back, Minnesota struggled from distance against Michigan State last month. In that meeting the Gophers shot just 6-23 from deep, and half of those makes came from Jamison Battle. Minnesota needs to work the ball around in the half-court and earn some open looks from three to get the offense going. We know that Jamison can create his own shot off the dribble, but running guys like him and EJ Stephens off of screens to try to get some decent looks could improve the percentage.
Eric Curry Stepping Up Again
Eric Curry had one of his best games of the season against Michigan State earlier in the year, and his presence will be key on both ends again. Unlike most Big 10 teams, MSU doesn't really have a bruising, physical presence down low. They do have plenty of length, but Curry will likely have the strength advantage down low. That will benefit him when trying to defend in isolation on the block, where he will be able to prevent guys from establishing low post position. That will prevent the need for the Gophers' perimeter defenders to sag off of shooters like they did against Indiana. Offensively, if he can come close to matching the 18 points he had in the first meeting, it will give Minnesota a big boost.
Bench Production In The Second Half
I know this Minnesota team likes to play their starters big minutes, but against Indiana it became evident late in the game that guys were getting tired, as they just weren't getting separation on offense, and shots weren't falling anymore. It's crucial that Minnesota gets some sort of bench production going in the second half, so that Ben Johnson can trust his guys to come in and produce without any drop off if a starter needs a minute or two to rest. Fresh legs late in the game could make all the difference, and in Big 10 play, you need every edge that you can get. A productive game from Sean Sutherlin or Charlie Daniels would be huge tonight.
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