Michigan State basketball will look to improve to 2-0 on the season against Michigan. Let’s get bold ahead of Saturday’s rematch.
Michigan State basketball is coming off its second road win of the season, beating Penn State 80-72. The Spartans will now look to make it two road wins in a row as they travel to Ann Arbor to take on Michigan. MSU has already beaten Michigan this season and will look to do the same on Saturday for the season sweep.
Before the game tips off, let’s take the time to get bold and make some fearless predictions for this game.
1. Malik Hall sets a career high – again
In the Spartans win over Penn State, Malik Hall set a career high finishing with 29 points. Hall’s been one of the hottest and most consistent players on the team recently, so why not predict him to do it again.
In the first meeting, Hall finished with a solid 12 points. However, this time around he will more than double that total, finishing with exactly 30 points. This will set a new career high for Hall by one point, and continue the hot streak he has been on the last month.
2. Dug McDaniel scores less than 10 points
Michigan star guard Dug McDaniel has been serving a road game suspension, so the Spartans did not play him in their first meeting. Michigan is a completely different team with Dug, so the Spartans will have to be ready to defend him.
Dug is Michigan’s leading scorer at 16.8 points per game this season. He’s also scored in double figures every game but one this season. This will be no easy task for MSU.
But Dug will be the Spartan’s main priority defensively. Dug gets the Michigan offense going and he gets many opportunities to score as well. However, I think Michigan State’s guards are too tough defensively and will be able to slow Dug down and hold him to a season low eight points in this game.
3. Five different Spartans record a dunk
Why not have a little fun with the final prediction? I have no data on this whatsoever, but five different players getting a dunk in the same game seems unlikely. I bet this probably hasn’t even happened once this season. But I think the Spartans will put on a show and attack the Michigan rims with a vengeance.
Hall, Carson Cooper, Mady Sissoko, Coen Carr, and Jaden Akins will be the five to get a dunk in this game, with Carr’s being a highlight reel play like it normally is. In a game that I think could be close, these dunks will help keep the momentum on MSU’s side.
At the end of the day, all Michigan State needs is a win. It doesn’t have to be pretty and it doesn’t have to be dominant, but as long as they can survive their second straight road trip, I personally will be ecstatic.
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