Previewing Key Big Ten Games That Impact MSU This Weekend

The No. 7 Michigan State Spartans have a big weekend ahead on the court. Aside from their meeting with USC, there will be other significant conference matchups across the country that could shake up the top of the Big Ten.
Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans On SI

With February right around the corner, there are only five weeks until the Big Ten Tournament, where the Michigan State Spartans have positioned themselves to be a contender for their first tournament crown since 2019.

There are a few games this weekend that the Spartans will be paying close attention to that will have an impact on the top of the Big Ten standings.

Most importantly, the Spartans must take care of business on Saturday, in the first leg of their West Coast road trip against the USC Trojans. In a rematch from the 2023 first round of March Madness, USC will look to get revenge on its home court.

The Spartans are currently the No. 7 team in the nation and lead the Big Ten, having started 9-0 in conference games. Beating USC would be a good step for Michigan State as it would tie the amount of regular season conference wins it had for the entire 2023-24 season. 

The first game that impacts the Spartans is one of the biggest rivalries in the Big Ten: the highly anticipated in-state matchup between the Indiana Hoosiers and Purdue Boilermakers on Friday at Mackey Arena. The Boilermakers are the top challenger to the Spartans’ lead, as they are 8-2 in conference play and ranked No. 10 in the country.

Indiana has struggled this season, with fans calling for the firing of Hoosiers coach Mike Woodsen. Indiana has had success under Woodsen in the past, but it is coming off back-to-back losses to Northwestern and Maryland, and frustrations continue to rise in Bloomington. 

However, when these two teams play, the old saying “throw the records out when these teams play” directly applies to what should be a competitive basketball game that could impact Michigan State.

While Michigan State will be on the West Coast, its bitter rivals, the Michigan Wolverines, will be on the East Coast, taking on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. The Spartans took care of business against the Scarlet Knights at Madison Square Garden, but the young, underachieving team showed flashes of why they could beat any team in the conference. 

The Wolverines are No. 3 in the conference standings at 7-2 and are looking to string a few wins together after taking a tough loss to Purdue earlier this month.

On Sunday, the Ohio State Buckeyes take on the No.18 Illinois Fighting Illini in what should be a great game. The Spartans would benefit from an Illinois victory, as that would boost their strength of schedule, which has been criticized recently.

As Michigan State is back in contention, every game in the conference has a direct impact on the Big Ten-leading Spartans.

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