The No. 6 Michigan State Spartans (23-5, 12-3) look to maintain their spot atop the Big Ten standings when they host the Nebraska Conrhuskers (12-14, 4-11) on Saturday night.
Michigan State has won six consecutive Big Ten games to take control of the conference lead but have little margin for error in the tight race for the regular-season title. A win over Nebraska will set up a challenging finish to the season with games at No. 23 Indiana and then at home against No. 8 Ohio State. Big Ten Player of the Year candidate Draymond Green continues to pace the Spartans averaging 19 points and over 8 rebounds in the last three games.
Nebraska has lost five of their last six games but has shown the ability to rise up and play well at times this season which it did last Saturday in blowing out the struggling Illinois Fighting Illini while also posting wins over Indiana and at Iowa earlier in the season. Michigan State beat Nebraska on New Year's Eve in their last meeting, 68-55 after trailing by one point at halftime.
Nebraska relies on guards Bo Spencer (15.6 ppg) and Toney McCray (10 ppg) to get their offense going. The Spartans will have to defend the perimeter shooters for the Cornhuskers to keep them from catching fire behind the arc and making a run at the upset.
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