The Michigan State Spartans host Big Ten and state rival Michigan Wolverines on Thursday, with the once-mighty Spartans looking to start salvaging their season (7 pm ET, ESPN).Michigan State (12-7 SU, 6-11 ATS, 4-3 Big Ten) has seen better years - like last year, when the Spartans went to the Final Four. Tom Izzo's team had high expectations to open the 2010-11 College Basketball season, with veteran club still high on its March Madness experience.
Ranked in the top three to start the season, most expected Izzo and Co. to be back in the Final Four in Houston.Just to compound the disappointment so far this season at MSU, starting guard Korie Lucious was dismissed this week, after he "displayed conduct detrimental to the program," Izzo said in statement. But Izzo is a future Hall of Famer, and he will have the Spartans jacked up for Thursday's game against the Wolverines, who in many ways are the perfect opponent at the perfect time for the Spartans. Michigan State is 8-2 SU in the past 10 head-to-head meetings, although the Spartans have covered just half those matchups.
When they last met March 7 last season, the Spartans blew them out 64-48, cashing as a 10-point home favorite. The previous meeting was a tad tighter, the Spartans edging the Wolverines 57-56 on Jan. 26, failing to cover as a 4-point road favorite. Michigan State lost 86-76 to the No. 12 Purdue Boilermakers on Saturday as a 6-point road underdog.The loss dropped MSU to 25th in the AP rankings and right out of the ESPN/USA Today Poll. Look for the Spartans to bounce back Thursday.
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