Michigan State basketball: 3 fearless predictions vs. Michigan

Michigan State basketball hosts Michigan for one of the biggest games of the season. Will we see a Tom Izzo masterclass?

Tom Izzo says there will be no “love” on Saturday afternoon between Michigan and Michigan State basketball. That’s how all fans feel, too.

Michigan comes to East Lansing sporting a 9-5 overall record and a 3-0 mark in Big Ten play while Michigan State is 10-4 and 2-1 in the league. This is for bragging rights as well as positioning near the top of the Big Ten standings so you know neither side will take this game lightly.

Will we see Michigan State rise to the occasion on Saturday? Here are my three most fearless predictions ahead of the big rivalry game.

1. Jaden Akins leads MSU in scoring

Jaden Akins has been red-hot lately. The sophomore guard has been gaining confidence throughout the past couple of weeks and he’s shooting the lights out. He’s going to keep the ball rolling against Michigan.

What better game to have an official coming-out party than the Michigan game? That’s how you cement your legacy in East Lansing. You show up in big games and against Michigan. He’ll do just that.

Akins will lead the Spartans in scoring with 18 points and he’ll hit four big 3-pointers and have an electrifying dunk that’ll have the roof of Breslin about to pop off.

2. Spartans shoot over 50 percent from 3-point range

Michigan State got off to a quick start against Nebraska because of 3-point shooting as well as good ball movement and I believe that will continue against Michigan.

The ball movement will get this already-shaky Michigan defense to overcommit and overhelp in certain situations, leaving someone open on the perimeter more often than not. Michigan State takes advantage and shoots about 50 percent from 3-point range on 22 shots.

Making 11 threes should put the Spartans in a good spot to win this game, right?

3. MSU holds Michigan under 65 points

If there is one area in which Michigan has excelled this season, it’s been the offensive game. The Wolverines average over 76 points per game and have only finished with under 70 points one time in the past six. Michigan State is going to go one step further and hold the Wolverines under 65 points in front of a raucous Breslin Center crowd.

Only two times this season has Michigan scored fewer than 65 points but that number will grow to three on Saturday because of the Spartans’ strong perimeter defense, led by Jaden Akins, Tyson Walker, and AJ Hoggard, as well as Mady Sissoko in the post.

We’re going to see a motivated, high-energy performance from this defense.