Michigan State basketball: Final score predictions vs. UCLA

After losing its first game in two months, Michigan State basketball will stay out on the West Coast to complete a two-game swing, playing UCLA at Pauley Pavilion on Tuesday night.

PREVIEW: Game preview, prediction for MSU at UCLA

This is a rematch of that 2021 NCAA Tournament loss that all Michigan State fans want to forget, but a win on Tuesday night would wipe away some of those bad feelings. Can Tom Izzo get his team ready and lead it past the Bruins for the first time as Big Ten foes?

Let’s see what our staff thinks will happen on Tuesday night at Pauley Pavilion.

Connor Muldowney: I see this one being close, but unlike Saturday’s loss to USC, the Spartans will actually hold a number of leads. Michigan State got its worst game of the season out of the way last time out and I think it’ll come out motivated on Tuesday night against a better UCLA team. This one comes down to the wire in a defensive battle, but Michigan State gets the last laugh thanks to a huge Jaden Akins 3-pointer late. Michigan State 71, UCLA 68.

Emmett Matasovsky: UCLA after dark scares me. Manifesting the bad energy so that the Spartans can surprise me tonight. I’ve had this marked as a loss since the start of the year, but dropping the West Coast swing is not exactly ideal. Michigan State 62, UCLA 65.

Maxwell Klitzke: Michigan State 72, UCLA 78

DailyMSU: Michigan State 75, UCLA 72

Zack Theis: Michigan State 71, UCLA 65

Anthony Garvert: Michigan State 69, UCLA 65

Chris Norman: Michigan State 71, UCLA 68 (great minds think alike)

Joey Shaver: Michigan State 66, UCLA 65

MilkManMSU: Michigan State 75, UCLA 73

Most of our writers are predicting a bounce-back in Game 2 of the West Coast swing while a couple of others believe that the vibes are off and Michigan State basketball will head home with two straight losses. Let’s hope for the former.