Michigan St.-Penn St. Preview 1-16-13
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo insists his team has yet to play its best basketball, though it's probably time it reaches its full potential with a tough slate looming.
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Michigan State coach Tom Izzo insists his team has yet to play its best basketball, though it's probably time it reaches its full potential with a tough slate looming.
Derrick Nix scored 17 points to help No. 22 Michigan State pull away for a 66-56 victory over Nebraska on Sunday night.
The 22nd-ranked Spartans seek their 29th straight home victory over an unranked opponent when they host injury-plagued Nebraska on Sunday night.
It has been eons since Big Ten basketball has been this strong. Here are three big story lines that are developing as conference play has started in earnest.
Keith Appling's four crucial free throws Thursday night weren't nearly as exciting as his late basket in Michigan State's win over Kansas back in November.
Tom Izzo wasn't satisfied with Michigan State's performance in its last game despite a lopsided victory.
No. 18 Michigan State used a 28-7 run in the second half to pull away for an 84-61 victory over Purdue on Saturday.
Michigan State running back Le'Veon Bell is declaring his intentions to enter the 2013 NFL Draft.
The Spartans held the Golden Gophers tight until the final minutes of the game but Minnesota went on to beat Michigan State 76-63 on Monday.
The Big Ten widely is considered the premier conference in the nation, with No. 11 Minnesota and No. 19 Michigan State among the league's six ranked teams.
Le'Veon Bell ran for 107 of his 145 yards in the second half and helped set up Dan Conroy for a 47-yard field goal with 1:01 left, sending TCU to a 17-16 loss to Michigan State in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl Saturday night.
After finishing the 2011 season with a 33-30 triple-overtime win over Georgia in the Outback Bowl, Michigan State was considered a serious contender for a Big Ten title in 2012, thanks in large part to a hellacious defense.
The 6-foot-5 Kearney is averaging 2.3 points per game and 16.9 minutes in 2012-13.
The Spartans had the nation's fourth-best defense and were 10th in scoring, while the Horned Frogs were 10th against the run.
Both TCU and Michigan State are trying to build momentum for next season after limping down the stretch in 2012.
