Scouting: Michigan St. @ Northwestern

Posted January 01, 2010 10:00 pm

By Lindsey Willhite

Michigan St. (10-3, 0-0) at Northwestern (10-2, 0-1)

When: 5:30 p.m. at Welsh-Ryan Arena

TV: BTN

Radio: WYLL 1160-AM

The skinny: Remember last Jan. 21, when the Wildcats rolled into No. 7 Michigan State and pulled off a 70-63 win? Rest assured the 11th-ranked Spartans remember - and today's sold-out game serves as their first chance to do something about it. The 25th-ranked Wildcats proved something to themselves during Wednesday's overtime loss at Illinois, but now they need to regain their legs as Juice Thompson, John Shurna and Jeremy Nash played a combined 132 minutes. Here's the key: Michigan State ranks among the nation's top 11 teams in offensive rebounding rate and 2-point shooting. The Wildcats need their 2-3 matchup to work against the Spartans so they don't need to spend as much time in the 1-3-1. That could limit the rebounding issues.

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