Big Ten leader Michigan State to visit last-place IU at home

All season the rallying cry for IU basketball has been “passion for the past, excitement for the future.”

The present is not mentioned. Given the Hoosiers’ (6-22, 1-15) sub-par record – with more conference and total losses than any team in IU history – it may be soothing for fans to think about glory days gone by or the hope of returning to those heights in the future. 

But for the last time this season, IU fans have a chance to see the present Hoosiers play at home when they take on conference-leader Michigan State. 

The Spartans (23-5, 13-3) clinched at least a share of the Big Ten regular season title Sunday by defeating Illinois and have a chance to win it outright with a victory against the Hoosiers.

Given Michigan State’s record, as well as the 75-47 thumping the Spartans gave IU in their first meeting, IU coach Tom Crean said Michigan State is a worthy conference champion. 

“They’re very, very talented,” Crean said. “Very tough-minded, and there’s no question that they feed off of Tom. They always have and there’s a never-say-die, never-quit attitude to them.”

Depth and experience – two things the Hoosiers have lacked all season – have also contributed to Michigan State’s success. 

“It’s one thing to have depth,” Crean said. “It’s another thing to have the consistency of depth, and it’s a whole other thing to have the talent inside of that depth, and they have that.”

The Spartans’ depth is even stronger from the last time they played IU. Michigan State’s second-leading scorer Raymar Morgan has returned to the rotation. The 6-foot-8 junior’s versatility could cause matchup problems for the Hoosiers. 

The addition of Morgan helps the Spartans do what Crean said is one of their strongest assets – consistently execute offensive plays. 

IU senior Kyle Taber said the only chance for him to go out on a high note will be if his team can force Michigan State to stray away from the offensive sets the Spartans execute so well.

“They’re real methodical and have a lot of sets,” Taber said. “And if you can stop those and make the players beat you, we’ll have a much better chance.”

Taber said the best way to disrupt Michigan State’s offense will be to battle the Spartans on the glass and get back on defense. 

“Coach said we’ve got to control the middle part of the game,” Taber said. “We’ve got to control their fast break and get the rebounds at the end of the shot clock.”

Regardless of the game’s outcome, it will serve as a reminder of where IU currently stands, at the bottom of the Big Ten, and where they want to be – claiming a Big Ten championship like the Spartans did on Sunday. 

As he’s done all season, Crean praised the fan base for its support and said this year’s team has already generated excitement for the future. 

“I hope it’s the start of something special, I really do,” Crean said. “I believe that it is. I think they believe that it is.”