Eastern Michigan @ Michigan St. preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 23, 2015 ) Eastern Michigan 65, Michigan St 89

No. 18 Michigan State looks to win its fourth straight game when it hosts non-conference foe Eastern Michigan on Saturday. The Spartans are coming off a win at Northwestern on Wednesday, while the Eagles, who have also won three straight, topped Northeastern on Tuesday.

The Eagles have been strong defensively this season, limiting opponents to 57.1 points per game -- 11th in the nation -- and allowing them to shoot just 39.1 percent from the field, including 34.9 percent from 3-point range. Junior forward Ty Groce paces Eastern Michigan with 12.6 points per game, while guards Yeikson Montero and Noah Morgan each add 10.8 points per contest. Senior guard Cassius Winston is the main cog in Tom Izzo's offense, leading the team with 17.3 points and 6 assists per game. Junior forward Xavier Tillman is averaging a double-double on the season, scoring 13.1 points and grabbing 10.1 rebounds per game.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network.

ABOUT EASTERN MICHIGAN (9-1): The Eagles have a deep team, but they'll need a lot of minutes from 7-0 senior center Boubacar Toure against Michigan State. Toure, who averages 9.6 points and 8.2 rebounds in 23.9 minutes per contest, has to be a presence on both ends of the floor against a Spartans team that is historically strong on the glass. This season, Michigan State has a rebound margin of plus-10.6, compared to the Eagles' margin of plus-2.6, so Toure is going to have to hit the glass more and avoid getting into foul trouble against a physical Spartans front line.

ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE (8-3): Michigan State got the news it didn't want to hear this week, when senior guard Josh Langford, who hasn't played a game since Dec. 29, 2018, underwent foot surgery that will keep him sidelined for the rest of the season. There had been hope that Langford would be able to return at some point this season, but the Spartans had already been planning on not having him. The news of Langford's surgery puts a little more pressure on freshman guard Rocket Watts to return after he's missed the last three games with a lower leg injury, but Watts started to practice this week and isn't expected back until after New Year's.

TIP-INS

1. Eastern Michigan leads the Mid-American Conference and ranks ninth in the nation in forcing turnovers, with opponents committing 19.5 miscues per game.

2. Michigan State F Gabe Brown recorded his first career double-double in the win over Northwestern, scoring 11 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

3. The Spartans have dominated the series against the Eagles, going 30-3 and winning the last eight matchups.

PREDICTION: Michigan State 74, Eastern Michigan 62