Illinois @ Michigan St. preview

Illinois at Michigan St

Last Meeting ( Jan 25, 2022 ) Michigan St 55, Illinois 56

No. 12 Illinois and No. 19 Michigan State aim to ascend in the Big Ten Conference standings at the other's expense when they meet Saturday afternoon at East Lansing, Mich.

The Fighting Illini (18-7, 11-4 Big Ten) and Spartans (18-7, 9-5) are coming off disheartening defeats. The setbacks proved costly in the top-heavy Big Ten, with conference heavyweights Purdue, Wisconsin and Ohio State, as well as upstart Rutgers, all picking up victories in their most recent games.

Illinois, in fact, fell for the second time in three games with a 70-59 loss at Rutgers on Wednesday night.

"We had no life, no spirit and no fight," Illini coach Brad Underwood said after watching his team shoot 37.9 percent from the floor and 26.1 percent from 3-point range.

Underwood didn't stop there, noting that he didn't know if he "ever had a team in my life get outrebounded by 20." Rutgers had a 46-28 advantage on the boards.

"We were never in it and didn't play very well," Underwood said. "You're not gonna win games when you miss your first 13 threes. I thought most of them were good shots, but when you don't have the energy and the desire to want to work to win, the ball will never go in."

Illinois guard RJ Melendez also lamented the team's slow start.

"We didn't bring the fight in the beginning," Melendez said, according to the Daily Illini. "Last minute, when we saw the little gaps and chances that we had, then (our shots) started falling, but it was just too late to start fighting by that time."

Underwood and company likely have no qualms with Kofi Cockburn, who recorded his school-record 42nd career double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds on Wednesday. He is averaging team-best totals in points (21.4) and rebounds (11.3) on the season.

Cockburn (concussion) and guard Andre Curbelo (COVID-19 health and safety protocol) did not play for the Fighting Illini in their 56-55 win over Michigan State on Jan. 25. That victory gave Illinois sole possession of first place in the Big Ten.

Trent Frazier, who scored 11 points on Wednesday, had 16 in the previous encounter with the Spartans.

Michigan State sustained its third loss in four games with a 62-58 setback at Penn State on Tuesday. The loss to the Nittany Lions was particularly troubling as the Spartans saw a 14-point lead slip through their fingers with 13:20 to play.

"When we had some letdowns, they were major letdowns," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "Pretty tough loss for us, but we got what we deserved."

Julius Marble II had 14 points for the Spartans, who have seen six different players lead the team in scoring in the last six games. Marcus Bingham Jr. had 13 points in the previous contest versus the Fighting Illini.

Gabe Brown (12.1 points per game) and Malik Hall (10.2) are the lone Spartans who average in double digits this season.

--Field Level Media