Notre Dame @ Michigan St. preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 3, 2014 ) Michigan St 78, Notre Dame 79

No. 3 Michigan State looks to keep the momentum from its dominant run through the PK80 Invitational's Victory Bracket when it returns home to host No. 5 Notre Dame in the final game of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Thursday. The Spartans won their three games in the tournament by an average of 20 points, while the Fighting Irish enter the contest having a week off since taking the Maui Invitational with a victory over Wichita State in the championship game.

Coach Mike Brey's squad has been winning thanks in part to a stifling defense that has held opponents to 60.2 points per game, 37.7 percent shooting and 29.1 percent 3-point shooting. Offensively, the Irish have one of the top players in the country in senior forward Bonzie Colson, who leads the team in scoring (20.0), rebounding (10.5) and blocks (2.3). Michigan State has a versatile offense, with all five starters averaging in double figures, led by forwards Miles Bridges (15.2 points, 6.8 rebounds) and Nick Ward (13.8 points, 6.3 rebounds). But it was the guard combo of Joshua Langford (13.7 points) and Cassius Winston (12.2 points, 7.6 assists) who led the charge at the PK80, with Winston setting a career standard with 28 points in the semifinals and Langford scoring a career-high 23 in the title game win over North Carolina.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (6-0): Brey is hoping for a better start than the Irish had in their previous game against Wichita State, which is a lot like Michigan State with its in-your-face defense and had Notre Dame down 16 in Maui last Wednesday. Against the Spartans, especially playing in front of a raucous crowd in East Lansing, Notre Dame must get off to a good start, which means avoiding giving up fast break baskets or crowd-inciting dunks to Bridges and company. Guard Matt Farrell played extremely well in Maui, earning tournament MVP honors, and is averaging 17.5 points and 4.3 assists, but he'll need to be in control against a Michigan State defense that completely disrupted North Carolina's offense, holding the defending champs to 24.6 percent shooting for the game, the lowest percentage in school history.

ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE (5-1): Forget the dominant win over North Carolina; Michigan State coach Tom Izzo is focused on his team's season-high 24 turnovers in the 18-point blowout of the Tar Heels. The Spartans are averaging 16.5 miscues a game, which is troubling to Izzo in that it can turn into easy points for the opposition or at least deprive his squad of a scoring opportunity. Playing a starting lineup of four sophomores and a freshman, Izzo might expect more mistakes than a veteran squad, but no matter who is playing, he's been on his team to clean it up, especially against a defense like Notre Dame's, which is only averaging 8.7 turnovers a contest and will certainly take advantage if Michigan State continues to be sloppy with the ball.

TIP-INS

1. Notre Dame senior F Martinas Geben had back-to-back double-figure scoring games for the first time in his career in the Irish's last two contests, scoring 10 against LSU followed by a career-high-matching 12 against Wichita State.

2. Michigan State freshman F Jaren Jackson Jr. has been an inside presence, leading the team in rebounding (8.2) and blocks (1.8).

3. The Spartans' depth may be helped by the return of junior F Kenny Goins, who could be back after missing the last four games with a sprained knee.

PREDICTION: Michigan State 82, Notre Dame 77