Game Thread: Michigan State Spartans vs. Illinois Fighting Illini

The No. 9 Michigan State Spartans look to end a two-game skid, as the basketball squad travels to Champaign to take on the Illinois Fighting Illini.

After a 9-0 start in conference play, MSU dropped a road game to the Purdue Boilermakers, and then news broke that Joshua Langford would miss the remainder of the season, and then MSU lost a home game to an Indiana Hoosiers team that was struggling mightily. But the sky isn’t falling, yet.

Illinois should be a good bounce-back opportunity for the Spartans. All road games in the Big Ten are tough, but the Fighting Illini have had a rough go this year. The team is just 7-15 overall, and 3-8 in conference play. However, Illinois has won two of its past three games, which includes wins over quality opponents in Maryland and Nebraska. So, the Spartans cannot overlook the Illini, and cannot try to sleep walk through this one.

Free throw shooting was a big problem in the loss to Indiana. Michigan State also allowed way too many offensive rebounds to the Hoosiers (20). Those are the two key areas the Spartans need to improve upon tonight if they want to get back into the winning column.

Here is your game thread. Go Green!

TOC Weekly basketball content to review:

• The Only Podcast: Against The Ropes (2/5/18)
• Michigan State and the missing second shooter
• How does the Langford injury change MSU’s outlook?
• Indiana Preview and Game Thread
• The Only Podcast: Aaron Henry, the floor is yours (1/30/18)
• Joshua Langford ruled out for remainder of 2018-2019 season
• Spartan Bracketology: January 30
• Michigan State Women’s Basketball Recap
• MSU Basketball Roundup (Jan. 29)
• Cassius Winston named Big Ten Player of the Week...again