Why MSU Can't Take Indiana Lightly

The Michigan State Spartans are still sitting pretty near the top of the Big Ten standings, but they cannot afford to take any of their remaining opponents lightly, especially the Indiana Hoosiers.

The Hoosiers come into the game with MSU with a 14-10 record, as they sit near the bottom half of the standings. However, Indiana has found ways so far this season to upset teams they were supposed to lose to, and the Spartans do not want to be next on that list.

As losing its first-place positioning after getting swept on the West Coast by both USC and UCLA, MSU is looking to climb back to the top, where the Purdue Boilermakers currently sit. If the Spartans lose the game to the Hoosiers, the battle becomes much more difficult.

When looking at the schedule after facing Indiana, MSU will compete in some of the more high-stakes games they have seen this season. On the agenda, the Spartans will face off against the Illinois Fighting Illini, the Purdue Boilermakers, and their cross-state rivals, the Michigan Wolverines.

An old saying for success is that you win the games you are meant to win, and the game for MSU against Indiana is a must-win. The program can't afford to fall more than two games back from first place, especially as the tougher opponents loom around the corner.

Lucky for MSU, the team bounced back nicely after its two-game skid. In their recent victory over Oregon, the Spartans had one of their best shooting performances of the entire season, ranking high in both field goal and 3-point success rate. The defense was also stellar, collecting 40 rebounds. But what really pushed MSU over the finish line was the support from its fans.

"It was one of the great comebacks, it was one of the great wins, the crowd was electric. If it's not one of the best wins at home it's a top fiver," said Coach Tom Izzo after the game. "You'll have memories of this that will last a whole lifetime."

The Spartans will look to keep the momentum going when they host Indiana on Tuesday night.

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