Michigan State Gears up for Clash of Styles Against Maryland

The Michigan State Spartans will match up against the Maryland Terrapins on Wednesday. Both teams have very different styles when it comes to their respective offensive game plans.

Feb 21, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo looks on during the second half at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images | Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

After beating consecutive ranked teams this past week, the No. 14 Michigan State Spartans have another ranked opponent next on the schedule, the No. 20 Maryland Terrapins, on Wednesday. 

Michigan State and Maryland play very contrasting styles of offense. The Spartans rely on their bench, which is one of the deepest in the country, with ten players averaging over 15 minutes per game. 

At the same time, the Terrapins’ roster is more front-loaded, playing their starters the majority of the game and running the offense through their forwards.

The majority of the Spartans' offensive production is run through the guards. Freshman Jase Richardson has emerged as an isolation scorer that Michigan State will go to when it needs a bucket.

The Terrapins' frontcourt is one of the best in the country, with forwards Julian Reese and freshman Derik Queen. But the Spartans should be prepared after handling the Michigan frontcourt duo of Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin on Friday. 

On the defensive end, these teams are very similar, playing with the same hard-nosed mindset.

The Spartans have emerged as one of the best defenses in the Big Ten, allowing 67.2 points per game. Maryland isn’t far behind, allowing 67.3 points per game and leaning on their defense to win games. Expect the matchup between two of the top teams in the conference to be a defensive-minded battle where neither team even reaches the 70-point mark.

The Terrapins are on a four-game win streak and have caught up to the other contenders in the conference at 11-5, tied with the Wisconsin Badgers for third place in the Big Ten. This is the Terrapins' best season under head coach Kevin Willard and one of their best since entering the Big Ten in 2014.

Maryland will be the home team in Wednesday’s matchup against Michigan State. The Terrapins have been stellar on their home court, with a record of 16-1, while knocking off multiple ranked opponents at the XFINITY Center.

Excluding the Spartans’ rough West Coast road trip, Tom Izzo’s squad is undefeated on the road, with big wins over Michigan and Illinois in the past two weeks.  

However, after winning an emotional rivalry game, the Spartans could be in for a letdown game against the Terrapins due to the difficulty of sustaining consistent performances on the road in the Big Ten. 

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