How to Watch No. 13 Nebraska Basketball vs. No. 9 Michigan State with Preview, Breakdown, Streaming

With the easier part down, the difficult one begins for the No. 13 Nebraska men's basketball team.

After a blowout win over New Hampshire to wrap up non-conference play, the Huskers head into the meat of the Big Ten without a blemish on their résumé. NU has passed every test with flying colors, and while they've proven to be a team to take seriously, Nebraska has the opportunity to bulldoze its way through to the small list of Big Ten contenders — such as No. 2 Michigan, No. 5 Purdue and their upcoming opponent, No. 9 Michigan State.

It's only fitting to face the Spartans in the biggest pivot point of the 2025-2026 season so far. Flashback to January 17, 2019, and there was a similar feeling. Coming off the upset of beating No. 25 Indiana in the make-or-break year of the Tim Miles era, the 13-4 Huskers entered a showdown with No. 6 Michigan State looking for the same result. It resulted in a late-game rally falling short, igniting a 6-13 collapse that cost Miles his job and paved the way for Hoiberg.

The fifth-year head coach isn't facing those consequences, but the program has a chance to flip the script and right the wrongs from that night seven years ago. Here's all you need to know as the Huskers faced the top-ten Spartans at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln.

How to Follow Along

Matchup: No. 13 Nebraska (13-0, 2-0 B1G) vs. No. 9 Michigan State (12-1, 2-0 B1G)
When: Friday, January 2
Where: Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, Neb.
Time: 8 p.m. CST
Watch: Peacock
Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

No. 9 Michigan State Scout

Head Coach

Tom Izzo | 31st season at Michigan State & as HC
749-303 (.712) at MSU & Career Record
2000 National Champion, 1x Runner-Up, 8x Final Fours, 3x Elite Eights
11x B1G Regular Season and 6x B1G Tournament titles
2x NABC Coach OTY, Clair Bee Coach OTY, AP College Coach OTY, Henry Iba Award, 4x B1G Coach OTY, John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award
Previous assistant at Michigan State and Northern Michigan

2024-2025 Record & Awards

30-7 (17-3 B1G, 1st)
B1G Regular Season Champions
Coach and Howard Moore Assistant Coach OTY
All-B1G: 2x Third Team, 1x All-Freshman, 1x All-Defensive Team

All-Time Series

Michigan State leads 24-10
Dec. 7, 2024, last matchup, 89-52 MSU

Michigan State forward Jaxon Kohler (0) has averaged a double-double so far in his senior season for MSU. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Key Returners

Coen Carr | F | Jr. | Has developed into one of the Spartans' stars by scoring 12.2 PPG and five rebounds as a full-time starter after coming off the bench as a key reserve last season.
Jaxon Kohler | F | Sr. | 6-foot-10 returning starter that's averaging a double-double with over 13 points and 10 rebounds per game while blocking 14 shots so far in his senior campaign.
Jeremy Fears Jr. | G | R-Soph. | Another returning starter that's one of four players averaging double-digits for MSU this season with 11.5 PPG and dishing out 9.3 assists per game, which leads the country.
Carson Cooper | C | Sr. | 6-foot-11 center that's moved into the starting lineup by collecting 10.4 PPG and 6.9 RPG as a senior.
Kur Teng | G | Soph. | Appeared in 19 games as a freshman and has improved as a sophomore with seven points per game while starting in three of his 13 appearances.
Jesse McCulloch | F | R-Fr. | Redshirted his first season on campus and now adds 4.2 PPG and 1.9 RPG as a reserve off the bench.

Key Departures

Jaden Akins | G | Graduated | All-Big Ten Third Team and All-Defensive Team pick as part of his senior year, while also leading MSU with 12.8 PPG and 58 three-pointers made.
Jase Richardson | G | NBA | 25th overall pick in the first round by the Orlando Magic after averaging 12.1 PPG in his lone collegiate season.
Tre Holloman | G | Transfer | Part-time starter that dropped in 9.1 PPG as a junior for Michigan State before transferring to NC State over the offseason.
Frankie Fidler | F | Graduated | Bellevue native and heralded Omaha transfer that scored seven points per game while starting only seven of his 37 appearances.
Xavier Booker | F | Transfer | Standing at 6-foot-11, the Indiana native transferred to UCLA after adding 4.7 PPG off the bench in 33 games last year for MSU.
Szymon Zapala | C | Graduated | 36-game starter for the Spartans last season, but was limited in his production despite blocking 21 shots.

Orlando Magic guard Jase Richardson (11) was taken 25th overall out of Michigan State where he thrived as a freshman. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

Cam Ward | F | Fr. | Top-50 recruit that's become a key reserve in his first season in East Lansing by scoring 6.2 PPG and grabbing 4.2 RPG.
Trey Fort | G | Sr. | Part-time starter for MSU after being a Second Team All-Southern Conference pick last season for Samford.
Divine Ugochukwu | G | Soph. | Miami transfer that's matching his 2024-2025 totals with the Hurricanes by averaging 5.5 PPG and one rebound per contest.
Jordan Scott | F | Fr. | Another first-year player seeing action off the bench for the Spartans, collecting over three points and rebounds per game.

Outlook

In a college sports world dominated by NIL, lawsuits, and unhinged craziness, one of the biggest constants in men's college basketball is the Big Green machine in Tom Izzo and Michigan State. In a new era that has chased out many legendary coaches, Izzo remains steadfast in his pursuit of a second national championship — coming up just short last year in the Spartans' Elite Eight loss to Auburn.

All-Big Ten Third Team and All-Defensive team pick Jaden Akins graduated after spearheading one of the most balanced attacks in the country. That also included true freshman star Jase Richardson, who was taken 25th overall by the Orlando Magic in the NBA Draft following a season that saw him average over 12 points a game. Plus, part-time Tre Holloman transferred to NC State alongside reserve Xavier Booker, who ended up at UCLA through the portal.

Retainment was the biggest success from Izzo and his program over the offseason months, holding onto six key pieces. 6-foot-10 senior forward Jaxon Kohler leads that group by averaging a double-double (13.7 PPG, 10.3 RPG) as part of a breakout senior campaign. He's joined by two more posts in junior Coen Carr (12.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG) and Carson Cooper (10.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG). Jeremy Fears Jr. returns as one of the best distributors in the country, putting up 11.5 points per game and over nine assists — a mark that leads the nation. Kur Teng saw 19 games of action in his true freshman season and has grown to add seven points per contest. Finally, Jesse McCulloch averages 10 minutes a game after redshirting his first season on the East Lansing campus.

Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr. has proven to be the country's best distributor with a nation-leading 9.3 assists per game. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With such a strong core returning, the Spartans were limited in their additions through the transfer portal, bringing in former Samford guard Trey Fort and Miami front-court member Divine Ugochukwu, who are both averaging 5.5 points per game. Alongside the transfer duo are a pair of true freshmen to complete a talented bench as Cam Wards leads all reserves in scoring (6.2 PPG) and Jordan Scott chips in over three points and rebounds a contest.

It's no wonder the Spartans are highly regarded, averaging over 80 points a game while taking down No. 12 North Carolina, No. 18 Arkansas, and (RV) Kentucky to highlight their 12-1 résumé. The magic has to end at some point for the Huskers, as the size and scoring of Michigan State pose a big matchup problem. However, I'm riding with NU until they disappoint — which they haven't since losing on March 9, 2025. Give me Nebraska to continue its record-breaking streak.

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