Look For A Rugged Game

You'd better believe today's game between Indiana and Michigan State is huge. At stake is last place in the Big Ten and nobody wants that.

Check that. A lot of people from, say, Purdue or Michigan might want it, but that's not important. What is important is that the Hoosiers maintain their home court edge. They are 7-0 at home and need that first Big Ten win to get some momentum and show they can be a conference factor.

Michigan State has the same idea. It lost 62-60 at Iowa. The loss stung coach Tom Izzo enough for him to say some of his players had their worst games ever. It stung enough to bet the house that these Spartans, while lacking the talent of previous Izzo clubs, will come ready for war.

It's going to be physical. It won't be pretty. The winning team might be lucky to get 40 points. Yeah, it's going to be that rugged.

So brace yourself.