3 Things To Watch: Michigan State Basketball vs. Maryland

Michigan State Basketball faces off against Maryland tomorrow in a nationally televised game. Here are 3 things to watch in this game.

Michigan State Basketball welcomes Maryland to the Breslin Center tomorrow at 6 P.M. for a nationally televised game. The Spartans are fresh off of a close victory over Illinois on the road, 70-69. Maryland, on the other hand, just beat Nebraska 72-70.

Here are three things to watch in this game:

1. Maryland On A Hot Streak

Maryland just won their seventh straight Big Ten game against Nebraska at home. This win streak includes victories over Purdue, Northwestern, Indiana, Iowa, Rutgers, and Illinois. Simply put, Maryland is a top player in the Big Ten conference. MSU now faces off against a team riding high in the Terpins. Watch for the Spartans to play incredibly aggressive in an attempt to end this winning streak.

2. Anthony Cowan Jr.

Boy oh boy, Anthony Cowan Jr. can score in bunches. He averages 16.3 points per game but can easily rise above this average. As a matter of fact, Cowan has scored 99 points in just the past five games. This includes an impressive 31-point performance against Iowa on Jan. 30. Watch MSU’s defensive strategy against this elite Big Ten Guard.

3. Michigan State Turnovers

Michigan State beat Illinois despite turning the ball over 16 times. The Spartans are fourth in turnovers per game with 12.68 TOPG. This is a consistent recipe for disaster even against lesser Big Ten teams let alone a powerhouse like Maryland. MSU must trim down the turnovers during this final stretch of the season. Watch for more discipline from this group.

The Spartans play the Terpins at 6 P.M. tomorrow live on ESPN. Tune-in and stay with SpartansWire for more coverage of this game and all MSU basketball news.

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Michigan State Basketball faces No. 9 Maryland: Preview/Scouting Report

Michigan State Spartans Basketball takes on the Maryland Terpins at the Breslin Center. Here is a scouting report of the Maryland Terpins.

Michigan State Basketball is back in action this Saturday on Feb. 15 against the Maryland Terpins. The Spartans are currently 17-8 overall and 9-5 in Big Ten Conference games. Maryland, on the other hand, is currently 20-4 overall and 10-3 in Big Ten Conference games.

Here is a scouting report of Maryland:

Placement In The Big Ten

Maryland is a dominant Big Ten team with conference losses only to Penn State, Iowa, and Wisconsin. The Terpins score 71.7 points per game which ranks seventh in the Big Ten. Also, Maryland rebounds the ball extremely well with 39.2 rebounds per game which is fourth in the Big Ten. Most importantly, the Terpins boast two players who are top ten in Big Ten points per game.

Anthony Cowan Jr. & Jalen Smith

Anthony Cowan Jr. and Jalen Smith are an absolutely lethal combination. Cowan ranks fifth in Big Ten points per game and Smith ranks ninth with 16.3 and 15.1 points per game respectively. So Maryland features a stellar offensive duo in Cowan and Smith.

Cowan leads his team in assists and steals with 4.6 assists per game and one steal per game. Jalen Smith also ranks third in Big Ten rebounds per game with 10.2 rebounds per game. Smith also leads Maryland in blocks per game with 2.3 blocks per game. Both players will be a huge part of MSU’s defensive strategy in this Big Ten matchup.

Potential Flaws

Maryland only shoots 42% from the field which ties the Terpins for the worst shooting percentage in the Big Ten with Nebraska. Also, Maryland does not average a high number of assists per game. Instead, the Terpins only average 13.1 assist per game which is second to last in the Big Ten. These are two flaws Michigan State can potentially exploit in this home game.

The Spartans and Terpins face off against one another on ESPN. The game starts at 6 P.M.

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MSU Football vs Maryland: Scouting Report

Michigan State Football takes on Maryland this weekend on Saturday, Nov. 30. Here is a scouting report of the Maryland Football team.

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Michigan State Football squares off against Maryland this weekend on Saturday, Nov. 30. The Spartans come into this game after a 27-0 victory against Rutgers. Maryland, on the other hand, is fresh off a 54-7 loss to Nebraska.

Here is a scouting report for the Maryland Terpins Football team:

Offensive Side Of The Ball

Maryland is…not a good football team, however, their offense isn’t absolutely terrible. Maryland has a solid QB by the name of Josh Jackson. Jackson has racked up 1,133 yards and 11 touchdowns on 180 throwing attempts.

While Jackson has a strong arm, it is certainly not accurate. He has thrown five interceptions on the year. Furthermore, Maryland has scored one touchdown or less in four different games. Michigan State’s defense can exploit his inaccuracies for their own gain. Much like they did with Johnny Langan last week against Rutgers.

Junior RB Javon Leake and sophomore RB Anthony McFarland shoulder the load for the run game. Leake has 92 carries for 716 yards on the year with eight touchdowns to boot. McFarland, on the other hand, has tallied 480 yards and seven touchdowns on 106 attempts. The Spartans must dominate the trenches to shut down Maryland’s run game.

Defensive Side Of The Ball

Maryland, much like Rutgers, is really weak on defense. Opponents average 36 points per game against the Terpins. Furthermore, Maryland suffers horrendous losses at the hands of high-end collegiate programs.

Penn State dropped 59 total points on Maryland. Michigan put up 38 points. Ohio State devastated the Terpins in a 73-14 loss and as I mentioned earlier, Nebraska blew them away 54-7.

Yes, Michigan State has struggled in the past offensively. This should not persist against Maryland though. Instead, the Spartans should have a field day on offense Especially given how hot the Brian Lewerke and Cody White connection is as of late. At the very least, MSU Football ends the year on a high note with a blowout victory.

The game kicks off on Saturday at 3:30 P.M. and you can catch all of the action on FS1. Stay locked on SpartansWire for more coverage to come.

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