The Illini will be back at home on Friday, with a pivotal battle against the always tough Michigan State Spartans and head coach Tom Izzo.
Michigan State comes into the contest with a 12-4 overall record and 4-1 record in the Big Ten. As usual the Spartans played one of the most competitive non-conference schedules in the country with wins against Kentucky, Villanova, and Oregon, and losses to Gonzaga, Alabama, and Notre Dame.
Michigan State is led by seniors Tyson Walker, who is 6-foot-1 and is Sparty’s leading scorer at 13.9 points per per game, and leading rebounder Joey Hauser (13.