Indiana faces a tough test against No. 5 Michigan State

This is a gauntlet that Indiana would rather not face.

The Hoosiers (12-11, 5-6 Big Ten) are playing their third ranked opponent this week when it hosts No. 5 Michigan State on Saturday night in Bloomington, Ind.

Indiana lost to No. 3 Purdue 74-67 on Sunday in Bloomington and then was beaten 71-56 by No. 17 Ohio State on Tuesday night.

"When you're at game five in 12 days, it's difficult," said Indiana coach Archie Miller, whose team has lost three in a row. "Every coach just has to absorb the ups and downs.

"For us, we just have to get back on our feet, clean some things up, and get ready for a very difficult game against Michigan State. Michigan State presents a heck of a challenge. The first time we played them, we caught them playing as well as they have all season."

The Spartans (21-3, 9-2) have won five in a row, starting with an 85-57 romp over Indiana on Jan. 19.

"The physicality, the speed and the toughness they play with was all on display," Miller said. "We're going to have to be a lot better in a lot of areas. Hopefully, we'll have an energized building that helps our guys compete.

"We're going to have to prepare mentally and physically and get up for one of the best teams in the country."

Miller said there is little drop-off when the Spartans sub.

"You could make an argument that their starting five is one of the most talented starting fives in college basketball," Miller said.

Michigan State started slowly in a 76-68 victory over Penn State on Wednesday night. The Nittany Lions led 26-16 with 2:48 left in the first half before the Spartans narrowed the halftime margin to four points.

"The biggest thing for us is we have to come out and start better," Michigan State sophomore Joshua Langford said. "We figured out what we had to get better at and that's what we did. We won this game at the defensive end, hands down."

Sophomore Miles Bridges isn't sure about the reason for the slow starts.

"That's just something that me and Tum (Lourawls "Tum Tum" Nairn Jr.) have to deal with before the game," said Bridges, who averages a team-high 17.0 points. "Maybe we have to have a new routine before the game. It's really up to us to have the energy."



Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said turnovers were a concern again with 16 against Penn State, but overall he was pleased with his team's play.

"This team's resilient," Izzo said. "The team's done a hell of a job staying focused. We're 21-3. I don't know what the best start in Michigan State history is, but we got to be closing in on it."

Hoosiers senior forward Collin Hartman, who missed the first five games with a groin injury, has sat out the last two games with a lower-leg injury and will likely be out again Saturday, Miller said.

Indiana sophomore forward De'Ron Davis, who started the first 15 games, underwent surgery on Jan. 10 to repair a torn Achilles tendon in his right leg and is out for the season.

With the Big Ten schedule condensed because the tournament is a week earlier, things have been made tougher.

"It's been tough," Miller said. "We've had setbacks with injuries. We haven't had our full roster for parts of the season. But you look for guys to step up and do a good job competing.

"Everyone has had to deal with (the schedule). We're no different that another team. You have bumps and bruises along the way and you find a way to deal with it."

The Spartans have won 12 of the last 17 games in the series.