Right at the beginning of Big Ten action, the Illinois Fighting Illini take on the Michigan State Spartans in East Lansing with each team hoping to begin the new year with a win. The Spartans come into the game with a five-game winning streak.
Illinois vs. Michigan State
- When: Thursday, January 2
- Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
- TV: FS1
- Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)
The No. 14 Spartans (10-3, 2-0) are coming off of a 95-62 trouncing of Western Michigan on Sunday in which four different players scored in double digits and the team went on a 25-0 first-half run. Forward Xavier Tillman picked up a double-double, tallying 15 points on 11 rebounds. Foster Loyer also had 16 points. MSU shot 49.2 percent (32-for-65) from the field and out-rebounded Western Michigan 46-24. The Spartans are still dealing with an injury to star point guard Cassius Winston, who didn’t play due to a bruised knee. Head coach Tom Izzo said the injury is nothing structural.
As for Illinois (9-4, 1-1), the team demolished North Carolina A&T 95-64 on Sunday behind 26 points and nine rebounds from center Kofi Cockburn in just 28 minutes and 19 points from Ayo Dosunmu. The team had four players score in double figures. In just 13 games this season, Cockburn now has four 20-point games and three games with 20+ points and 9+ rebounds. If the Illini have any chance of beating the Spartans, Cockburn has to put up the same kind of numbers.
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