Michigan State at Northwestern tipoff: Preview, prediction

•What: Michigan State at Northwestern

•When: 2 p.m. (ET) Saturday

•Where: All-State Arena, Rosemont, Illinois

•TV/Radio: Fox/Spartan Sports Network, including WJIM 1240-AM and WMMQ 94.9-FM

•Records/Rankings: MSU is 25-3 overall, 13-2 in the Big Ten and ranked No. 1 in the USA Today Coaches poll and No. 2 in the AP poll. Northwestern is 15-12 overall, 6-8 in the Big Ten and unranked.

•Coaches: MSU — Tom Izzo is 569-223 in his 23rd season, all with the Spartans. Northwestern — Chris Collins is 88-72 in his fifth season as a head coach, all with the Wildcats

•Series: MSU leads 89-38 all-time, including wins in each of the last eight meetings.

MSU

Northwestern

•MSU update: While the Big Ten’s other two leaders stumble, the Spartans appear to have found a new gear. The timing couldn’t be better. Purdue’s three-game losing streak and Ohio State’s loss at Penn State on Thursday night means the Spartans control their path to a Big Ten championship, which would be their first since 2012. Should the Buckeyes lose again, MSU could be in line for its third outright Big Ten title of the Tom Izzo era. After Saturday’s game at Northwestern, the Spartans close with games next week at home against Illinois and at Wisconsin. They’ll be heavily favored in both, though Wisconsin’s win over Purdue on Thursday serves as a reminder that nothing should be taken for granted at the Kohl Center.

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MORE: Michigan State’s Ben Carter has more to do with the Spartans' success than you might think

•Northwestern update: The Wildcats could be without senior point guard Bryant McIntosh, who injured his right shoulder in Tuesday’s loss at Rutgers. It would be the latest blow in a promising season gone bad for Northwestern. The Wildcats, whose run to the NCAA tournament last year captured the attention of the college basketball world, probably won’t make the NIT, despite returning much of their roster, including three senior starters. Injuries have played a role, as has Northwestern’s temporary home, All-State Arena in Rosemont, which is a difficult and indirect hour-long journey on public transportation for Northwestern students, further lessening an already complicated home-court advantage. Northwestern also didn’t add anything to this year’s roster. They lost one starter and got older. But not different. That often doesn’t work.

•About the matchup: McIntosh hasn’t had a great senior season, but his presence makes a difference. In the game-and-a-half he’s missed this season, Northwestern blew a late lead at Rutgers, losing in overtime, and lost by 15 at Nebraska. If he can’t play, it forces shooting guard Scottie Lindsey to play with the ball more often. McIntosh, Lindsey and Vic Law can be a terrific trio at the guard and wing spots. Law is the athlete who makes Northwestern different from Northwestern teams in years past — though that was more evident last year. Law is a poor man’s Miles Bridges but a better matchup defending Bridges than most teams can offer. Junior Derek Pardon is a nice post player, skilled with the ball in his hands on the block. But the ’Cats don’t have enough depth beyond him for this matchup.

•Prediction: Northwestern has beaten Michigan and Penn State at home — by nine points each — and hung tough at Purdue when Purdue was really playing well. If MSU is going to drop a game before the Big Ten tournament, this is it. But the lack of home-court advantage for the Wildcats, the uncertainty about McIntosh and the way MSU is playing make it a long shot.

» Make it: MSU 79, Northwestern 71