Baylor-Michigan State Preview and Game Thread

The Bears play Michigan State at 11 A.M. today. The game airs on ESPN.

Baylor is given a 53% chance to win this game by KenPom. The Spartans are balanced on offense, but have been prone to turn it over. One of their best players, and one of their few big men, is freshmen Miles Bridges. Against Kentucky, Bridges had eight turnovers. The Bears will likely lean on trapping him in the corner to try and replicate the Wildcats success against Sparty.

Michigan State shoots well from the perimeter. Although he got off to a slow start, Eron Harris dropped 31 against Florida Gulf Coast. Harris is in his second season playing for Michigan State after transferring from West Virginia. At West Virginia, Harris had a lot of success against Baylor, including a 25 point game in 2013.

The Bears will hope Johnathan Motley plays as well as he did yesterday. Motley scored 19 points against VCU and helped propel the Bears comeback from being down 8 points at the half. Michigan State does not play anyone taller than 6’8. Hopefully Motley continues to do this:

Michigan State has had a lot of their shots blocked. The Spartans are blocked on 12.7% of possessions, which is 294th on KenPom. Hopefully Jo Lual-Acuil can continue to do this:

Michigan State has a talented team and will get it going eventually. The Bears have it going now. I think Lecomte gets back on track, and the Bears advance to the Battle 4 Atlantis final.