Michigan State hopes to avenge earlier loss to No. 16 Purdue (Feb 18, 2017)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- For young, improving Michigan State, it's about earning an NCAA tournament bid.
For No. 16 Purdue, it's about earning at least a share of what would be a Big Ten Conference-record 23rd regular-season championship.
To say the least, there's lots at stake on Saturday afternoon in sold-out Mackey Arena when the Spartans (16-10, 8-5) and Boilermakers (21-5, 10-3) play for the second time this season, a rematch of a game Purdue won 84-73 on Jan. 20 in East Lansing, Mich.
Michigan State, which got 33 points from freshman Miles Bridges in the January loss to Purdue but only nine points and one rebound from freshman Nick Ward, comes to West Lafayette having won two in a row and four of five.
Purdue, which is in a three-way tie with Maryland and Wisconsin for the Big Ten lead, has won four in a row and seven of eight since a Jan. 17 loss at Iowa.
Boilermaker power forward Caleb Swanigan, who is averaging 18.7 points and 13 rebounds, had 25 points, 17 rebounds and three assists in the first meeting this season with Michigan State.
He expects the Spartans to be eager for revenge on Saturday.
"They are a team with a lot of freshmen, and they have more experience now," Swanigan said Thursday. "It's hard to beat a team twice. It's going to be really competitive. We know what they do, and they know what we do, so it's going to be about who competes the hardest. Being able to defend down the stretch and secure rebounds down the stretch will be the biggest things."
With games also remaining with Maryland and Wisconsin, Michigan State, according to Swanigan, has an excellent opportunity to enhance its NCAA tournament resume, especially if it focuses on defense.
"Defense is what we have done through all the games, because you can't always make shots," Swanigan said. "Bridges is a good player. You have to get on him early and not let him get his head up."
Purdue fifth-year graduate transfer backup point guard Spike Albrecht played in the 2013 Final Four while attending Michigan. He says the key for the Boilermakers is to stay in the moment, starting with Michigan State.
"We are focusing on the present and taking it a game at a time," Albrecht said. "There's a lot of basketball left to be played and likely a lot of close games. There absolutely is a correlation between finishing the season strong and taking that into the postseason.
"The teams that have the most success in the postseason are the teams playing their best basketball at the end of the season."
Purdue coach Matt Painter, whose Boilermakers lost to Michigan State in the 2016 Big Ten tournament championship game in Indianapolis, is impressed with how the Spartans are playing in February.
"They have made strides since we played them in January," Painter said. "They were coming off two road losses when we played them. When you go back and watch tape, it's always interesting to see what you did well, what you struggled at and how we could have been better.
"Miles Bridges is really good. We obviously have to do a better job on him. Sometimes, good players are going to score. You just want to make it hard on him."
And, according to Painter, Purdue has to be tougher this time.
"There's no doubt that toughness is a big part of it," Painter said. "Teams are more familiar with you the second time around. You have to have a good mental approach and also be physical without fouling.
"People also don't realize it is when you play (teams). Obviously, Michigan State is playing well now. That is a concern, and their 3-point shooting is a concern. If you have good toughness -- especially against a team like Michigan State -- it doesn't guarantee anything, but it definitely gives you a chance."
For Spartan coach Tom Izzo, better play from Ward will go a long way in determining the outcome at Purdue.
"Nick Ward has to be better this time," Izzo said. "He can't get (only) one rebound. I think Nick is a much better player this time than he was the first time we played Purdue."
Izzo said he doesn't need to tell his team what could be at stake with a victory against the Boilermakers.
"They know what they have to accomplish," Izzo said.
Purdue leads the all-time series with Michigan State, 67-53, although Painter is only 8-13 against the Spartans.
