Michigan State Opens New Year on Tuesday, Hosting Nebraska

East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State's men's basketball team will look to extend its winning streak to five games as the New Year starts with the return of Big Ten Conference play when the Spartans host Nebraska on Tuesday, Jan. 3 at the Breslin Center (BTN, 7 p.m.).

The game will air live on BTN, with Kevin Kugler and Stephen Bardo calling all of the action. The TCF Bank Spartan Media Network radio call can be heard on one of 38 affiliates and on the web at MSUSpartans.com, with Will Tieman handling the play-by-play and Matt Steigenga serving as the color analyst. The game can also be heard on channels 134 or 195 on SiriusXM and channel 957 on the SiriusXM app.

About the Spartans

Michigan State enters the game on Tuesday with a 9-4 overall record and a 1-1 mark in Big Ten play after facing one of the nation's toughest schedules during the first 11 games of the season.
MSU is coming off an 89-68 win over Buffalo on Friday, Dec. 30, scoring a season-high in points in the process.
The Spartans have won their last four games, including three at home ... In that span, the Spartans are averaging 72.8 points per game, while shooting 46.2 percent from the floor and holding opponents to 57.5 ppg and 35.7 percent shooting, including 27.3 percent from 3-point land.
The Nebraska game is the fourth of a five-game homestand for MSU after playing seven of its first 10 games away from home.
Per KenPom.com, Michigan State has faced the nation's 9th-toughest slate of opposing offenses in the country and ranks No. 17 overall in strength of schedule.
The Spartans are ranked No. 68 in the latest NET rankings.
Through 13 games, graduate forward Joey Hauser leads the team in scoring with 14.1 points per game and rebounds with 7.5 per game, while shooting 49.3 percent from the floor and 44.8 percent from 3-point land.
Senior guard Tyson Walker is second on the team in scoring with 13.4 ppg, while adding 2.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
Junior guard A.J. Hoggard is third on the team with 12.5 points, fourth with 4.1 rebounds and leads the team (and is third in the Big Ten) with 6.2 assists per game.
Senior forward Malik Hall, who missed eight games but returned to the rotation against Buffalo, is fourth on the team with 11.8 ppg and third with 4.1 rpg.
Sophomore guard Jaden Akins, who scored a career-high 15 points against Oakland, is adding 8.2 points and 3.6 rebounds.
Junior forward Mady Sissoko, who scored 9 points and grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds against Oakland, is averaging 6.7 points and is second on the team with 6.5 rebounds.
Sophomore Pierre Brooks II, who has started five games, is averaging 6.8 points and 2.9 rebounds.

About Nebraska

Nebraska enters the game on Tuesday with an 8-6 overall record and a 1-2 mark in the Big Ten following a 66-50 win over Iowa last Thursday.
The Cornhuskers used a 20-0 first half run in the win over Iowa and had one of the team's best defensive efforts, holding Iowa to a season-low in points (50) and to 26 percent shooting from the floor.
Nebraska has a balanced attack with three players scoring in double figures, led by junior forward Derrick Walker at 13.6 points per game, and six players averaging at least 9.7 ppg.
Walker leads the team with 8.1 rebounds per game and has hit 65.5 percent of his field goal attempts.
Graduate guard Sam Griesel, a transfer from North Dakota State, had a double-double with 12 points and 10 assists in the win over Iowa and leads the team with 4.4 apg.
Nebraska is 13th in the Big Ten in scoring offense (68.07 ppg), but ranks seventh in the league in scoring defense (64.79 rpg).

Series History

Michigan State leads the all-time series with Nebraska, 21-9 ... The Spartans are 11-3 at home against Nebraska.
MSU has won 12 of 15 meetings as Big Ten foes.
Tom Izzo holds a 13-3 series advantage against the Cornhuskers.
The teams met six times between 1988 and 1994, but did not meet again until the 2011-12 season.
Michigan State won the only meeting between the teams last year (see below), a 79-67 decision at the Breslin Center.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jaden Akins

Pierre Brooks II

Malik Hall

Joey Hauser

A.J. Hoggard

Mady Sissoko

Tyson Walker

Michigan State Opens New Year on Tuesday, Hosting Nebraska

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jaden Akins

Pierre Brooks II

Malik Hall

Joey Hauser

A.J. Hoggard

Mady Sissoko

Tyson Walker

Michigan State Opens New Year on Tuesday, Hosting Nebraska

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