Michigan State Vs. Indiana
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo has never lost to Indiana coach Tom Crean, his close friend and former assistant.
With the 25th-ranked Spartans reeling and the Hoosiers coming off their biggest win in years, Crean may be in prime position to change that.
Michigan State looks to continue its home domination of Indiana and avoid its first four-game losing streak in four years when the teams meet Sunday night.
Win or lose, the Spartans (12-8, 4-4) are likely to fall out of the Top 25 for the second time this season after beginning 2010-11 at No. 2. Michigan State's 61-57 home loss to Michigan on Thursday was its third straight defeat and fourth in six games.
The Spartans haven't lost four in a row since Jan. 27-Feb. 7, 2007.
"It's not a very good situation we're in," Izzo said. "We're not kidding anybody."
Playing its first game without suspended guard Korie Lucious, Michigan State got 27 points from Kalin Lucas and 13 from Durrell Summers. Freshman Keith Appling came in averaging 19.3 minutes, but was forced to play a season-high 35 due to Lucious' absence and scored five points.
"Korie was a guy that the players and the staff liked, but that had nothing to do with the loss," Izzo said.
A visit from the Hoosiers may be just what the Spartans need to get back on track. Michigan State has won 15 straight home matchups since a 62-56 loss Feb. 28, 1991.
Crean served on Izzo's staff from 1995-99 and played such a key role in recruiting that the Spartans coach gave Crean a championship ring after Michigan State won the national title in 2000.
Crean had left before that season to coach Marquette, and he hasn't beaten Izzo in four tries since.
However, Indiana (11-10, 2-6) ended a 19-game losing streak against ranked opponents by beating No. 20 Illinois 52-49 on Thursday. The last time the Hoosiers won back-to-back games against Top 25 teams was Feb. 16 and 19, 2008, when they beat Michigan State and Purdue.
"There were a few years back where people were used to these kinds of wins," Crean said. "And we'll get it back, but to get it tonight and get it this way is really important. I'm just so proud of these guys."
Maurice Creek and Verdell Jones III missed the game with knee injuries, but sophomore Jordan Hulls scored 18 points and Tom Pritchard's put-back with 44.2 seconds left helped seal the upset.
Sophomore Christian Watford had 16 points after scoring a career-high 30 in a loss at Iowa last Sunday. Indiana's leading scorer had 14 points in the only meeting with Michigan State last season, won 72-58 by the Spartans on Feb. 16.
Michigan State has taken the last four meetings by an average of 19.0 points. The teams last met in East Lansing on Feb. 7, 2009 - a 75-47 Spartans victory.
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