The Indiana Hoosiers and the Michigan State Spartans are two of the more storied college basketball programs in the nation, and for good reason. With a combined 65 NCAA Tournament appearances, 16 Final Four appearances, and 7 national championships between the two schools, it's clear to see that they have been two of the more successful programs.

On Monday night, both teams take to the court in East Lansing, MI in search of a resume-boosting win as they make their way to what both teams hope will be another NCAA Tournament appearance.

At this point in the season, the road to the tournament looks easier for the Hoosiers than the Spartans.

Michigan State has failed to record a signature win so far this season, and have a bad loss on their resume to boot. The Spartans (9 - 5, 0 - 1) have losses to Duke, Kansas, Notre Dame, and most recently Maryland in their Big Ten opener. Any of those wins would have boosted the Spartans' chances of making the Big Dance. Instead, they find themselves in a must-win situation against Indiana on Monday.

Both teams have a questionable loss on their resume, as Michigan State lost in overtime to Texas Southern back on December 20th, and the Indiana Hoosiers lost inside Assembly Hall to Eastern Washington back on November 24th.

The only difference between the two schools and their suspect losses is the fact that Indiana has bounced back nicely, while Michigan State has continued to struggle.

Since their loss to the Eagles, the Hoosiers (11 - 3, 1 - 0) have gone 7 - 2 over their past 9 contests. Their two losses came on neutral courts at the hands of Louisville and in overtime to Georgetown. They have toppled the likes of Pittsburgh, then-#23 Butler, and most recently Nebraska in their own Big Ten opener. Indiana's ability to bounce back after a tough loss may give them an edge up in Monday's battle with the Spartans.

Key Players to Keep an Eye On

For the Indiana Hoosiers, fans everywhere know just how good the likes of James Blackmon, Jr and Yogi Ferrell are. But what people don't know is just how good Robert Johnson is for Indiana. The 6'3'' freshman guard out of Richmond, VA has quietly had a strong first season at the NCAA Division I level. He's averaging 9.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per contest, while averaging 26.0 minutes per contest. In just his second NCAA game, Johnson put up a career-high 21 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds in Indiana's 83 - 64 win over Texas Southern. Johnson has also made at least 1 three-pointer in 12 of his 14 games this season, which is a testament to his long-range shooting abilities. If he can get hot from the field, it will give Indiana a big boost on the offensive end.

On the other side of the ball, the same scenario goes for the Spartans. So much has been made about the abilities of Branden Dawson and Denzel Valentine. One player some may not know a whole lot about is Cleveland State-transfer Bryn Forbes. After a solid two years at Cleveland State, the native of Lansing, MI transferred to Michigan State to play out the last two years of his NCAA career for his hometown Spartans. So far this season, Forbes has averaged 10.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. He is known as a three-point specialist, and has made at least 1 three pointer in every game for the Spartans this season. On December 3rd, Forbes made a season-high 4 three-pointers (4-for-4 on the game), and scored a season-high 18 points in the Spartans' 79-78 overtime loss at Notre Dame. The Spartans will need Forbes to shoot the ball well on Monday night if they want to knock off a talented Indiana squad.

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While those are just two specific players to look, the game is filled with great player match-ups all over the floor. The battle at point guard will see Yogi Ferrell matched up with Travis Trice. James Blackmon, Jr, Indiana's star freshman, will likely draw the task of containing Denzel Valentine. Johnson and Forbes will likely see a lot of each other over the course of the evening.

The battle inside is where Michigan State will have a slight edge. With the likes of Branden Dawson, Matt Costello, and Gavin Schilling, the Spartans' big men have more experience, and arguably talent, than the big men of Indiana. Troy Williams and Hanner Mosquera-Perea will have their hands full inside, and this is likely where the game will be won and lost for both teams.

The Spartans are in a must-win scenario early in January, which is some unfamiliar territory for Izzo and Michigan State. Look for them to come out with a high level of intensity, but don't count out Indiana. Monday nigh should provide fans with a better look at both teams as Big Ten play gets into full swing.