Both the Michigan State Spartans (13 – 6, 4 – 2) and the Nebraska Cornhuskers (11 – 7, 3 – 3) entered the 2014-15 season with high aspirations around them both, and with some high expectations in the always tough Big Ten conference.

Both teams have failed to live up to their expectations so far this season, which puts an emphasis on their match-up on Saturday afternoon. Inside the Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday afternoon, the Spartans and the Cornhuskers will meet for the only time this season, and momentum is on the line as Big Ten play moves forward.

On the Michigan State sideline, it was expected that the Spartans would take a step backwards this season, and embark on a bit of a rebuilding process. When a team loses players like Adreian Payne, Gary Harris, and Keith Appling, a rebuilding phase is inevitable.

This season, the Spartans struggled through non-conference play, and their struggles were highlighted by an uncharacteristic loss on their home floor to the Texas Southern Tigers back in December. They were unable to score a signature win in non-conference play, which raised a few concerns around the team and their chances this season.

Once conference play started, the Spartans started to turn things around and have silenced some of those critics. Michigan State enters Saturday afternoon on the heels of their fourth conference win of the season, a hard-earned 66 – 60 decision over the Penn State Nittany Lions.

The keys to success for the Spartans have been their ball distribution and rebounding. They enter Saturday afternoon ranked third in the NCAA in assists per game, averaging an impressive 17.9 dimes per contest. They also live and die by the three pointer, but they are shooting 39.8% from long distance on the year.

If the Spartans can spread the ball around and make the long ball, they will have a great chance to score a win on Saturday afternoon. However, Nebraska is not going to roll over and concede the win.

Nebraska entered the season ranked in the top 25 and had some big expectations for the 2014-15 season, but the team suffered three losses in their first eight games to raise some questions. The Cornhuskers suffered some questionable losses of their own in non-conference action, highlighted by defeats at the hands of Incarnate Word and Rhode Island.

In conference play, the Huskers lost back-to-back games to the Indiana Hoosiers and the Iowa Hawkeyes (two teams that Michigan State has already notched wins over). In their last four games, however, the Huskers have seemingly turned things around a bit, and have scored three wins in their last four games.

Nebraska comes in on the heels of a hard-fought win of their own in their last contest, a 52 – 49 win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers on their home floor. The win for Nebraska back to the .500 mark in conference play, and should give them some momentum heading into Saturday.

With both teams coming into Saturday afternoon on the heels of a win, the game will come down to the play of a select few individuals.

Players to Watch

On the Michigan State side of the ball, the play of Branden Dawson will have a big impact on the outcome of the game. The versatile forward has enjoyed a high level of success throughout his career with the Spartans, and that trend has continued in his senior campaign this year. The 6’6’’ forward is averaging 11.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game this season. In the six conference games this season, Dawson has recorded four double-doubles, and is averaging 12.6 points and 11.3 rebounds per game over those six games. Dawson gives the Spartans a strong combination of leadership, talent, and experience, and he gives them an imposing force in the paint. He has shown the ability to run the floor, adding another dimension to his game. Keep an eye on Dawson on Saturday, as the Spartans look to utilize him inside.

Dawson’s counterpart on the Nebraska sideline, Shavon Shields, is the player to keep an eye on the Nebraska side of the ball. Shields is a versatile forward in his own right, standing at 6’7’’ and will match up side by side with Dawson. This match-up will go a long way in determining the outcome of the game, so it’s worth keeping an eye on. Shields is averaging 16.4 points and 6.7 rebounds as a junior this season. Shields is averaging 15 points per contest in conference play, which is a slight dip from his overall seasonal averages. That goes to show just how tough it is to excel in conference play. Regardless, Shields has been a tough player for opposing teams to cover, as they have to choose to focus their efforts on either Shields or Terran Petteway. Keep an eye on the match-up of Dawson and Shields inside on Saturday afternoon, as both teams will look to utilize their talented wing forwards.

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This match-up has everything basketball fans could ask for in a contest. Both teams have talented guards, highlighted by Michigan State’s trio of Denzel Valentine, Travis Trice, and Bryn Forbes, and Nebraska’s Terran Petteway. Both teams have talented forwards, as just documented, and the coaching staffs are some of the best in the country. This is the only match-up between the two programs this season, so keep an eye on the game to see who is able to score some more momentum as they move through Big Ten play.