Spartans vs. Northern Iowa Panthers...

Friday tip off with the Next Victim - Northern Iowa-  is at 8:30…
 
All of Southeastern Michigan will be at watching at home, bars, or restaurants..  Everyone I talk to is a buzz about it, Spartan fan or not..  This is the most popular event in the entire state since last years Final Four where the Spartans were playing in Detroit..

The Vegas odds are now: Michigan State favored by: One – Uno – 1 point…
Only One.. WTF… Spartans will have them by close to double digits at least…

Lets Take a look at some NCAA historical records..

Wait.. the worst teams on the list is..... wait for it.. wait for it..  The Michigan Wolverines.. damn.. If I was a kid looking to play NCAA basketball I would NOT want to play for Michigan, a program that has such an cheating loosing record ..   I know where I’d send a young Man.. To East Lansing to play for Tom Izzo.. what an outstanding superior winning record..  But I digress…

For this Friday: On paper the Spartans should beat the Panthers.. with Kalin Lucan out with a ruptured the Achilles tendon in his left foot,  Chris Allen and his purple foot and arch problems, and possibly Delvon Roe out with knees and a wrist issue.. I firmly believe the talent rich and deep Spartans still will match up fine against the upstart and fading Cedar Rapids team…  I think the Panthers spent their wad against Kansas…

As for the Match ups.. I think Korie Lucious will be bringing the ball up with Draymond or SuperMan Durrell Summers.. And we will see more of Thornton , Derrick Nix, Garrick Sherman,and Kebler…  Thank God for bench depth…

The goon for NIU looks to be the big Irish looking kid Lucas O’Rear with a team high of 73 fouls and only avgs. 19 minutes a game.…  Ali Farokhmanesh has taken 201 three point attempts.. and has made 76 of them for 37%, including the surprise game winner over Kansas… 

They have some talent, but will be playing scrappy, feisty, and for their lives since they are making school history with every game they now play.  They should be happy with where they got already.. they have over achieved..  My guess is NIU will be playing very physical and reckless, with injuries probable due to their desperation.

Note: UNI is 0-3 all-time vs. the Big Ten in Tourney, Lost to . Minnesota in the 1990 84-81, lost to Wisconsin 57-52, lost to Purdue scored a 61-56 in the 2009 NCAA Tournament...   And I predict to add that they lost to the Spartans 75 – 62 in 2010..

Prediction time: Spartans win…
Spartans      75
Northern Iowa 62

Sparty On !!!!