Michigan State looks to bounce back against Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Spartans 5-3 on season

EAST LANSING, Mich. – The No. 18 Michigan State Spartans return home to begin a much-needed seven-game homestand when Arkansas-Pine Bluff visits Saturday. The Spartans have played more road games than any ranked team and coach Tom Izzo places part of the blame on himself for the uncustomary 5-3 start. "The idiot for a coach, the six road games has worn on us," Izzo told reporters. "So I'm looking forward to getting home, getting a game under and take off for finals week, then maybe getting on track a little bit."

Michigan State is coming off an overtime loss at Notre Dame on Wednesday and has also dropped showdowns against No. 11 Kansas and No. 2 Duke. Recent illnesses to Branden Dawson and Travis Trice, injuries to Bryn Forbes (playing with a broken hand) and Alvin Ellis (ankle), haven't allowed Izzo to solidify a rotation. "I just think the three big games we played well enough in all of them, especially two of them and just haven't found a way to win yet," Izzo told reporters. "I think part of it is getting a rotation … we're tiring down the stretch." Arkansas-Pine Bluff, losers of four straight, should be just what the doctor ordered.

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TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF (1-6): This is the eighth game in a stretch of 14 away from home to start the season for the Golden Lions. Five of their six losses have been by double-digits, including Tuesday's 81-60 setback at Akron. Marcel Mosley is the leader on offense, averaging 16.1 points and 2.3 made 3-pointers per game.

ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE (5-3): The Spartans outrebounded the Irish 43-26 but squandered a seven-point lead in the final 10 minutes in the 79-78 overtime loss. Denzel Valentine scored 22 points and Dawson added 16 to go along with a career-high 18 rebounds. Valentine (15.4) and Trice (15.3) lead the team in scoring and are both shooting at least 40 percent from beyond the arc, while Trice is contributing almost six assists per game.

TIP-INS

1. Trice has more than doubled his scoring output from last season (7.3), but has shot only 6-of-27 -- including 3-of-11 from 3-point range -- in the last two games against Kansas and Notre Dame.

2. Forbes was 7-of-7 from the field against Notre Dame, but didn't shoot in the final nine minutes.

3. The Spartans shot 49.2 percent against the Irish and drained 9-of-17 from behind the arc but were outscored 20-5 at the free-throw line.