Big Ten Tournament from Chicago. Mike Tierney mentioned the concern about Ohio State playing a third game in three days, and that definitely could lead to the Buckeyes wearing down in the second half here, but I'm a Sparty and have watched this team all year. Solid like all Tom Izzo squads but absolutely nothing special and not a Final Four club barring their bracket falling apart around them (at least they will be Dancing unlike a certain school sitting about about 60 miles east of East Lansing in a city with the initials AA). These teams played in East Lansing last Saturday and MSU won by six -- Ohio State's lone loss in its past five. I'll take five at a neutral site and with OSU having all the motivation to keep its season going. Ideally, MSU wins by 4.

Ohio State is trying to salvage a dreadful season with a late run that has delivered four outright wins in five games. However, the thin Buckeyes tip off their third game in three days, whereas Michigan State is rested thanks to a double bye. The lone Buckeyes loss in the streak came against the Spartans, who won the two matchups this season by a combined 27 points. M-State enters the postseason on a high itself with a 5-2 straight-up streak, owing mainly to an awakened offense.