Michigan State coach Tom Izzo could take one step closer toward the exclusive 700-win club Sunday when his team faces Maryland on CBS. Izzo sits at 698 career wins and could join the club next week after a win this weekend vs. the Terrapins.
The Spartans opened up the season ranked No. 4 in the country because of a plethora of returning talent on the roster, but now sit at 11-7 overall and 3-4 in Big Ten play. Michigan State has made 36 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances under Izzo and that streak is in danger unless the Spartans turn things around quickly.
Michigan State opened conference play with three losses in its first four games but has since bounced back with back-to-back wins over Rutgers and Minnesota.
Maryland has an identical overall and conference record as Michigan State. The Terrapins recorded their biggest win of the season last weekend against previous No. 10 Illinois but dropped a midweek game to Northwestern days later despite a 36-point outburst by star guard Jahmir Young.
How to watch Michigan State vs. Maryland live
Date: Sunday, Jan. 21 | Time: Noon ET
Location: XFinity Center -- College Park, Maryland
TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
Streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime (Try It Free)
Michigan State vs. Maryland prediction, picks
Odds via SportsLine consensus
This is essentially a must-win game for both teams if they want to get back on track toward the NCAA Tournament. Maryland has a stretch of winnable conference games against Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan State and Rutgers. On the flip side, Michigan State faces Wisconsin, Michigan and Maryland again during the next two weeks. It seems to hard to picture the NCAA Tournament without Michigan State in it, but that could be the reality if the Spartans don't turn it around fast. Those hopes would dwindle even further if Maryland pulls off an upset at home. Prediction: Maryland +1.5
Who wins every college basketball game? And which teams could sink your bankroll? Visit SportsLine now to see how to pick every college basketball game, all from the model that simulates every game 10,000 times and has generated over $2,000 in profit the last four-plus years.
