GAME NOTES: The sixth-ranked Michigan State Spartans wrap up a three-game homestand tonight, as they host the Purdue Boilermakers in Big Ten play at the Breslin Center. The Spartans got their Big Ten schedule underway on Saturday with a less than stellar 65-59 triumph over Minnesota. The win kept MSU perfect at the Breslin Center (9-0) for the season and improved the team to 11-2 in Big Ten home openers under head coach Tom Izzo. The Spartans now stand at 13-1 overall and they have won 10 games in a row since suffering a 68-63 setback to nationally-ranked UCLA back on November 20th. As for Purdue, it also came out on top in its league opener on Saturday, posting a 65-58 triumph over Michigan. It was the third straight victory for the Boilermakers, who pushed their record to 10-4. The team though, now hits the road, where it has gone 0-2 thus far. Despite losing 13 of the last 18 meetings with MSU, Purdue still owns a 60-42 advantage in the all-time series.

The Boilermakers' early season success can be attributed to their tenacious defense, as they are not only forcing their opponents into 18.1 turnovers per game, but they are also holding them to just 60.4 ppg. Offensively, Scott Martin leads the team with 11.0 ppg and he is also collecting 4.2 rpg. Keaton Grant is a close second with 10.3 ppg and he is hitting on 48.0 percent of his tries from long range, while Robbie Hummel contributes 10.1 ppg and a team- high 6.3 rpg. In the squad's prior contest, Keaton sank 5-of-6 shots from three-point land and he finished with 17 points in a Purdue's 65-58 win over Michigan. Hummel turned in 13 points and seven boards for the Boilermakers, who knocked down 9-of-18 three pointers. The team also limited Michigan to a dismal 36.8 percent shooting effort from the floor.

The Spartans are shooting an efficient 49.6 percent from the field and an equally as good 74.2 percent at the foul line, and that has helped them to average a solid 77.7 ppg. The squad has also done an outstanding job on the boards, outrebounding its foes by 10.6 rpg. Raymar Morgan has emerged as one of the elite players in the Big Ten and he leads MSU in scoring (18.4 ppg), to go along with 7.3 rpg. Drew Neitzel has been in charge of getting Morgan the ball with a team-high 4.8 apg to his credit, and he is also chipping in with 13.7 ppg on the strength of 42.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc. In the club's prior outing, Morgan notched a double-double with a career-high 31 points and 10 rebounds, as MSU slipped past Minnesota. Freshman Kalin Lucas came off the bench and tallied 17 points for the Spartans, who overcame 19 turnovers by dominating the boards 45-25.

The Spartans are red-hot and they have been especially good at home this season. With a solid defensive effort and another big time performance on the boards, look for MSU to capture another victory tonight.