MSU basketball at Indiana prediction, preview, TV info, betting line

February 28, 2026, 5:45 PM ET

• Matchup: Michigan State faces Indiana

• Time: Sunday at 3:45 p.m.

• Venue: Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana

• Broadcast: Catch the game on CBS or listen via the Spartan Sports Network radio (WJIM 1240-AM, WMMQ 94.9-FM), or on SiriusXM Ch. 85 (MSU) and 392 (Indiana).

• Current Standings/Rankings: Michigan State boasts a 23-5 overall record and a 13-4 Big Ten mark, holding the No. 13 spot in both the Associated Press and USA TODAY Coaches polls. The Spartans are also ranked 12th in NET rankings and 9th by Kenpom.com. Indiana’s record is 17-11 overall and 8-9 in the Big Ten; they are unranked in major polls but are 38th in NET and 43rd in Kenpom.

• Spread: MSU favored by 3.5 points

• Head Coaches: Michigan State is led by Tom Izzo, who holds a 760-307 record in his 31st season, all with the Spartans. For Indiana, Darian DeVries has an overall coaching record of 186-79 across eight seasons. This marks DeVries’ inaugural season with the Hoosiers, following one year at West Virginia and six successful years at Drake.

• Head-to-Head: Indiana maintains a 74-60 historical lead in the series. Michigan State secured an 81-60 victory in their initial encounter this season on January 13 in East Lansing.

Projected lineups

MSU

C (15) Carson Cooper (6-11) 10.3

PF (0) Jaxon Kohler (6-9) 12.3

SF (55) Coen Carr (6-5) 11.6

SG (6) Jordan Scott (6-7) 6.0

PG (1) Jeremy Fears Jr. (6-2) 15.0

Indiana

C (4) Sam Alexis (6-9) 8.2

F (12) Tucker DeVries (6-7) 13.6

F (3) Lamar Wilkerson (6-6) 21.0

G (7) Nick Dorn (6-7) 8.5

G (5) Conor Enright (6-1) 4.5

• MSU update: The Spartans recently secured a 76-74 road victory over Purdue, which significantly boosted their NCAA tournament prospects and enhanced their seeding for the Big Ten tournament. It’s crucial they don’t squander this momentum against Indiana. MSU has ascended to No. 10 in Kenpom and No. 11 in NET rankings, potentially positioning them as a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament if the season concluded now. Their offensive efficiency rating improved from the 40s to 36 after the win at Purdue on Thursday night. They maintain a strong defensive presence (ranked 6th) and are among the elite rebounding teams (1st in defensive rebounding, 8th in offensive rebounding), even though Purdue slightly outrebounded them. Jeremy Fears Jr. is steadily strengthening his bid for Big Ten Player of the Year and likely cemented his first-team All-Big Ten status with his standout performance against Braden Smith on Thursday. Both Fears and Smith are strong candidates for first-team honors.

• Indiana update: Indiana is currently in a difficult patch, having dropped their last three contests. While road losses to Illinois and Purdue were somewhat anticipated, the significant point differentials (20 and 29 points) were troubling. The subsequent 72-68 home defeat to Northwestern on Tuesday intensified concerns about the team’s cohesion. Should Indiana secure an NCAA tournament bid, it might largely be attributed to a generally weaker bubble this season. A victory against Michigan State would greatly strengthen the Hoosiers’ tournament resume. This season, Indiana has recorded notable wins, including home victories against Wisconsin and Purdue, as well as a road win at UCLA.

• Matchup analysis: During their initial encounter on January 13 at Breslin Center, Michigan State decisively dominated Indiana in rebounding, securing a 37-19 advantage. Indiana’s primary vulnerabilities lie in its defense and rebounding. However, when the Hoosiers are performing at their best, they pose a significant threat due to having three to four players capable of impactful deep shooting, notably Lamar Wilkerson, who has sunk 92 three-pointers this season with a 38% success rate. Wilkerson scored 19 points in the first game, but other Indiana players had limited contributions. The Hoosiers found it challenging to defend Fears, while Jordan Scott and Kur Teng each contributed three 3-pointers. MSU would benefit from similar output from Scott and Teng in this rematch.

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