Florida Atlantic Owls vs. Michigan St Spartans Pick & Prediction DECEMBER 21st 2024
Preview and Prediction
If the season statistics are any indicator, it should be a high-octane contest when Florida Atlantic pays a visit to No. 20 Michigan State on Saturday afternoon in East Lansing, Mich.
Both the Owls and Spartans are expected to provide plenty of entertainment, as they both possess balanced scoring attacks and offenses that have been performing well this season.
Florida Atlantic (7-5) comes in averaging 86.1 points per game, with five players averaging in double digits and eight players averaging at least eight points per game.
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The Owls' top scorers include Kaleb Glenn (13.9 points per game), Leland Walker (11.1), Baba Miller (10.9), Tre Carroll (10.4), and Matas Vokietaitis (10.0).
Florida Atlantic boasts a team shooting percentage of 47.9% and a 3-point shooting percentage of 37.3%.
The Owls have had ample time to prepare for this matchup, as they have not played since their 89-80 victory over Texas State last Saturday in Boca Raton, Fla.
Florida Atlantic is led by first-year head coach John Jakus, who took over after former head coach Dusty May left for the Michigan job.
Jakus stated that he has watched the last five Michigan State games and identified limiting the Spartans' rebounding abilities (they have a plus-12.2 rebounding margin) and getting back on defense as the keys to success for his team.
"If you turn the ball over there, you are going to be calling timeout, and if you don't box out, you are going to have a long night," Jakus said. "There are all kinds of things in the middle of that. But if those two things aren't done, you've got no chance."
Michigan State (9-2) enters the game on a hot streak, having won seven of their last eight games.
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The Spartans also have a potent offense, averaging 81.8 points per game.
Like Florida Atlantic, Michigan State also relies on balanced scoring, with eight players averaging at least 7.0 points per game.
The Spartans are led offensively by senior guard Jaden Akins (13.4 points per game) and freshman guard Jase Richardson (10.0).
Junior forward Jaxon Kohler is the team's leading rebounder, averaging 8.5 rebounds per game.
Michigan State is coming off a 77-58 victory over Oakland University on Tuesday in Detroit.
A promising sign for the Spartans in that game was the breakout performance of sophomore center Xavier Booker.
A highly-touted recruit out of high school, Booker has struggled to adjust to the college game thus far. However, he had a career-high 18 points and six rebounds against Oakland, giving the Spartans hope for more to come.
"He's making progress," said Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo. "He's trusted the system, the progress. He's practiced a lot better, and I don't know why, but since Maui (Invitational), in the tournament even, he's practiced better and he's becoming pretty efficient. He's become better defensively. He blocked a couple shots. That would be a big addition to our team."
This Saturday's game will mark only the second meeting between Florida Atlantic and Michigan State. The Spartans won the first matchup 82-55 in November 2015.