Michigan State returns home, hosting Maryland on Tuesday night

East Lansing, Mich. The Michigan State men’s basketball team returns home for the first time in 12 days to host Maryland at the Breslin Center on Tuesday, Feb. 7 (9 p.m., ESPN2).

The Spartans are ranked No. 2 nationally in NET Strength of Schedule. According to KenPom.com, MSU has faced the nation’s toughest opposing offenses in the country, the eighth-toughest opposing defenses and ranks No. 2 overall in the schedule. The Spartans are ranked No. 45 in the latest NET rankings and No. 43 in KenPom.

The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2, with Brian Custer, Robbie Hummel and Myron Medcalf covering all the action. The TCF Bank Spartan Media Network radio call can be heard on one of the 38 affiliates and online at MSUSpartans.com, with Will Tieman handling the play-by-play and Matt Steigenga serving as the color analyst. You can also listen to the game. on channel 382 on SiriusXM and channel 972 on the SiriusXM app.

Of the Spartans

• Michigan State has won nine of its last 14 games and enters Tuesday’s game with a 14-9 overall record, including 6-6 in Big Ten play.
• The Spartans, who played one of the nation’s toughest schedules to open the season, have faced the nation’s top-ranked offense, the eighth-ranked opposing defense and the No. 2 overall strength of schedule, according to KenPom.com.
• The Spartans are ranked No. 2 in NET Strength of Schedule.
• The Spartans, who beat Iowa 63-61 on Jan. 26, lost 61-55 at Rutgers on Saturday at Madison Square Garden.
• Spartans end the regular season with 4 home games and 4 away games.
• Michigan State is 9-2 at home this season, including a 4-2 mark in the Big Ten.
• MSU is 4th in B1G scoring defense (64.92 ppg), 2nd in FG% defense (41.8%) and 1st in 3-point defense (28.8%).
• 23 games through, senior guard Tyson Walker leads the team in scoring with 13.8 ppg and adds 2.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
• Get ready ahead Joey Hauser is second on the team in scoring at 13.0 points per game and leads the team with 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting 46.7 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from 3-point land.
• A young guard AJ Hoggard is third on the team with 12.5 points, fifth with 3.7 rebounds and leads the team (and is 2nd in the Big Ten) with 5.7 assists per game.
• Hoggard is one of eight Division I players in the nation to average at least 12.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg and 5.6 rpg.
• Senior striker Malik Hallwho played against Iowa after missing three games (11 total), is fourth on the team with 9.3 ppg and third with 4.6 rpg.
• Sophomore guard Jaden Akins He is averaging 9.0 points and 3.8 rebounds.
• Junior striker Mady Sissoko He is averaging 5.7 points and is second on the team with 6.6 rebounds.
• Second year student Pierre Brooks II He is averaging 4.7 points and 2.1 rebounds.

About Maryland

• Maryland enters Tuesday night with a 16-7 overall record and a 7-5 mark in the Big Ten Conference after an 81-46 win at Minnesota on Saturday night.
• The Terrapins have won four of their last five games, including home wins against Wisconsin, Nebraska and Indiana.
• Maryland carries a 1-5 record on the road in the Big Ten Conference, its only win coming against Minnesota.
• Four players score in double figures for the Terps, the Charlotte transfer is led by Jahmir Young, who is averaging 16.0 points.
• In Big Ten games, Maryland ranks 10th in the league in scoring offense (66.17 ppg), third in scoring defense (63.67 ppg) and ninth in FG defense (44.4%).

Series history

• When Michigan State and Purdue play Sunday, it will be the 131st meeting in program history.
• Michigan State leads the all-time series with Maryland 13-8.
• The Spartans have a 4-2 all-time record at home against the Terps.
• Since joining Maryland, MSU has won nine of 16 meetings.
• The Spartans won all three games last year, beating Maryland 65-63 on the road on Feb. 1; posting a 77-67 victory on March 6 in the regular season finale when MSU head coach Tom Izzo broke the Big Ten record for overall wins at a school; and then a 76-72 win in the Big Ten tournament.
• MSU Tom Izzo is 12-8 against Maryland in his career.