Preview: Michigan State Hosts Ohio State in Key Big Ten Clash EAST LANSING, Mich. (Interstat) — A surging Michigan State squad looks to solidify its Big Ten title credentials when it hosts an Ohio State team seeking a résumé-defining road win Sunday at Breslin Center. The eighth-ranked Spartans (21-5, 11-4 Big Ten), winners of five of their last six, boast one of the nation’s most potent offenses, orchestrated by star guard Jeremy Fears. The sophomore is averaging a double-double over his last seven games, dishing 15 assists in an overtime win over Illinois on Feb. 7 and posting 31 points against Michigan on Jan. 30. His matchup with Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton will be pivotal. Thornton, the Buckeyes’ engine, is coming off a 27-point, 8-assist performance in a rout of Wisconsin. Ohio State (17-9, 9-6) has shown a Jekyll-and-Hyde tendency, mixing impressive wins with puzzling blowout losses, including an 82-61 defeat to Michigan on Feb. 8. Their success hinges on Thornton’s scoring and playmaking. Michigan State’s defense, which held UCLA to 59 points in its last outing, will test Ohio State’s consistency. The Spartans have dominated at home, winning their last four in East Lansing by an average of 28 points. For the Buckeyes, this game represents a critical opportunity for a Quad 1 victory to bolster their NCAA tournament seeding. For the Spartans, it’s a chance to keep pace atop the conference standings ahead of a tough road trip to Purdue. The Spartans won the first meeting this season, 74-62, in Columbus on Jan. 23. Sunday’s tipoff is set for 1 p.m. EST.