Prognosticators 2/27/09

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Men’s ice hockey vs. Notre Dame

7:05 p.m. today
South Bend, Ind.

5:05 p.m. Saturday
Munn Ice Arena

Cash Kruth: It would be great for the Spartans to pull out an upset win like this for Senior Night, but it’s just not going to happen. Notre Dame is too good and the Spartans have been too inconsistent to pose much of a threat, even at Munn Ice Arena with the crowd going crazy. Put down two Fighting Irish wins in dominating fashion.

ND 4, MSU 1; ND 3, MSU 1

Alex Altman: In the Spartans’ last five games, they’ve allowed eight goals. In their previous five games, they allowed 19 goals. Improved defense and unbelievable goaltending by senior goaltender Jeff Lerg have keyed MSU’s considerable improvement, but the Spartans’ run of success will end this weekend. Notre Dame is a better, deeper and hungrier team than MSU.

Notre Dame 4, MSU 0; ND 5, MSU 1

Alex DiFilippo: It’s horrible the Spartans have to face No. 2 Notre Dame in the last weekend of the regular season. Any momentum the Spartans may have will be swept away before playoffs start. The Spartans have everything to play for this weekend — as they are trying to climb up the CCHA standings and send the seniors out the right way. But the Fighting Irish are just too good for the worn-down Spartans.

ND 5, MSU 1; ND 3, MSU 1

Joseph Terry: Last week I picked the Icers to pull at least one of the games out against Bowling Green and it worked. There’s something to be said for a little blind faith, but there’s no way the Spartans pull out either of these games, Notre Dame is too good. Expect Lerg to put on a show in his last game in Munn, mostly because he’ll see 50-plus shots.

ND 7, MSU 0; ND 5, MSU 2

Women’s basketball vs. Purdue

Noon Sunday
Breslin Center

CK: This game won’t be for the Big Ten Championship, but it will, in all likelihood, be for the No. 2 seed for the Big Ten Tournament. The prior meeting between these two teams (a 68-62 overtime win in West Lafayette, Ind.) was a heck of a game and this one should be no different. Senior guard Mia Johnson, the Spartans’ lone senior, will be the difference Sunday, hitting two big-time free throws to seal the No. 2 seed for MSU.

MSU 58, Purdue 57

AA: The ladies sure have come a long way since the beginning of the season, going from NCAA Tournament bubble team to Big Ten title contender. It looks like the Spartans’ dream at a conference championship will fall short unless Ohio State implodes down the stretch, but they can still take momentum into the postseason. MSU’s frontcourt trio of junior center Allyssa DeHaan, freshman forward Lykendra Johnson and junior forward Aisha Jefferson combines for a big day, as the Spartans overwhelm the Boilermakers.

MSU 63, Purdue 54

AD: Although the Spartans’ dreams of finishing the season with a No. 1 Big Ten seed have slipped through their fingers, they can’t get too down and overlook Purdue. The last time the two teams met, the game went to overtime and the Spartans were barely able to pull out the victory. MSU’s DeHaan was the game-changer in the last meeting, and she will hold the game in her hands again in the rematch at Breslin Center. It’s going to be a close one, but in the last game of the regular season, I think MSU comes out on top.

MSU 62, Purdue 57

JT: Barring a major upset by Penn State, MSU is stuck with battling for the No. 2 seed against Purdue. Still, the game holds its own importance in the Big Dance, which will be hosted in East Lansing. If the Spartans hope to get a fairly high seed and have a good shot of getting out of town in the NCAA Tournament, they will need to finish the season strong. A win over an extremely talented Purdue team would go a long way.

MSU 57, Purdue 52

Men’s basketball at Illinois

4 p.m. Sunday
Champaign, Ill.

CK: I don’t know why I’m going to pick the Spartans, but I am. I’m at a loss with this team this season. A game this season (the second Penn State) was a perfect example of the Spartans’ season. During the first half, I thought, “Dang, I’m going to Ford Field for the Final Four.” Then, during the second half, I looked at another reporter and said, “%#@!” Who knows what’s going to happen. Can they win? Duh. Will they win? Sure. I guess.

MSU 61, Illinois 54

AA: Watching Illinois trudge the ball up the court is like receiving a root canal without anesthesia. The Illini almost never rush, work the ball around the perimeter meticulously and bleed the clock bone-dry before heaving up a low-percentage shot. And somehow, the strategy works. They play unbelievable defense and make opponents play their game. Illinois stays in the Big Ten title race with a huge win against the Spartans.

Illinois 58, MSU 53

AD: It’s no secret the Illini rely on their defense to win close games. Illinois also will have a big advantage in playing on their home court, where they have averaged the most fans in the Big Ten. But this game will be won and lost with the battle between two of the conferences best rebounders in MSU’s senior center Goran Suton and Illinois’ forward Mike Davi. Suton will come out on top to swing the momentum of the game in the Spartans’ favor.

MSU 65, Illinois 59

JT: The men’s team seems to have finally gotten to the point they wanted to be at the beginning of the season, semi-healthy and gaining strength heading into the postseason. Illinois is far exceeding its preseason expectations and has its eye on an outside shot at the regular season Big Ten championship. But the Spartans are much deeper on the bench. The game will be dragged out, but MSU will win on late free throws.

MSU 64, Illinois 55

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