Michigan State vs. Alabama

• Coaches: MSU — Tom Izzo is 669-268 in his 28th season as a head coach, all with the Spartans. Alabama — Nate Oats is 161-79 in his 8th season as a collegiate head coach, including 65-36 in his 4th season with the Crimson Tide. • Series: The series is tied 1-1 all-time, with the two teams last meeting on Dec. 23, 1998, an MSU win in the finals of the Pearl Harbor Classic in Hawaii.

Lineups MSU

C (22) Mady Sissoko (6-9) ................................ 8.8 PF (10) Joey Hauser (6-9) ............................... 14.0 F (25) Malik Hall (6-8) ...................................... 12.0 SG (2) Tyson Walker (6-1) ............................... 13.5 PG (11) AJ Hoggard (6-4) ................................. 9.5

Alabama

C (14) Charles Bediako (7-0) ............................ 4.3 PF (15) Noah Clowney (6-10) ........................... 6.8 SF (24) Brandon Miller (6-9) .......................... 20.3 SG (25) Nimari Burnett (6-4) ........................... 9.3 PG (1) Mark Spears (6-1) ................................. 15.3

MSU update

The Spartans are coming off a 73-71 home win over Villanova on Friday night and are getting a welcomed full five days between games during an otherwise unrelenting November. The big question for MSU is the availability of sophomore guard Jaden Akins, who late in Friday’s game “tweaked” the left foot that kept him out for nine weeks leading into the season. X-rays, Tom Izzo said, were negative. Izzo isn’t sure if Akins will play against Alabama or how much he’ll play in the rest of the PK85 over the weekend, saying that they wouldn’t risk the rest of the season for these three games, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. The decision, Izzo added, will be left up to how Akins feels, at the advice of foot specialist who previously worked on him. Akins is averaging 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 20.5 minutes. But he changes MSU athletically, defensively and on the glass. MSU’s lead against Villanova began to slip when Akins left the game.

Alabama update

The Crimson Tide, who are coming off a 10264 win over Jacksonville State, really haven’t been tested yet. Alabama is coached by Nate Oats, a familiar name in Michigan basketball circles and a name some would like to see considered as Izzo’s one-day replacement at MSU. As recently as a decade ago, Oats was the head coach at Romulus High School, before leaving to be an assistant at the University of Buffalo and taking over as the head coach there, leading the Bulls to three NCAA tournaments in four seasons. That landed him the gig at Alabama in 2019. In 2021, the Crimson Tide won the SEC championship and reached the Sweet 16. This season, they’re led by one of the nation’s top freshmen, Brandon Miller, a 6-9 small forward who Izzo described as having a little Kevin Durant in him. He’s averaging better than 20 points and nine rebounds and has hit 15-of-29 3pointers so far this season.

Inside the matchup

This is a tough matchup for the Spartans, tougher yet if they’re without Akins. Alabama is a long and athletic team in the frontcourt and on the wing and has seasoned guards. The Tide want to get up and down, shoot layups and 3s. Nothing in-between. Miller will be a tough assignment for Malik Hall, but Hall is a better answer defensively than many teams have. The absence of Akins, though, makes MSU less athletic on both ends of the floor and less capable on the glass. Pierre Brooks becomes an essential player if Akins is out. Alabama’s Mark Sears is a terrific combo guard, who can shoot from deep. The recent return of point guard Jahvon Quinerly, coming off a knee injury at the end of last season, gives Alabama its floor general back. He played 17 minutes the last time out. Alabama has size and length, but this isn’t a team that’s going to hurt MSU on the low block.

Prediction

I have a bad feeling about this matchup for MSU. I think Alabama might wind up being the best team the Spartans have faced yet. The Tide’s athleticism, especially if Akins is out, will be a challenge. Tyson Walker and AJ Hoggard aren’t likely to let MSU get run off the court this season. But this is a difficult assignment shorthanded.

• Make it: Alabama 78, MSU 73