Michigan State enters Big Ten conference play with a 12–1 record and a No. 9 national ranking. After taking a 55–53 lead into halftime against Cornell on a last-second shot by Jeremy Fears, the Spartans made a defensive statement in the second half, clamping down on one of the nation’s best perimeter-shooting teams. Cornell hit 6-of-16 shots from three-point range in the first half, keeping the game tight. After the break, Michigan State adjusted defensively and limited the Big Red to 9-of-28 shooting from deep in the second half, finishing the game at 15-of-44 overall from beyond the arc. Fears delivered the bounce-back performance Michigan State needed. The sophomore point guard recorded a double-double with 21 points and 11 assists, shooting 7-of-11 from the field and 3-of-5 from three-point range. Meanwhile, Nebraska enters the matchup coming off a dominant win over the University of New Hampshire. After a slow start, the Cornhuskers found their rhythm late in the first half and opened the second half wi
