Get to know UCLA's next opponent, Michigan State

UCLA hosts Michigan State on Tuesday night as the Bruins look to continue their win streak and defeat the first-place Spartans.

UCLA vs. Michigan State by Gregory Shamus/GettyImages
UCLA vs. Michigan State by Gregory Shamus/GettyImages | Gregory Shamus/GettyImages
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UCLA and Michigan State have more in common than many Big Ten basketball fans may think. Here first is a look at Michigan State this season.

Michigan State might not be ranked as highly in the NET, KenPom, and ESPN’s BPI rankings in comparison to the AP and Coaches polls, but that doesn’t mean that the Spartans should be overlooked by UCLA.

Here is an in-depth look at why the Spartans are not ranked as high as some may think in these analytical, metric-driven rankings. Let’s look at the reasons why they are not ranked as high as some may assume in these analytical metric-based rankings.

  • Strength of schedule: These rankings heavily consider the quality of the opponents faced for each team. They for the most part, do not consider the Spartans strength of schedule as difficult as most teams ranked ahead of Michigan State. If the Spartans had faced more top-ranked/Quad 1 and 2 teams according to the metrics and against them in true road games, their schedule might be perceived as more challenging with more quadrant one opponents, which in turn would put them in the top 10 at minimum. UCLA's strength of schedule is ranked 32 according to KenPom and Michigan State's strength of schedule is ranked 46 in comparison.

Margins of victory: Certain ranking systems, such as the ones mentioned, show that Michigan State is ranked outside their top 12 in their rankings. They analyze and weigh the point differentials in their games played this season. A team like the Spartans might not see a significant rise in the rankings compared to if they had secured a decisive victory over lesser-ranked opponents in which they won by 30 or more points. For example, Michigan State defeated Penn State by five at home compared to Illinois, who beat the Nittany Lions by 39.

Defensive Efficiency: Michigan State boasts a solid defense, yet it's the teams with exceptional defensive efficiency that typically dominate these rankings based on the number of points they don’t allow. Where the Spartans fall short in this respect is not by the individual defensive statistics; it is the fact they give up more points per game than some teams ranked ahead of them. The Spartans rank 62 in scoring defense, which hinders them somewhat in these various rankings.

Scoring Efficiency: This is arguably equally crucial as defensive efficiency, and the Spartans are ranked higher in this category in comparison, but not by much. Under Tom Izzo, Michigan State's offense has consistently avoided outscoring opponents. However, scoring as many points as possible per game helps teams rise up the rankings in these types of rankings. The Spartans are currently ranked 39 in scoring offense, with teams like Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin ranked higher than them in this category.

These rankings, as mentioned, are just one perspective on a team's performance. Just because the Spartans are not ranked higher in these rankings doesn’t mean that they should not be taken seriously by UCLA in the upcoming game.

Schedule

Schedule