No. 8 Michigan State men's basketball comes off its toughest game yet in Big Ten play and will need to keep the same intensity when it faces Rutgers at Madison Square Arena on Saturday.

Tom Izzo managed to beat his old friend Brad Underwood on Sunday as Michigan State basketball held on to beat Illinois at home. It was a tough, grind-it-out win over Illinois as the Spartans struggled to hit shots, but they did outperform Illinois at the free throw line and that was ultimately the difference.

To be fair to Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, there aren't as many Alan Andersons and Shannon Browns across college basketball as there once were. So when Izzo butchered the names of Kasparas Jakucionis,

Tom Izzo sees No. 12 Michigan State basketball getting tougher after beating No. 20 Illinois on Sunday, but also knows so will the Spartans' schedule.

As long as Tom Izzo is the head coach of the Michigan State Spartans, they’re not a team that should be overlooked.

No. 12 Michigan State got the test that many were waiting for when it hosted No. 19 Illinois on Sunday afternoon. The Spartans passed the

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo is impressed by what he sees from Illinois. The Spartans beat Illinois Sunday.