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No. 14 Michigan State focusing on big men vs. Illinois

Michigan State and Illinois are looking to get better in specific areas as they resume Big Ten Conference play Thursday in East Lansing, Mich.

 

For the 14th-ranked Spartans (10-3, 2-0 Big Ten), the focus is on the play of their big men. After a 33-point win over Western Michigan to close out nonconference play, coach Tom Izzo lamented the effort of his frontcourt in the final minutes of a game Michigan State led by 45.

 

The long-term results will be important, but as the Spartans get set to take on Illinois (9-4, 1-1), it's even more critical because of the effectiveness of the Fighting Illini's two big men.

 

At 7-foot and 290 pounds, Kofi Cockburn is averaging 16.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks a game and has been named the Big Ten's Freshman of the Week five times. He scored a career-high 26 points in a victory over North Carolina A&T on Sunday, making 11 of 16 shots. Cockburn's running mate is the 6-9, 235-pound sophomore Giorgi Bezhanishvili, and he's scoring 8.5 points a game while grabbing an average of 5.3 rebounds.

 

In a loss to Missouri just before Christmas, the Illini managed just four assists. Against North Carolina A&T, they had 22 assists with Bezhanishvili dishing out five. The Illini are hoping it's a sign of things to come as they attempt to contend in the Big Ten.

 

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