The Big Green gets Big Test #2 on the road tonight, a 9 pm tipoff at Illinois. Game will be broadcast on ESPN. The Spartans are favored by 1.5, and are coming off their best practice sessions of the year: arguably inspired by the loss of their leader, All-American Kalin Lucas.

Ken Pomeroy has MSU pegged at #22 with Illinois at #55. Meanwhile, Jeff Sagarin lists MSU at #14 and Illinois at #71. Here's the ESPN notebook on keys to tonight's game: Raymar Morgan, Korie Lucious, and Draymond Green.

MSU has won the last five meetings, including the last two at Assembly Hall, each by eight points: 74-66 and 59-51. None of the last 13 games have been decided by less than 6 points. Yes, if you look outside at Assembly Hall it is probably the uglist arena in the Big Ten: it looks like the Jupiter 2, the Robinson's spaceship from Lost in Space.