The challenges facing Gonzaga in December are only beginning.
Looking to bounce back from their first defeat, the No. 23 Bulldogs face another difficult task Saturday night when they host a Michigan State team trying for an eighth consecutive victory.
After winning all five November games by an average of 15.0 points, Gonzaga (5-1) hit a road block at Illinois last Saturday. Though the Bulldogs shot 51.0 percent, they committed 16 turnovers and allowed the Illini to shoot 53.3 percent while falling 82-75.
"It was a great road environment for our guys, it was the first one of the year," coach Mark Few said. "I thought we played well enough at times."
Few believes that experience will help prepare the Bulldogs for the rest of this month's schedule, which includes Michigan State's first visit to Spokane. Arizona, Butler and a trip to eighth-ranked Xavier on New Year's Eve are also on the December slate.
Gonzaga has dropped three of the four meetings with the Spartans (7-2), who won 75-71 on Nov. 17, 2009, in East Lansing. The Bulldogs' lone victory came in the 109-106 triple-overtime thriller at the 2005 Maui Invitational.
Gonzaga forwards Robert Sacre and Elias Harris each had 17 points in the 2009 meeting at Michigan State.
Sacre had 16 points at Illinois but only two in the second half when he collected all five fouls to foul out with less than four minutes to play. Harris finished with team highs of 19 points and eight rebounds.
The Bulldogs should fell fortunate to face Michigan State at the McCarthey Athletic Center, where they are 92-6 all-time.
In the midst of their longest winning streak since a 10-game run Dec. 30, 2009-Jan. 30, 2010, the Spartans have bounced back since opening with losses to then-No. 1 North Carolina and then-No. 6 Duke.
Michigan State's biggest victory during its winning stretch came at home, 65-49 over Florida State on Nov. 30. Though the Spartans have won their last seven games by an average of 25.7 points, coach Tom Izzo is not ready to pat his team on its collective back.
"There's been a little too much credit given so we're back to dog eat dog," Izzo told Michigan State's official website.
Izzo made those comments after watching a sluggish team beat Central Connecticut State 89-69 on Wednesday. Though Michigan State shot 51.6 percent and outrebounded the Blue Devils 44-37, it led by only two at the half.
"We are just going to have to play a lot better than we played inside," Izzo said. "Our outside defense has been pretty good, but (Wednesday) it wasn't. That's disappointing going into a big game. You kind of hope to go in there on a high."
Freshman guard Travis Trice had 20 points off the bench, while star forward Draymond Green added 14 with nine rebounds and four assists.
Green, averaging 14.3 points and 10.6 boards, had six points with 10 rebounds against Gonzaga two years ago.
Michigan State has dropped seven consecutive non-conference road games against Top 25 opponents since a 71-67 victory over then-No. 12 Kentucky on Dec. 14, 2002.
