Michigan State and Ohio State enter this matchup locked in a five-way tie for second place in the conference standings, with both teams firmly in the hunt for an evening session berth at the Big Ten Championships. A win would provide a critical boost in positioning and momentum as the postseason approaches.
After early-season struggles on bars, Michigan State has found its rhythm over the past three weeks, culminating in its strongest rotation of the season last time out. The Spartans will look to maintain that consistency while improving on beam, an event that has limited their scoring ceiling, as they push toward a season-high team total. Nikki Smith will be one to watch as she looks to rebound from an uncharacteristic routine, and lineup decisions could also be impacted by whether Lilia Cosman returns to beam after sitting out last week.
Meanwhile, Ohio State is still searching for its first 197-plus road score of the season, a benchmark it will likely need to reach to secure the upset. The return of Natalie Martin, who rested last week, should provide a valuable boost. However, Ohio State will also need its best bars performance of the year and a steadier beam rotation after counting errors on the event last weekend.
Rotation 1: Michigan State vault, Ohio State bars
Duplissis (MSU): Almost sticks her Y1.5. Soft knees throughout and twisted early off the table. Took a step forward. 9.825…