How many departed Spartans does it take for Michigan to get a rebound?

In two games against the Spartans last year (both losses 91-64 at Crisler and 78-57 in East Lansing) the Michigan frontline was outscored and outrebounded by an obviously superior and more athletic Michigan State team. The Wolverines were outrebounded 83-47, and their starting frontline was outscored by their Michigan State counterparts 90-59. Foul trouble was another concern for Michigan, especially in the second loss.

But oh, how times have changed. Those three post players who dominated the inside last year Jason Richardson, Andre Hutson and Zach Randolph all bolted from Spartanland for the NBA. What was already going to be a difficult rebuilding year for Michigan State coach Tom Izzo became ever harder as his remaining players started dropping like flies. When sophomore forward Adam Wolfe (9.4 points and five rebounds per game) went down against Penn State on Jan. 19, Izzo was left with a frontcourt that lacks as much depth as nearly any team in the Big Ten except maybe Michigan.

So who"s left to play down low tonight?

Izzo, like Michigan coach Tommy Amaker, will be playing an undersized lineup. The key matchup will focus on the two legitimate big men: Michigan State"s Aloysius Anagonye and Michigan"s Chris Young.

Anagonye has been steady for the Spartans in the midst of rebuilding, averaging 8.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game this season, good enough for sixth in the Big Ten. But Anagonye has been finding himself in foul trouble nearly every game, especially against teams with strong frontcourts he fouled out against Minnesota, Iowa, Stanford and Florida.

"That"s going to be a key factor which team is able to stay out of foul trouble on the frontline," Amaker said. "That could be one of the biggest factors in the game."

For his own part, Young has improved since the beginning of the season, when he couldn"t seem to avoid picking up unnecessary fouls. Physically, Young has an inch on Anagonye, but gives up nearly 40 pounds to the gargantuan Spartan. It will be difficult for Young to stay clean if Anagonye has him in isolation down low.

Anagonye will be helped by 6-foot-9 Adam Ballinger (9.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg) who has a two-inch and 50-pound advantage on Young"s wingman, LaVell Blanchard (14.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg). The matchups tonight are obviously closer than last year"s, but the Wolverines still undersized will still need to out-hustle and out-think the Michigan State frontline.

"I"m sure it"s going to be one of their strategies to attack me," Young said. "To see who can foul out, who"s the smarter post player, who"s not going to pick up the cheap little fouls."