The Hoosiers (10-4-2) have now won three consecutive games, with the last two being conference games. IU Coach Todd Yeagley said the team is not thinking of its win streak and is just focused on the final conference game.
“We are trying to just really focus on this game,” Yeagley said. “It’s not the end-all be-all, and we are just focused on this game and will give it our best.”
A win against Michigan State (8-7-2) on Wednesday would mean more than just three points. A win could potentially allow the Hoosiers to play the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals in Bill Armstrong Stadium.
“It’s just nice to be at home,” Yeagley said. “A lot of it is just the physical wear and tear of travel, and our field’s also in really good shape.”
Michigan State has not won its last two Big Ten games and the Spartans are sitting two places below the Hoosiers in the standings. The Hoosiers, though, lost last year’s matchup, 3-2, and have not won against the Spartans since their 3-0 victory in 2010.
“That won’t have any impact,” Yeagley said about the record against Michigan State. “We still prepare for this game like every other game.”
IU has enjoyed the upper hand in this series that started in 1974, with a 37-8-3 record versus the Spartans.
The Spartans enter this game on a run of two wins and two losses in their last four games, while the Hoosiers have won the last three of their four games and only conceded one goal during that span.
Form and momentum seems to be on the Hoosiers’ side as their last two wins have also been against conference opponents, and they have also kept clean sheets in those victories.
The top-four seeded teams will host the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament, and a win could allow the Hoosiers to enter that bracket.
“A win would help us with our postseason positioning,” Yeagley said. “It would be nice to be at home (for the Big Ten tournament) and play in front of our fans.”
