Round No. 2 of Rutgers versus Michigan State takes place on Wednesday night as the Scarlet Knights face the No. 10-ranked Spartans out in East Lansing at 7:00 p.m.

The last time Rutgers faced Michigan State this season came way back on Nov. 30 and both teams are drastically different in a variety ways. The Scarlet Knights were just 5-1 at that point and the young team was just starting to come together.

Since then, the entire squad, including freshmen Ron Harper, Jr., Montez Mathis, Caleb McConnell, and Myles Johnson, sophomore Geo Baker, and juniors Eugene Omoruyi and Shaq Carter have all grown up and improved. Even senior Shaq Doorson has been more consistent of late.

In that November game, the starting lineup for the Scarlet Knights consisted of Baker, Peter Kiss, Issa Thiam, Omoruyi, and Doorson. Now, Baker, Omoruyi and Doorson are mainstays, but Kiss and Thiam have been replaced by Mathis and Harper.

And against the Spartans back then at a sold out Rutgers Athletic Center, that was the first Big Ten Conference game for the freshmen, Kiss, and Carter. McConnell posted a then-career high seven points that night and Kiss had 11.

“We’re a thousand percent different,” Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell told TKR on a conference call on Tuesday. “Our lineup is different. Our freshmen have come a long way. Our defense is different. Our offensive is different and we’ve put in a lot of new stuff. We’re getting better. We’re very different and it was so long ago. It was during the non-conference season. Thankfully this team has progressed. We’re a lot better than we were at that time.”

Johnson has come alive over the course of the last two months. He had a double-double against Nebraska in January and had 10 points and six rebounds on Saturday against Iowa. McConnell just recently posted a new-career high in points of 25 at Illinois 10 days ago with nine rebounds and two assists. Mathis has started every game since Dec. 8 and had a career-high 20-point game against Nebraska. Mathis has been more aggressive and comfortable since the start of the season and that goes for the rest of the young players and Harper Jr., who has 38 points over the last three games and seven assists.

“I think all of our freshmen and team has improved. We’re better offensively and defensively. Now, four of our top seven players are freshmen,” Pikiell added. “Ron has been a big part of that. He’s better defensively which I love. He’s really fit in too and learned how to find his way offensively. Caleb and Montez, too. I loved Myles Johnson the other day. He’s taking huge steps forward too. Those guys have gotten better as has Geo Baker. The last three games, his defense has been awesome.

“I think we’re getting better in a better league. All the challenges are still in front of us with huge games and exciting opportunities”

Michigan State will be without guard Joshua Langford and forward Nick Ward, who are out with injuries. Those two scored 34 points combined against Rutgers in November. In all, the Spartans will have three new starters in the lineup, counting Kyle Ahrens, who will still play a bunch however.

"You look at Rutgers, we played them the first time in November, that feels like 100 years ago. Nick Ward had 20 points and Joshua Langford had 14. With them out, that's 34 points we'll have to replace,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said recently. “You're going to see the biggest human you've ever seen on a court come in here on Wednesday. So we won't be able to go with a small lineup. There's going to be some changes in our lineup though."

Nonetheless, Michigan State is ranked as high as it is for a reason, and it just reloads with talented players.

“They got really good players. The guys coming off the bench are really good,” Pikiell said. “Cassius Winston is probably having the best year of everyone. Matt McQuaid was awesome and almost single handedly beat Ohio State. [Xavier] Tillman and [Kenny] Goins are having great year. Aaron Henry was one of the most highly-recruited guys in the country last year. I mean they have guys who are good players. They have a Hall of Fame coach too, so they’ll be ready. It’s unfortunate a couple guys are injured.”

Speaking Winston, he torched the Scarlet Knights for 22 points in the first game on 8-of-16 shooting including 2-for-4 from behind the arc. He was also 4-of-4 from the free-throw line and dished out six assists.

He leads the team with 18.5 points per game, 192 assists, 30 steals, and shoots 44 percent from deep.

“He’s a problem for everyone,” Pikiell said of the junior. “He’s a terrific foul shooter too when you factor that in. His assist-to-turnover ratio is fantastic and his 3-point percentage is good with the shots his taking. He’s playing a zillion minutes, too. You really have to keep him in front. He’s their maistro. He does everything for them. He’s obviously key and they have the best quarterback in the lead. You have to stop him and it’s going to be difficult. We’ll throw some different looks at him. He’s just really good.”

Coming off a heartbreaking loss at home to Iowa on an unbelievable shot at the buzzer in a game which Rutgers should have won, Pikiell didn’t go through the game tape with the players.

“No, we got Michigan State coming up. They all watch it. We went over the mistakes that we made, but didn’t spend a lot of time (on the Iowa game) because we don’t have a lot of time,” Pikiell said. “It’s game after game after game. I think these guys will respond well.”

The fans, coaches, and players were all deflated after the defeat, but Pikiell said everyone has moved on and is positive and looking forward to playing the Spartans again.

“We had a great day yesterday. Whether you win against Iowa or lose, you still have to play Michigan State, who’s the best team in the league a few days later later,” Pikeill said. “The ball bounced off two guys’ hands and into the corner and God bless him, he hit a banked 3-pointer over the outstretched arms of a 7-footer in the corner.

“When you’re building a program you go through some great wins and tough loses and these guys just keep getting better. I love the fact that we played a Top 25 team and people expected expected us to win. I told our guys I was proud. I told our guys sometimes you play games where you play and deserve to win and lose. That’s what happened. We move on and have to play a great team.”

Follow Chris Nalwasky on Twitter @ChrisWasky.