The Michigan State Spartans simply must get a quality road win before the end of the season to feel good about their Big Ten and NCAA Tournament hopes, and No. 19 MSU (22-5, 10-4 Big Ten) has a chance for one of those important wins tonight at No. 10 Wisconsin (23-4, 13-2).
While the Spartans are invincible at home (16-0), they have won just five of their past 22 Big Ten road games and have lost five straight at Wisconsin, which is a 5.5-point favorite on WagerWeb.com. And MSU hasn't beat a ranked team on the road since defeating 19th-ranked Ohio State in double-overtime in '06. (The Spartans beat No. 20 Brigham Young in Salt Lake City on Dec. 8, but that was technically on a neutral court.)
State also must win tonight if it has any remaining hope of winning the Big Ten crown. The Spartans have four games remaining to try and catch the Badgers, No. 12 Indiana and No. 16 Purdue, but making up two games is unlikely.
Michigan State needs wins tonight and against the Hoosiers on Sunday to have a chance at a share of the regular-season conference title.
"I can't think of a better time to go into Wisconsin," said State coach Tom Izzo, who acknowledged his team is confident. "We're about as good to go as we can be."
The Spartans, however, will be trying to become just the third Big Ten team to win in Madison since Bo Ryan took over. In seven seasons under Ryan, Wisconsin is 105-7 at home.
"Hopefully, we can go in there and make the first move and get the crowd right out of it," MSU forward Goran Suton said. "Even if the crowd is into it, we still have to do a good job of settling down and running our team.
The Spartans, though, have won back-to-back games after consecutive losses to ranked teams. Izzo gave some credit for two blowout wins over Penn State and Iowa to Magic Johnson, who told his fellow Spartans to make more low-risk passes instead of spectacular ones.Michigan State committed just five turnovers vs. the Hawkeyes. It was the fewest amount of turnovers committed by the Spartans since March 13, 2004. MSU is 4-0 this year when it commits under 10 turnovers.
"I think that would hit home from a guy who was considered the greatest decision-maker ever," Izzo said of Johnson's pep talk. "I said, 'Why don't you talk to them by yourself so if they want to complain, let them complain.' It turned out great because they didn't and he talked.
"He was real with them. He didn't sugarcoat anything, from what I told, and he didn't sugarcoat anybody."
Wisconsin, meanwhile, is averaging just 12.8 turnovers, but committed 15 in a 58-53 win over Ohio State on Sunday. The Badgers, who would claim at least a share of the Big Ten title if they win out, won their fourth straight with a physical defense that is allowing just 55.3 points per game - which is first in the Big Ten and second nationally. Opponents are shooting just .387, which is second in the Big Ten.
The Spartans, meanwhile, are second in the Big Ten in scoring offense at 72.8 points.
Wisconsin is led by Brian Butch, who averages a team-high 12.3 points and 6.8 rebounds. The 6-foot-11 senior center will at times be battling in the paint with Michigan State forward Raymar Morgan, who paces the Spartans with 15.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest. (MSU is 21-2 this season when it outrebounds its opponent.)
Wisconsin and Michigan State split two games last season before the Badgers beat the Spartans 70-57 in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals on March 9. Michigan State leads the all-time series 66-56.
No comments:
Post a Comment