The Wisconsin Badgers (16-9) will attempt to keep their seven-game winning streak alive when they take on the No. 8-ranked Michigan State Spartans (21-5) at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Action begins at 9:00 pm ET on Thursday, Feb. 18 and can be seen on ESP and ES3.
The Spartans enter this game hoping for similar success after blowing out Indiana 88-69 on Sunday. Denzel Valentine played a pivotal role, recording his seventh double-double of the season with 30 points and 13 assists. The Badgers, meanwhile, are coming off a 70-57 win against Maryland on Saturday. Vitto Brown led the game in scoring by registering 21 points on 8-for-14 shooting.
Valentine has taken his game to another level over the last five games for the Spartans. During that stretch, he has averaged 23.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 0.8 steals, and 4.8 three-pointers.
This is the second game of the season between these two teams, with the Badgers winning the first matchup 77-76. Bronson Koenig had a stellar game with 27 points, four assists, one steal, and four three-pointers.
The Spartans come into this game 21-5 Straight Up (SU) and 16-9 Against The Spread (ATS). Over their last 10 games, they have had success covering the spread (8-2). The Spartans have seen a decline in scoring as of late, averaging 69.2 points during the last 10 games compared to their season average of 79.8 points per game. The Spartans are one of the best in Division I in terms of field-goal percentage, shooting an impressive .482 from the field. The rebounding edge goes to the Spartans in this matchup, who are one of the top rebounding teams in the nation with an average of 42.4 boards per game. Michigan State is one of the most disciplined teams in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.71. Opposing teams know they’re in for a battle when they play Michigan State’s stingy defense. The Spartans are one of the top teams when it comes to defense, allowing just 63.9 points per game. Michigan State’s defense can be considered one of the best in the country. The Spartans allow a .373 opponent field-goal percentage, one of the lowest shooting rates in the country. Opponents have consistently had their shots rejected by the Spartans, ranking 18th in the country in blocks per game with 5.4.
In the other locker room, the Badgers have records of 13-12 ATS and 16-9 SU. Wisconsin performed well ATS during its last 10 games, earning a 7-3 record. Offensively, the Badgers have really picked up the pace in the last 10 games. They have exceeded their season average of 69.7 points per game by averaging 80.2 during that stretch. Taking care of the basketball is something the Badgers do very well, averaging just 11.3 turnovers per game.
In their previous meeting this season, Wisconsin beat Michigan State, but the win was not enough to overtake Michigan State in their recent head-to-head series. Its record is now 4-6 SU over the most recent meetings. The Spartans also lead the matchup ATS with a record of 8-2. Michigan State held the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers one time, while Wisconsin was never able to do so in their most recent five games.
Predictions: SU Winner – MSU, ATS Winner – MSU
Notes
Michigan State averages 79.8 points per game this season. Wisconsin is one of the best teams in points allowed, giving up just 64.4 points per game (ranked 23rd).
Wisconsin has allowed an average of 63.1 points per away game this season. Michigan State averages 79.2 points per home game, ranking 96th in scoring.
In its last game, Michigan State won by a margin of 19 points. Wisconsin is 3-0 in games decided by a margin of 18 points or more. Michigan State has a 12-0 record in blowouts.
The Michigan State Spartans have a defensive rating of 94.6 (ranked 15th), while the Wisconsin Badgers have an offensive rating of 108.8 (ranked 107th).
Michigan State has the 22nd-ranked average field goal percentage at 48.2%. Wisconsin has not won a game this season when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage (0-4).
The Michigan State Spartans rank lower for their field goal percentage (22nd) than they do for their effective field goal percentage (17th), but the Wisconsin Badgers have a better FG% ranking (219th) than eFG% ranking (231st).
Michigan State ranks tops in the nation in number of assists per game with 20.7. Wisconsin does much worse, registering an average of 11.2 per game for a rank of 314th in the nation.
The Michigan State Spartans average 5.4 blocks per game, the 18th-ranked team in the country. The Wisconsin Badgers rank a lowly 197th in blocking with just 3.2 per game.
Michigan State ranks 75th in offensive rebounding. Wisconsin ranks 273rd in defensive rebounding.
Wisconsin makes an average of 5.7 steals per game. Michigan State has a tremendous 14-3 record when it allows at least 5 steals.
