Michigan State basketball facing most important test to date at Wisconsin

Michigan State basketball is about to learn a lot about itself with a road game against Wisconsin on Tuesday evening in its most important test to date.

The tests just keep getting harder. Michigan State has had a growing target on its back as the season has progressed but it may not get bigger than on Tuesday night at Wisconsin for the Badgers’ revenge game.

It’s the only meet-up of the season between the two teams and Wisconsin lost to the Spartans three times last year and twice in the span of a couple weeks to end the year. They missed the NCAA Tournament, but showed promise near the end of the season, using it as momentum heading into 2018-19.

Michigan State was eventually bounced in the first weekend of the tourney and lost a couple of lottery picks, but many believe this year’s team is more cohesive despite not having quite as much talent. We will soon find out if they can handle adversity in Madison on Tuesday night.

Wisconsin is playing well this season and the Badgers are just one game behind the third-place Spartans in the Big Ten standings. A loss would pull them even.

There have been other battles to this point that could be argued as the most crucial, but Tuesday night’s game in Madison is the biggest test for the Spartans yet this season.

Here’s how you can watch Tuesday’s monster matchup at Wisconsin:

Date: Tuesday, Feb. 12
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Madison, Wisc.
Venue: Kohl Center
TV: ESPN 2
Live Stream: WatchESPN or FuboTV

Keys to Victory

Run, run and run some more. Michigan State must get out in the fast-break and make the Badgers play their style and tempo. If Michigan State can get the Badgers run to try and play catch-up, the Spartans will wear them down and potentially pull off a big road win. Wisconsin likes the slower pace and they don’t have the athletes the Spartans do, so getting out in the fast-break will be the Badgers’ worst nightmare.

Stopping Ethan Happ and guarding the perimeter are the two obvious keys on the defensive end, but keeping the Badgers off the offensive glass will be critical. Wisconsin can kill the Spartans with second-chance points in they let the Badgers do so. It will be imperative to box out and show more aggression like they did against Minnesota on the boards. Michigan State needs to put forth a serious effort to win the rebound battle, especially when it comes to offensive boards.

Players to Watch

The Badgers may have the Big Ten Player of the Year on their roster, but they also have a number of complementary pieces — such as D’Mitrik Trice who wasn’t healthy last year. This is a much better team than the Spartans saw a year ago and it will be looking to avoid a two-game skid after falling at Michigan last weekend.

• Ethan Happ: 18.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 55% FG shooting
• D’Mitrik Trice: 13.2 points, 2.5 assists, 45% 3-point shooting
• Brad Davison: 11.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 42% 3-point shooting
• Nate Reuvers: 8.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 49% FG shooting

Prediction

This one’s not going to be easy. Winning on the road in Big Ten play has proven to be difficult for the Spartans who have lost their last two games away from home and this could mark the third straight. Cassius Winston will have a big game against Brad Davison but foul trouble will plague the Spartans as Ethan Happ will get enough calls in the post to get Nick Ward and Xavier Tillman on the bench early on. That will force the Spartans to play overly cautious and Happ will have his way for most of the night, leading to a signature win for the Badgers.

Final Score: Michigan State 71, Wisconsin 73