Spartan Avenue
Fansided

Michigan State Basketball: 3 reasons Spartans will upset No. 8 Wisconsin

By Connor Muldowney

Michigan State's Gabe Brown, left, celebrates with head coach Tom Izzo during the first half in the game against Northwestern on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.220115 Msu Northwestern 061a
Michigan State's Gabe Brown, left, celebrates with head coach Tom Izzo during the first half in the game against Northwestern on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.220115 Msu Northwestern 061a /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 3
Next
Jan 15, 2022; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo shouts at a player in the first half against the Northwestern Wildcats at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 15, 2022; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo shouts at a player in the first half against the Northwestern Wildcats at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports /

1. The Spartans have had a week to prepare, shed “fat and sassy” mentality

When Tom Izzo gives his annual “fat and sassy” quote, you know he’s fed up with his team thinking that it’s unbeatable. It happens darn near every year around the January-February months.

Michigan State was riding a nine-game winning streak, but the Spartans had struggled since Christmas break against High Point, Nebraska, Northwestern, and Minnesota — oh, and obviously Northwestern again. They had hit a lull and it seemed like they were taking lesser opponents likely and it ended up coming back to bite them.

Now some fans are in panic mode (another annual mid-winter tradition) and the Spartans face a tough stretch of games which could result in a losing streak. But Izzo won’t let that happen.

I think the Northwestern loss was a major wake-up call for guys like Gabe Brown, Tyson Walker, Max Christie, Joey Hauser, and Marcus Bingham Jr.

This team will have a completely different mindset on Friday night in Madison and they’ll play one of their best games of the season. No more “fat and sassy” Spartans.

Next. Way-too-early game-by-game predictions for 2022. dark

Home/Spartans Basketball