Three games remain in the 2024-25 regular season and Sunday's Michigan State basketball game against Maryland has more on the line than the casual observer may realize.
In fact, the Spartans are still playing for a Big Ten title and since they're tied at 14-3 atop the Big Ten with Michigan, a win on Sunday afternoon over the No. 11 Wisconsin Badgers would ensure that the season finale against the Wolverines would be for at least a share of the conference crown.
Beating Wisconsin won't be easy, however. The Badgers may actually be the toughest team the Spartans will face all season and they're third in the Big Ten standings behind MSU and Michigan.
This game isn't a given, so let's get bold.
1. Jase Richardson leads all scorers
No one has been hotter than Jase Richardson in the green and white over the past couple of weeks. A big reason for the end of the skid two weeks ago has been the emergence of Richardson who got his first start against Oregon and hasn't looked back. He's averaging 16.8 points per game over his last six contests and that hot streak will continue on Sunday.
Richardson is going to lead all scorers, dropping 20 points for the third time in the past seven games, upping his points per game once again.
The projected lottery pick is making a heck of a case for the Big Ten's All-Freshman Team.
2. MSU holds Wisconsin under 30 percent from deep
Wisconsin is one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country, converting on 36.2% of attempts from long-range this season and the Badgers have buried teams because of their hot shooting.
But Michigan State has the best 3-point defense in the Big Ten. Something's got to give.
After picking up some steam in wins over Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, and Maryland in consective games, the Spartans' defense will stay hot on Sunday, clamping down the perimeter and forcing the Badgers into some ill-advised, contested shots from deep.
MSU will knock Wisconsin off its game after a hot Badgers start, holding them to under 30 percent shooting from deep which will be huge for the Spartans' chances.
3. MSU pulls away in final 5 minutes (again)
It's been well-documented that Michigan State has been as lockdown as they come in the final five minutes of each game during this recent four-game winning streak and that'll continue.
Michigan State has been the Mariano Rivera of college basketball over the past two weeks, completing shutting down teams in the final minutes of the past four games. Sunday will make it five in a row as the Spartans' three-point lead with five minutes left will balloon to 10 by game's end.
Michigan State wins this one, 81-71.