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— Tuesday, February 08th Wisconsin Badgers @ Michigan State Spartans
Two top 20 teams meet for the second time this season as the No. 13 Wisconsin Badgers (18-4, 9-3) travel to face the No. 17 Michigan State Spartans (17-5, 8-3). With Illinois facing Purdue on Tuesday, the top four teams in the Big Ten standings are facing each other to separate the log-jam at the top.
Tuesday’s tip is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET from the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan, airing on Big Ten Network. Michigan State won as a 3-point underdog in Madison 86-74 on January 21. The last time Wisconsin went to East Lansing was in December 2020, and they won by nine, their only win at MSU in the last six trips.
Badgers Struggling From Deep
The Badgers are 12-10 ATS this season, and the over is 14-8 in their 22 games. They are 8-2 outside Madison with a 5-2 record in true road games, losing at Illinois last week. Wisconsin is 3-3 against ranked teams with wins over Purdue, Ohio State, and Houston and losses against Illinois, Ohio State, and Michigan State.
Wisconsin is 1-1 in February with the offense in hibernation, scoring 51 points at home against Penn State and 67 at Illinois. In those games, they were a combined 9-for-45 (20%) from the three-point range. They are averaging 71.2 ppg on the season and allowing 66.3.
In the 86-74 home loss to the Spartans in January, Wisconsin shot 42% from the field but allowed MSU to shoot 53% overall and 50% from deep. The Badgers were outrebounded by 19 and shot 17 less free throws. Johnny Davis led Wisconsin with 25 points, while Brad Davison had 22.
Davis leads Wisconsin with 20.6 ppg, 8.9 rpg, and 2.5 apg. Until netting just four against Penn State, he had scored at least 13 points in every game this season. Davis lives at the free-throw line, where he has attempted 6.2 shots per game and shoots 88%.
Davison is averaging 15.0 ppg and shooting 37% from 3-point range with 2.5 made per game. The inside play of Tyler Wahl and Steven Crowl will be big against the Spartans. Wahl averages 11.0 ppg and 5.9 rpg, while Crowl is at 9.1 ppg and 4.3 RPG.
Spartans Can Shoot
The Spartans are 12-9-1 ATS, and the over is 11-10-1 in their 22 games. They are 9-1 at home, with the only loss coming to Northwestern. They are 2-3 against ranked teams with a 1-1 record in Big Ten action.
Michigan State made 11 3-pointers but managed just 63 points in a 21-point loss at Rutgers on Saturday. They are ninth in the nation at 39.3% shooting from deep and average 73.7 ppg. The defense allows 66.4 ppg, and the point total by Rutgers was the most against MSU since Kansas scored 87 in the season opener.
The Spartans crushed the Badgers inside in the first matchup and dominated the glass. Five players scored in double figures, led by Malik Hall with 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Joey Hauser had 11 rebounds, and Michigan State was 22-of-28 from the line.
Gabe Brown leads the Spartans on the season at 13.1 ppg while Hall and Max Christie both average 10.0 ppg. Christie Marcus Bingham Jr. leads the team with 6.8 rpg while A.J. Haggard has a team-best 4.8 apg. Seven players are shooting at least 35% from deep, and Brown leads the way with 49 made 3-pointers.
Betting Analysis
- Wisconsin Badgers +4 (-110). Money Line +150
- Michigan State Spartans -4 (-110). Money Line -180
- Total Points 138.5. Over -110. Under -110
The Badgers haven’t covered in their last five games and head into East Lansing, cold on offense. The Spartans are holding opponents to 38% shooting at home, so it won’t get any easier for the Badgers. Davis will need to get to the line a lot to give the Badgers a chance; look for the Spartans to control this one.
Betting Pick: Michigan State -4 (-110)
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