Picking up a quality win on the road against Indiana was a boost of confidence for the
MSU Spartans and they’ll need it heading into Madison tonight.
MSU (13-8 overall, 5-4 Big Ten) will take on Wisconsin (16-5, 6-3) at Kohl Center,
where the Badgers are 12-1 this season and are sporting a perfect 4-0 Big Ten record.
What’s even more impressive is that dating back to the 1998-99 season the Badgers
have won 21 of 22 Big Ten games at home.
However, if there’s any team that has dominated the Badgers, it’s the
Spartans who have won 12 of the last 14 meetings.
Aside from these glaring statistics this promises to be a showdown between two of the
top rebounding teams in the conference.
The Badgers have won six of their last seven, and will present MSU with a bevy of
matchup problems.
Wisconsin likes to post-up its guards and they do it very effectively. MSU head coach
Tom Izzo said that’s something that worries him.
"My biggest concern for this game with having Anderson out is the guard play of
how they play," Izzo said. "You know it all depends on matchups in any of these
games."
Kirk Penney and Freddie Owens are the two guards who will be creating the matchup
difficulties for the Spartans and Izzo said they’re two of the best.
"They post up their guys Penney at 6-5, and what he weighs is going to be a very
hard match for us. And an area we will miss Alan a lot."
Izzo said he hasn’t decided what he’ll do to counteract the Wisconsin
offensive scheme, but may use junior forward Adam Wolfe more. Wolfe has not played in
MSU’s last four games.
Penney has been "Mr. Everything" for Wisconsin all season. He is averaging
16.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.29 assists and ranks in the top 10 in the conference in
all of these statistical categories.
Along with Penney, the Badgers have three other players that can flat-out score. Guard
Devin Harris is averaging 13.6 points per game and is the Big Ten leader in steals per
game with 2.05. Freshman forward Alando Tucker is averaging 12.8 points per game to go
along with 5.8 boards per game.
And Owens rounds out the foursome, averaging 11.4 points per game. Wisconsin is the
only team in the Big Ten that has four players averaging double-digits. Sophomore guard
Chris Hill is the only Spartan in double figures.
Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan runs an unorthodox offense that has been very successful
everywhere he’s used it. Ryan is 35-18 at Wisconsin and has a career record of
418-121.
Izzo said it’s a swing offense, with a lot of shuffle cuts and they run it very
effectively. He said his defense will have to make adjustments and make sure to limit
Wisconsin’s second chance opportunities.
"We don’t want to use the zone," he said. "They have a couple good
shooters, but more importantly they are a very good offensive rebounding team."
The Badgers are second only to the Spartans in rebounding margin in the Big Ten, (MSU
+6.7, Wisconsin +4.9) and their doing it with a relatively small lineup.
Forward Mike Wilkinson is the tallest starter at 6-foot-8 and leads the team with 6.5
rebounds a contest. But it’s their guards/forwards that are the most impressive.
Tucker, Harris and Penney are all averaging more than 5 rebounds per game, despite all
being 6-5 or smaller.
Izzo said this team reminds him of his championships teams and their ability to hunt
down the rebounds.
"They got great quickness to the basketball," Izzo said. "Tucker is a
pogo-stick, a very good athlete he’s an Antonio Smith-type guy, he’s got a nose
for the ball and goes after the ball.
"They have some tough kids and tough kids I think have a tendency to rebound
pretty well."
Not only can Wisconsin score and rebound, but they are also a sound defensive team.
They are allowing the fewest points per game, 60, and have the largest scoring margin.
+7.8.
"They play different defensively then maybe they did in the past, it’s almost
like we played last year," Izzo said. "Not a lot of pressure, very solid and
they don’t foul very much and they don’t turn the ball very much."
Izzo said his team has grown up and another quality win in a tough environment will be
another notch in the belt for his team.
"You look at Wisconsin and they’re playing awfully well," he said.
"They too have only lost one game at home, and that was very early in the season
– haven’t lost a Big Ten game at home. And like a Kentucky or Indiana though,
this would be a good opportunity for us to try to steal one on the road if we play
well."
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.