#2 Michigan State
27-3 (15-2)
Game Coverage
Thursday, Feb. 22Â |Â 6Â p.m. (CT)Â |Â Allstate Arena
MADISON, Wis. — Winners of three of the last four, Wisconsin travels to Rosemont, Illinois to take on Northwestern on Thursday. The Badgers have won five of their last six games at Northwestern. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. (CT) on ESPN2.
Up next, UW will host No. 2 Michigan State for Senior Day on Sunday and honor graduating players Matt Ferris, Aaron Moesch and T.J. Schlundt.
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FIVE THINGS TO KNOW: MICHIGAN STATE
1. SENIOR SEND-OFF:Â Before and after Sunday's game, UW will honor three graduating student-athletes: Matt Ferris, Aaron Moesch and T.J. Schlundt.
2. COMING TO THE DEFENSE: Over the last three games, Wisconsin has held Purdue (-29.5), Minnesota (-13.5) and Northwestern (-5.4) to an average of 16.1 points below their season scoring averages.
3. TAKING CARE OF THE BALL:Â Wisconsin has averaged just 9.7 turnovers per game over the last six games. The Badgers averaged 11.7 turnovers per game in their first 24 outings.
4. TOP-10 TAKEDOWNS: With the win over No. 6 Purdue, Greg Gard is now 6-5 vs. teams ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll, giving him six wins over top-10 squads in just three seasons at the helm. Hall of Fame coach Bo Ryan didn't record his sixth win over a top-10 opponent until his ninth season at Wisconsin (2009), going 6-18 vs. the AP Top 10 over that span.
5. FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH:Â Wisconsin has one of the least experienced rosters in college basketball. The average experience level is 1.01 years. Only 20 of the 351 teams in the nation are younger. The Badgers' talented freshman class has accounted for 36.0% of the team's scoring this season.
ALL-TIME vs. MICHIGAN STATE
Sunday's game will mark the 143rd meeting between Wisconsin and Michigan State, with the series dating back to 1922. MSU leads the all-time series, 78-64.
- UW has lost three straight to MSU, with all three games played in East Lansing. The Spartans won this season's earlier matchup, 76-61, on Jan. 26.
- The Badgers have won 11 of the last 13 meetings with MSU at the Kohl Center, including each of the last three. Dating back to 1995, the Spartans have scored more than 64 points just once in their last 19 visits to Madison (a 77-76 UW win in 2016).
- In the Spartans' last trip to Madison, Wisconsin pulled off a 77-76 upset of then-fourth ranked MSU -- the first ranked win for head coach Greg Gard. In that game, then-freshman Ethan Happ scored underneath the basket with 10 seconds remaining to give UW the win.
- In four career meetings with MSU, Ethan Happ has averaged 15.8 points and 7.3 rebounds, going 21-for-32 at the free throw line
- Since Bo Ryan and Greg Gard came to UW in 2001-02, the Badgers are the only Big Ten team to own a winning record against Michigan State (17-15, .531). The next closest is Illinois at 13-16, followed by Ohio State (14-21), Maryland (3-5) and Indiana (11-19).Â
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LAST TIME OUT
WISCONSIN 70, NORTHWESTERN 64
Feb. 22, 2018 | Allstate Arena | Rosemont, Ill.
- Wisconsin claimed its third-straight win with a 70-64 victory at Northwestern on Thursday
- The Badgers posted their best shooting mark in Big Ten play, hitting 53.3% from the field and 45.0% (9-20) from 3-point range. UW was out-rebounded, 26-21, but turned the ball over just nine times and tallied nine steals.
- Junior Ethan Happ led UW with 19 points (15 in the second half) to go with 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks and 4 steals
- Junior Khalil Iverson scored 16 points (most since Jan. 23) and six rebounds. Junior Andy Van Vliet scored 14 points (4-6 3FGs) off the bench in 24 minutes. He had a total of three points in 14 minutes in Big Ten play prior to Thursday.
- Sophomore Brevin Pritzl finished with 11 points (3-7 3FGs). Freshman Brad Davison matched his career high with six assists.
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COMPLETE GAME NOTES
For complete game notes,
click here.
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