Michigan State
28-3 (16-2)
Game Coverage
Friday, March 2Â |Â Noon (CT)Â |Â Madison Square Garden
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW: MICHIGAN STATE
1. Wisconsin has held its last five opponenents to an average of 16.5 points below their season scoring averages: PUR (-29.5), MINN (-13.5), NW (-5.4), MSU (-14.6) and MARY (-19.7)
2. UW has averaged just 8.7 turnovers per game in the months of February and March - a span of nine games. The Badgers averaged 11.7 turnovers per game in the 23 outings prior to February. Overall, UW has turned it over just 5.5 times per game in the last two outings.
3. Under head coach Greg Gard, UW is an impressive 51-4 (.927) when leading or tied with 5:00 remaining. Last season, the Badgers went 23-1 when leading or tied with 5:00 remaining. Dating back to February of 2011, UW is 172-8 (.956) when leading or tied with 5:00 left.
4. Over the last four seasons, Wisconsin has been at its best late in the season. During the month of March, the Badgers are 26-8 (.765) since 2013-14, the best winning percentage among Big Ten teams.
5. The Badgers are trying to advance to the semifinals for the sixth time in the last seven years. UW is looking to make its 12th appearance in the Big Ten tournament semifinals overall.
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ALL-TIME vs. MICHIGAN STATE
Friday's game will mark the 144th meeting between Wisconsin and Michigan State, with the series dating back to 1922. MSU leads the all-time series, 79-64.
- UW has lost four straight to MSU, with three of the last four games played in East Lansing. The Spartans won this season's two matchups, 76-61, on Jan. 26 and, 68-63, in the regular-season finale on Feb. 25.
- In the Badgers last win over Michigan State (Jan. 9, 2016), UW upset then-fourth ranked MSU, 77-76, in the first ranked win for head coach Greg Gard. In that game, then-freshman Ethan Happ scored underneath with 10 seconds remaining to give UW the win.
- In four career meetings with MSU, Ethan Happ has averaged 15.2 ppg and 7.0 rpg
- 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 (17-16, .515). The next closest team is Illinois (13-16), followed by Ohio State (14-21), Maryland (3-5) and Indiana (11-19).
UW IN THE BIG TEN TOURNAMENT
Wisconsin is 24-17 (.585) overall in 19 Big Ten tournament appearances, winning championships in 2004, 2008 and 2015.
- The Badgers have also advanced to the tournament finals four additional years: 2005, 2007, 2013 and 2017
- UW's three tournament titles trail only Michigan State (5) and Ohio State (4). The Badgers' seven championship game appearances is second to only Ohio State (8).
- Wisconsin boasts three Big Ten tournament MOPs: Devin Harris (2004), Marcus Landry (2008) and Frank Kaminsky (2015)
- The Badgers have earned a total of 15 All-Tournament team honors, including Ethan Happ last season. UW trails only Ohio State (21) and MSU (16) in All-Tournament selections.
- Wisconsin is the No. 9 seed for the first time in tournament history. In fact, the Badgers played in a game prior to the quarterfinals for just the second time in school history (also in 1998 as a No. 10 seed).
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LAST TIME OUT
#9 WISCONSIN 59, #8 MARYLAND 54
March 1, 2018 | Madison Square Garden | New York City
- Wisconsin advanced to the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament with a 59-54 win over Mayland
- The Badgers won despite shooting just 36.0% from the field and 3-for-18 (16.7%) from 3-point range. To make up for it, UW turned the ball over just seven times, grabbed 12 offensive rebounds, tallied 9 steals and went 20-for-24 at the free throw line.
- With the game tied, 47-47, Wisconsin went on to score on its final six possessions of the game, going 8-for-8 at the foul line in the final 4:00
- Junior Ethan Happ led UW with 14 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Happ went 6-for-7 at the free throw line.
- Freshman Brad Davison scored 13 points, junior Khalil Iverson added 11 points (5-5 FTs), six rebounds and two steals and sophomore Brevin Pritzl tallied 10 points, six boards and three steals
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COMPLETE GAME NOTES
For complete game notes,
click here.
