Wisconsin @ Michigan St. preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 16, 2019 ) Wisconsin 55, Michigan St 67

Michigan State looks to rebound from its first conference loss Friday when it hosts Wisconsin in a Big Ten contest. The No. 14 Spartans had their eight-game winning streak snapped with a 71-42 setback at Purdue on Sunday, while the Badgers enter this game having won two straight - both over nationally ranked foes.

Wisconsin has won six of its last seven overall, and is led by forward Nate Reuvers, who is leading the Badgers in scoring (13.9 points) and blocked shots (2.1). There are no shortage of players that can get hot and carry the Badgers, though, with all five starters averaging between 8.2 and 13.9 points including guard Kobe King, who scores 15.7 points in Big Ten play. Michigan State also has a host of scorers, though the definitive leader of Tom Izzo's squad is All-American senior guard Cassius Winston, who paces the Spartans with 18.8 points and 6.2 assists. Junior forward Xavier Tillman has become a solid second option, averaging 13.9 points and 10.1 rebounds as the team's best low-post scorer.

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: Fox Sports 1

ABOUT WISCONSIN (11-6, 4-2 Big Ten): Getting to the glass has not been one of the Badgers' strengths this season, but coach Greg Gard is certainly going to push his team to improve upon that in this game, considering the Spartans lead the Big Ten in rebounding at 42.8 per game. Unfortunately, Wisconsin is on the other end of the rankings, sitting last in the conference in grabbing 33.9 rebounds. Wisconsin ranks third in the Big Ten in rebounds allowed at 31.9, but they'll be tested against the Spartans, who outrebounded the Badgers 44-30 in their Big Ten tournament victory over Wisconsin last season.

ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE (13-4, 5-1): The talk has been that Michigan State goes as Winston goes, and against Purdue, Winston didn't go, finishing with 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting (0-of-5 from 3-point range). Even worse, Winston turned the ball over nine times, which equaled his total from his previous four games combined. The senior has scored fewer than 10 points twice this season and responded with at least 21 in the next game, so look for Winston to be aggressive with his own shot and the pass, especially as he sits four assists shy of the Big Ten career record for assists.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Wisconsin G Brad Davison always seems to like to see the Spartans, which makes sense since his career high of 30 points was scored against Michigan State when he was a freshman.

2. The Spartans are No. 1 in the country by recording an assist on 68.4 percent of their field goals this season.

3. Michigan State has won the last seven meetings, with Wisconsin last winning in East Lansing in 2004.

PREDICTION: Michigan State 72, Wisconsin 64