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Wisconsin vs. Michigan State: 2020-21 college basketball game preview, TV schedule

By Anthony Brown

EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 13: The signage and the fan cut outs in an empty stadium before the first half of a college basketball game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Oakland Golden Grizzlies at the Breslin Center on December 13, 2020 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State defeated Oakland 109-91. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 13: The signage and the fan cut outs in an empty stadium before the first half of a college basketball game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Oakland Golden Grizzlies at the Breslin Center on December 13, 2020 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State defeated Oakland 109-91. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images) /
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The Wisconsin Badgers (6-1) are going to East Lansing to battle Michigan State basketball (6-1, 0-1 Big Ten) on Christmas Day.

TV Schedule: Friday, December 25, 11:30 a.m. ET, FOX

Where: Breslin Center in East Lansing, MI

Merry Christmas to all and to all, a great game of college basketball. Twelfth-ranked Michigan State basketball will have to hold off a No. 9 Wisconsin Badgers team that has multiple ways to hurt an opposing defense. Both teams are looking for their first Big Ten win of the season.

The Spartans come into this game with key wins against the No. 20 Duke Blue Devils, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and Detroit Mercy Titans. They lost their Big Ten opener to the Northwestern Wildcats, 79-65, behind Boo Buie’s 30 points, four assists, and three rebounds.

Pete Nance recorded a 15-point and 12-rebound double-double. The Wildcats shot the ball efficiently from the three-point line (47 percent) and converted 83 percent of their opportunities at the free-throw line.

Joey Hauser, Aaron Henry, Rocket Watts, and Gabe Brown are the Spartans leading scorers. Watts is playing well early and filling in nicely as the successor for Cassius Winston. Hauser has been a double-double machine as a scorer and rebounder.  Michigan State basketball has thrived because of that.

The last time these two faced one another, the Badgers pulled out a narrow victory at home, 64-63, behind double-figure performances from Nate Reuvers, D’Mitrik Trice, Aleem Ford, and Brevin Pritzl. They managed to survive a solid game from Winston who had 23 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Watts scored 16 points.

Xavier Tillman had himself a game on the boards as he recorded a 14-rebound, seven-point, and five-assist performance. Pritzl, Winston, and Tillman are gone but the teams are still dominant with the pieces on board thanks to the basketball minds of Greg and Tom Izzo.

So far, the Badgers’ only key win came in a blowout against the Louisville Cardinals. The Badgers are dangerous because Reuvers and Micah Potter can hurt you in the post and on the perimeter. Those two are leading scorers along with Trice and Brad Davison this season.

Trice is an excellent point guard who slashes to the basket with speed and quickness and converts more times than not. He currently leads the team in assists with 26. His passing ability is going to be key in this game because if he facilitates well, the Badgers’ offense is going to run smoothly against the Spartans.

Michigan State basketball lost to Northwestern because they couldn’t stop them from converting their opportunities in the paint. The Wildcats utilized the pick and roll to do that and kicked the ball outside for threes as well. That’s how Wisconsin can hurt them. Against the Louisville Cardinals, the Badgers were knocking down threes left and right. They only had 10 turnovers the entire game which means they took care of the ball very well.

Next. Latest Big Ten power rankings. dark

Michigan State basketball hasn’t lost at home. The Wisconsin Badgers are not going to make things easy for the Spartans in the Breslin Center. This is going to be a fun game to watch and Wisconsin may just pull this one out.

Prediction: Wisconsin 88 – Michigan State 81

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