Overall: B
Wisconsin’s win over Michigan State may not be as surprising when you consider how difficult it has been for Big Ten teams to win on the road.
With that being said the Badgers didn’t play the perfect game against Michigan State but they got a win they certainly needed in order to snap their two game losing streak and to snap their eight game losing streak to Michigan State.
One area where the Badgers did struggle against Michigan State was generating offensive rebounds as they finished with four. The Badgers were only able to generate two offensive rebounds per half but the last offensive rebound Wisconsin registered was at the 11:44 mark by Potter. Overall Wisconsin was outrebounded by Michigan State 37-to-34.
With Brad Davison suspended by the conference, Pritzl stepped in his place as the starter and was able to respond with 10 points as he shot 4-for-11 from the field and 2-for-7 from three. Pritzl’s made three with nine seconds left before halftime proved critical as it snapped a 6-0 run by the Spartans. Without Pritzl’s made three the game may have had a different outcome.
Ford also stepped up for Wisconsin. Ford’s 13-points was the first game he has reached double figures in since Wisconsin’s win over Rider and his first game in double figures in the Big Ten since Ohio State from earlier in the season.
Ford was hunting for his shot and he attacked when he had the opportunities. He didn’t force anything and the two made three’s by him in the second half represented his only attempts from 3-point range. With Kobe King no longer on the team the Badgers will need for Ford to continue to be aggressive and be able to build off of his performance against the Spartans.
Game MVP: D’Mitrik Trice
Trice may have shot 3-for-12 from the field and 2-for-7 from 3-point range but Trice once again was able to put together a solid outing for the Badgers. He drew the tough assignment of defending Winston and although he did score 23 points he needed 19 field goal attempts. Not to mention when Wisconsin went on its 10-2 run in the second half Trice assisted on two of the four consecutive made field goals. Overall Trice finished the game with 14 points, six rebounds, five assists to one turnover, and one steal.