Wisconsin Blows Past Michigan State as Spartans’ Big Ten Title Hopes Take a Hit
MADISON, WI - Michigan State walked into the Kohl Center on Friday night hoping to rediscover its rhythm and stay in the Big Ten title race. Instead, the Spartans ran into a buzzsaw.
Wisconsin didn’t just beat MSU - the Badgers dismantled them, 92-71, in a game that was never in doubt. From the opening tip to the final buzzer, it was all Wisconsin, and Tom Izzo’s squad looked like a team searching for answers on both ends of the floor.
The loss marks Michigan State’s third in its last four games, and while the season is far from over, this one felt like a gut punch to a team with championship aspirations.
Nick Boyd Leads the Charge
Wisconsin guard Nick Boyd put on a clinic. The transfer guard torched the Spartans for 29 points on 10-of-17 shooting, including 5-of-7 from deep. He was a problem from the jump - hitting from outside, getting downhill, finishing through contact, and playing with a confidence that set the tone early.
Boyd had 20 by halftime, including a deep three off a Michigan State turnover that sent the Kohl Center crowd into a frenzy. That shot capped a first half where the Badgers buried 10 triples and built a commanding 51-34 lead.
Boyd wasn’t alone. Michigan native John Blackwell added 24 points and knocked down four threes of his own.
In total, six different Badgers hit from beyond the arc as Wisconsin finished 15-for-35 from deep. They also turned nine Michigan State turnovers into 21 points - a ruthless display of efficiency.
Defensive Breakdowns and Offensive Struggles
For the Spartans, the issues that have plagued them in recent weeks were on full display again - slow starts, defensive lapses on the perimeter, and an offense that couldn’t find its rhythm.
Wisconsin came out firing, hitting its first five three-point attempts. MSU, meanwhile, looked a step slow on closeouts and rotations. The Spartans have now allowed 10 or more threes in back-to-back games, and their perimeter defense - once a strength - continues to be a glaring vulnerability.
Offensively, Michigan State shot just 36.4% from the field and 8-for-27 from deep. Coen Carr led the way with 19 points on 6-for-10 shooting, and while Jeremy Fears Jr. posted a double-double with 14 points and 12 assists, it was a rough shooting night for the freshman guard. He went just 3-for-12 from the field and struggled to contain Boyd and Blackwell defensively.
Kur Teng and Jordan Scott combined for 23 points but were inefficient, shooting 7-for-25 between them. And inside, the Spartans couldn’t get much going. Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper were largely neutralized by Wisconsin’s physicality and smart defensive rotations.
Kohler, who had been a steady presence all season, finished with just five points and seven rebounds - only one of which came in the second half. He also picked up a hook-and-hold flagrant foul late in the game, a moment that summed up Michigan State’s frustration.
Cooper, meanwhile, was limited by foul trouble and never found a rhythm. He played just 18 minutes and scored six points, struggling to establish position in the paint and defend Wisconsin’s pick-and-pop actions.
Paint Problems and Missed Layups
The Spartans were outscored 28-14 in the paint and made just one of their seven layup attempts. That’s not a typo - one of seven. For a team that prides itself on toughness and finishing at the rim, it was a night to forget.
And while Wisconsin didn’t dominate the glass - the rebounding battle ended even at 38 apiece - the Badgers made their second-chance opportunities count. They scored 11 second-chance points off just five offensive rebounds in the first half alone.
A Familiar Hole
This marked the fifth straight game in which Michigan State found itself in a double-digit hole. Whether it was down 12 at Rutgers, 16 at Minnesota, or 18 here in Madison, the Spartans continue to dig themselves into early deficits - and this time, there was no digging out.
The 24-point lead Wisconsin built midway through the second half was MSU’s largest deficit of the season, and the “overrated” chants from the home crowd only added salt to the wound. For the second time in nine days, opposing fans stormed the court after beating Michigan State - a sign of how far the Spartans have fallen from their early-season form.
What’s Next for the Spartans
Michigan State returns home for a two-game stretch that suddenly feels critical. First up is UCLA on Tuesday, followed by a Sunday matchup with Ohio State. Both games are at Breslin Center, where the Spartans have been more consistent, but the pressure is mounting.
UCLA brings a 17-7 record into the matchup and features a familiar face in Xavier Booker, the former Spartan big man who transferred after last season’s Elite Eight run. Booker will no doubt be motivated to make a statement in his return to East Lansing.
After that, it’s a brutal road swing - at Purdue, at Indiana, then a home finale against Rutgers before closing the regular season at Michigan. If the Spartans want to regain momentum and make a push in March, it has to start now.
Because Friday night in Madison wasn’t just a loss - it was a wake-up call. And the clock is ticking.