MSU's Izzo Sees Big Challenge Ahead for Spartans at Wisconsin
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EAST LANSING, Mich. --- Don't let Wisconsin's current status as an unranked foe fool you; the Badgers are one of the better teams in the Big Ten.
That message is especially clear for Michigan State following Tuesday night, when Wisconsin went and took down No. 8 Illinois on the road in overtime. UW has also won a game at now-No. 2 Michigan and currently sits at 9-4 during Big Ten play. Playing in Madison is no easy task, either.
"Going on the road is always difficult," Tom Izzo said during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. "Going to Wisconsin has been the kind of [big-time] games that we've played over the years. It's one of the better places to play in the league."
Izzo talked about the current state of his team and shared his thoughts on this Badgers squad in-depth during that press conference. A full video of Izzo's presser has been provided below.
Watch Tom Izzo Here:
More on Upcoming Game
One of the things Izzo was raving about is Wisconsin's backcourt. The Badgers have a pair of phenomenal guards that really are the engine of their offense. Point guard Nick Boyd leads the team at 20.2 points per game, and two-man John Blackwell is right behind him, averaging 18.7 points a contest.
"They've got maybe the best backcourt duo in Boyd and Blackwell, not even in the [Big Ten], but I think one of the better ones in the country," Izzo said. "Boyd is quick and gets a lot of things done, and Blackwell is, unfortunately, if I wasn't playing against him, I think he's one of my favorite players. Because he guards it, he's tough, he's strong, he gets to the rim, he can shoot threes, he can pass it. He's definitely one of the better players in the league."
Something that Michigan State will have to watch out for is avoiding foul trouble. Boyd and Blackwell are both adept at getting to the line, both averaging about six free throw attempts per contest. It's imperative that Jeremy Fears Jr. and Jordan Scott, perhaps MSU's two most valuable players lately, are able to guard without fouling.
Boyd and Blackwell have combined to shoot more than half of Wisconsin's free throws this season. Izzo said he'd like to see Fears start getting over ball screens without any help from one of the Spartans' big men being required. MSU still wants to play tough, aggressive defense, though, so that balancing act will be difficult.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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