Here’s 1 Favorable Path MSU Can Take to Beat Washington

The West Coast was not very kind to Michigan State last year. MSU will be looking for a better start to this year’s trip.

First up for the Spartans is a clash with Washington. Saturday’s game (6 p.m. ET, BTN) will only be the eighth all-time meeting between Michigan State and the Huskies, with MSU holding a 5-2 advantage. The Spartans’ only prior trip to face UW in Seattle was way back in December 1957.

Michigan State's Coen Carr checks the scoreboard during a game against Indiana at the Breslin Center on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Washington is a team that does have more talent than its record reveals. The Huskies are 10-7 overall and 2-4 during Big Ten play. Michigan State enters ranked 12th nationally at 15-2 and 5-1, respectively.

Let’s go in-depth into one specific part of this matchup that seems to favor the Spartans and will be a crucial part of the final result.

MSU Must Force UW to Perimeter

Washington Huskies guard Quimari Peterson (0) runs back after a three-pointer during the second half of their game in the Acrisure Series in Palm Desert, Calif., Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. | Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Washington does not like shooting very many three-pointers. That’s partially just because the Huskies aren’t very good at them. They only make 31.5% of their attempts from beyond the arc, which is 285th in Division I, as of Friday.

Just 33.9% of UW’s field goal attempts have been from three this season, according to KenPom. That’s pretty far beneath the D-I average of 39.7%. Washington’s percentage ultimately ranks 302nd in college basketball.

That’s going to be a much different story than usual for Michigan State’s defense. The Spartans are among the best at forcing their opponents to settle for three-pointers. MSU’s opponents take 47.4% of their shots from the perimeter, which is the 15th-highest number in D-I. Those opponents have made 30.4% of those threes, which ranks 57th.

The Spartans have also had a recent string of opponents who take a lot of opponents. Three of Michigan State’s last five opponents rank in the top 15 nationally in three-point attempt percentage. Those teams MSU faced are Cornell (ninth, 51.6%), Nebraska (10th, 51.3%), and Indiana (13th, 50.6%).

Michigan State's Jaxon Kohler shoots a free throw during a game against Indiana at the Breslin Center on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

A reason for that is how good and disciplined Michigan State been all season defensively. KenPom ranks the Spartans second nationally on that side of the court. Big men Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper don’t give up many looks down low, and having an elite on-ball defender in Jeremy Fears Jr. forces keeps opposing teams from getting much dribble penetration.

That keeps teams out in an east-to-west offense, rather than north-to-south. If MSU continues to stay solid in its gap defense, Washington will likely end up taking more threes than it desires to do. Given its season-long percentage, the odds will be in the Spartans’ favor.

Tom Izzo, Jeremy Fears Jr. — Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo (left) has a conversation with guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (right) during a game against the San Jose State Spartans on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

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