Artis Gilmore
01-08-2006, 12:10 PM
(7) Michigan St. (12-3) vs. Wisconsin (11-2)
Preview - Box Score - Recap
Game Info: 1:30 pm EST Sun Jan 8, 2006
TV:CBS
The Kohl Center isn't a good place to regroup from a disappointing loss.
That's what Michigan State faces on Sunday when it goes to one of the Big Ten's toughest venues for visiting teams as it takes on Wisconsin.
The seventh-ranked Spartans (12-3, 0-1) are looking to bounce back from a 60-50 loss to No. 6 Illinois in their Big Ten opener on Thursday.
To avoid a second straight loss to begin conference play, Michigan State must become just the second Big Ten team -- besides the host Badgers (11-2, 1-0) -- ever to win at the Kohl Center in the Bo Ryan era.
Wisconsin is 32-1 in conference games at home since Ryan became coach, the only loss coming to then-No. 1 Illinois last season. Overall, the Badgers are 66-3 at the Kohl Center during Ryan's five-year tenure.
Michigan State saw its 11-game winning streak snapped on Thursday thanks to frustrating defense by the Illini and a dominating performance by guard Dee Brown.
While having no answer for Brown, who scored a career-high 34 points, the Spartans were held to their lowest point total since a 72-50 loss to Duke on Dec. 3, 2003.
"This was a Dee Brown night," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "I think it was one of the most incredible performances I've seen."
The Spartans could never find the rhythm they demonstrated during their winning streak. Michigan State shot a season-worst 36.2 percent from the field and wasn't able to get its fast break going.
"I did not feel that we were in sync," Izzo said. "I think you have to give Illinois some credit for that but I also think you have to give us some blame."
Shannon Brown led Michigan State with 17 points, but Maurice Ager was held to nine, well below his team-leading average of 21.1 per game. Ager came into the game as the Big Ten's leading scorer.
"A lot of times we played right into their hands," said Ager, who was 3-of-8 from the field. "I feel if I would have played halfway decent we would have come out with the victory."
The Spartans have a difficult stretch to begin conference play, with seven of their first 11 games away from East Lansing.
Wisconsin, which reached No. 24 in the rankings last week but fell out of the Top 25 following a 73-64 loss to Pittsburgh on Dec. 31, beat Iowa 66-52 in its Big Ten opener on Thursday night.
The Badgers got 27 points from Alando Tucker and held the Hawkeyes to 16.7 percent shooting in the second half. Iowa missed its first 13 shots after the break and finished the half 5-for-30 from the field.
"I'd like to say at halftime we made an adjustment, we did this, we did that, but you wouldn't buy it anyhow," Ryan said. "We played the same way we did in the first half, only we played it better."
Wisconsin got good production off the bench from center Greg Stiemsma. The 6-foot-11 sophomore didn't take a shot, but he had five blocks, four rebounds, four assists and three steals.
"He could have scored minus-3 points and it wouldn't have mattered when you have that many assists and that many blocks," Ryan said. "Wow. He did a lot of good things."
Michigan State leads the all-time series 64-53. The Spartans snapped a six-game losing streak to the Badgers with a 77-64 win last season.
We better win this game.
Preview - Box Score - Recap
Game Info: 1:30 pm EST Sun Jan 8, 2006
TV:CBS
The Kohl Center isn't a good place to regroup from a disappointing loss.
That's what Michigan State faces on Sunday when it goes to one of the Big Ten's toughest venues for visiting teams as it takes on Wisconsin.
The seventh-ranked Spartans (12-3, 0-1) are looking to bounce back from a 60-50 loss to No. 6 Illinois in their Big Ten opener on Thursday.
To avoid a second straight loss to begin conference play, Michigan State must become just the second Big Ten team -- besides the host Badgers (11-2, 1-0) -- ever to win at the Kohl Center in the Bo Ryan era.
Wisconsin is 32-1 in conference games at home since Ryan became coach, the only loss coming to then-No. 1 Illinois last season. Overall, the Badgers are 66-3 at the Kohl Center during Ryan's five-year tenure.
Michigan State saw its 11-game winning streak snapped on Thursday thanks to frustrating defense by the Illini and a dominating performance by guard Dee Brown.
While having no answer for Brown, who scored a career-high 34 points, the Spartans were held to their lowest point total since a 72-50 loss to Duke on Dec. 3, 2003.
"This was a Dee Brown night," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "I think it was one of the most incredible performances I've seen."
The Spartans could never find the rhythm they demonstrated during their winning streak. Michigan State shot a season-worst 36.2 percent from the field and wasn't able to get its fast break going.
"I did not feel that we were in sync," Izzo said. "I think you have to give Illinois some credit for that but I also think you have to give us some blame."
Shannon Brown led Michigan State with 17 points, but Maurice Ager was held to nine, well below his team-leading average of 21.1 per game. Ager came into the game as the Big Ten's leading scorer.
"A lot of times we played right into their hands," said Ager, who was 3-of-8 from the field. "I feel if I would have played halfway decent we would have come out with the victory."
The Spartans have a difficult stretch to begin conference play, with seven of their first 11 games away from East Lansing.
Wisconsin, which reached No. 24 in the rankings last week but fell out of the Top 25 following a 73-64 loss to Pittsburgh on Dec. 31, beat Iowa 66-52 in its Big Ten opener on Thursday night.
The Badgers got 27 points from Alando Tucker and held the Hawkeyes to 16.7 percent shooting in the second half. Iowa missed its first 13 shots after the break and finished the half 5-for-30 from the field.
"I'd like to say at halftime we made an adjustment, we did this, we did that, but you wouldn't buy it anyhow," Ryan said. "We played the same way we did in the first half, only we played it better."
Wisconsin got good production off the bench from center Greg Stiemsma. The 6-foot-11 sophomore didn't take a shot, but he had five blocks, four rebounds, four assists and three steals.
"He could have scored minus-3 points and it wouldn't have mattered when you have that many assists and that many blocks," Ryan said. "Wow. He did a lot of good things."
Michigan State leads the all-time series 64-53. The Spartans snapped a six-game losing streak to the Badgers with a 77-64 win last season.
We better win this game.