When It Comes to Playing Michigan State, Wisconsin Needs An Inside-Out Game

MADISON, Wis. - Which came first, the chicken or the egg? It’s an age-old question, and a fun topic of debate, but it’s moot because you can’t have one without the other.

Tomorrow, No.8 Wisconsin is facing its own chicken vs. egg crisis. Historically, when it comes to playing Michigan State, is holding your own in the post or establishing a presence on the perimeter of more vital importance?

The answer is the same as the barnyard foul, you must have both to make the process work. The Badgers (15-2, 6-1 Big Ten) have found that out the hard way.

During Wisconsin’s eight-game losing streak against the Spartans, dating from February 2016 to January 2020, Michigan State outrebounded UW all eight meetings and did so by an average of 10 per game (40.3 to 30.3). The Spartans took away the perimeter, too, holding them to 25.2 percent (39-for-155) on 3-point shots, leading to long rebounds and transition opportunities that consistently plagued Wisconsin.

Not surprisingly, Michigan State (14-3, 5-1) is second in the league in 3-point percentage defense, holding teams to 29.1 percent shooting and tied for third with a 7.4 rebounding margin.

“We’ve had a quite bit of success the last couple weeks, we’ve got a cool number next to our name, (but) we’ve got a pretty big target on our back,” senior Brad Davison said. “We’ve got to attack first. We got to stay aggressive. We can’t be content.”

Attacking the lane was critical to Wisconsin ending Michigan State’s winning streak, much like it has been on its current seven-game run.

While the Spartans still outrebounded Wisconsin when the Badgers beat them twice in 2020 (at home in February and in East Lansing on Christmas), the combined total was only five boards. Michigan State’s offensive rebounds were also slashed, going from an average of 11.4 to 8.5 per game. The Spartans only scored five second-chance points at the Kohl Center two years ago and had just six fast-break points last year.

The two wins were buoyed by UW stretching the floor from hitting perimeter shots. The Badgers hit eight 3-pointers in each of the last two games against the Spartans, something they haven’t against them since hitting 13 in the 2015 Big Ten tournament championship.

“It’s our goal to play inside out,” Davison said. “We really want to put pressure on the rim, but also they got to take away something. If they want to take away the rim, they’re going to give up 3-point shots.”

In Michigan State’s home loss to Northwestern Saturday, the Spartans (14-3, 5-1) were outrebounded, 40-35, that included a 17-8 edge on the offensive glass (10 coming in the second half). Those extra opportunities led to 16 second-chance points and 28 points in the paint, the fourth straight game Michigan State has been outscored in the lane.

“(Saturday was) about as poor as I have since I’ve taken this job.” said MSU coach Tom Izzo, who has had the job since the 1995-96 season. “That's one of the things we pride ourselves on."

In UW’s 82-76 win at Northwestern Tuesday, the Badgers outrebounded the Wildcats, 36-35, and have shown a greater tenacious in the paint on their current win streak.

“We hit them in the mouth (physically) right away,” said guard Johnny Davis, one of four starters averaging over four rebounds per game. “That’s our mentality going into every game is to never be outworked, be the hardest working team out there.”

The willingness to attack in the low post has grown Wisconsin’s outside presence, which appeared to be one of the offense’s weakest areas in the middle of last week. The Badgers entered their Jan.13 game against No.17 Ohio State shooting 29.4 percent from the perimeter, having made six or fewer threes and shooting under 30 percent in six of the previous seven games.

In the last two games, UW is 19-for-40 from the perimeter (47.5 percent) with three players having made at least three.

“When we start knocking down threes, it starts expanding our offense,” freshman Chucky Hepburn said. “It gives our guards enough time to penetrate, and we can also give it to our bigs. (Hitting perimeter shots) spaces out the bigs, too.”

Hepburn’s not kidding. Of the 19 3-pointers Wisconsin has made the last two games, 17 of the makes have been credited with an assist, mostly coming from passes from the low post. Against Northwestern, the only one of the nine 3-pointers Wisconsin hit that didn’t have an assist credited to it was Hepburn’s 3-point half-court bank shot as time expired in the first half.

“(Touching the post) is something we’ve always emphasized,” head coach Greg Gard said. “Everybody shoots threes better when the ball comes inside out because you got ten toes to the target and you’re ready. It’s how everybody practices in the driveway growing up. We’ve done a better job of getting into the paint and then make the decision from there.”

The perimeter surge is also tied into players starting to get comfortable with taking rhythm shots with game speed in game surroundings. Of the 15 UW players suiting up for games, only four – Davison, Jahcobi Neath, Chris Vogt, and Tyler Wahl – have played college basketball in venues with no capacity restrictions on fans in the stands.

“For a lot of them, this is their first time with that many fans in the stands,” assistant coach Dean Oliver said. “It’s expected that you’re not going to shoot early on and get more comfortable as you go. Shot selection is a big piece with that, starting to learn what kind of threes to take and when to take them. When you’re comfortable, you’re going to knock those down.”

The Spartans haven’t played since its disappointing performance against the Wildcats, a game in which is held the Wildcats to only 34.8 percent shooting but suffered because of its lack of aggression on the glass and committing 17 turnovers.

Against a Spartans team that has been stewing for a week, UW likely won’t be able to pick between the chicken or the egg.

“You never want to live and die on that three-point shot,” Oliver said. “A lot of teams do. That’s not us. We want to make enough to keep teams honest and certain nights, some guys are going to hit a bunch of them. We have guys with the capability.”

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