Wisconsin at Michigan State: how to watch and open thread

As snow starts to dump across the upper Midwest it is looking more and more like a perfect night to stay at home and watch some college basketball. Thankfully there is a B1G double-header on FS1 featuring the Wisconsin Badgers (11-6 overall, 4-2 B1G) at the No. 15 Michigan State Spartans (13-4 overall, 5-1 B1G). The other game is Iowa vs. No. 19 Michigan if you must know.

The Badgers will be looking to push their modest winning streak to three games while the Spartans will be trying to bounce back from last Sunday’s demolition at the hands of the Purdue Boilermakers. Wisconsin has won six of their last eight games and MSU has won seven of their last eight, so these are two teams playing some of their best basketball of the season right now.

Not that it matters this early in the season, but the winner of this game will be in first place in the B1G. Certainly not a position many expected the Badgers to be in here in the middle of January.

The Spartans are still led by senior point guard, and preseason B1G player of the year, Cassius Winston and also have big man Xavier Tillman down low to vacuum up any rebounds. Wisconsin will need D’Mitrik Trice to continue playing solid defense, like he did against Anthony Cowan of Maryland, and hope that Nate Reuvers and Micah Potter don’t get into early foul trouble against Tillman.

How to watch/listen

TV: FS1, 6:00 p.m., CT, Gus Johnson, Donny Marshall

Streaming: FOX Sports Go

Radio/Satellite: 1310 AM, Sirius 83, XM 83; Matt Lepay, Mike Lucas

Live stats: Here!

Arena: Breslin Center, East Lansing, Michigan

Line: Wisconsin +9.5

KenPom Wisconsin win percentage: 27%

Fun facts (according to the media guides)

• Cassius Winston needs four assists to pass Mateen Cleaves for all-time MSU lead.
• Xavier Tillman is one of two players in Division I averaging at least 13.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 blocks. Who is the other one? I don’t know because the MSU media guide didn’t mention it. Smh.
• Nate Reuvers has 121 career blocks, just three shy of tying Rashard Griffith (124) for fourth place in UW history. Reuvers needs just 34 swats to break Ethan Happ’s school record (154).
• The Badgers are making their first trip to East Lansing in almost two years. UW has not won at the Breslin Center since 2004 (68-64 OT).
• Michigan State has won 10 in a row at home over Wisconsin and seven in a row over all.
• Friday’s game will be the 147th meeting all-time between Michigan State and Wisconsin. Michigan State leads the all-time series with Wisconsin, 82-64, including a 49-14 mark at home.
• Brad Davison scored 30 points against Michigan State in a 68-63 loss in 2018. He is averaging 12.0 ppg in 5 career meetings with MSU.
• D’Mitrik Trice’s older brother, Travis, was a 1,000-point scorer at MSU from 2012-15.

Probable starters

Wisconsin

• D’Mitrik Trice, redshirt junior, guard, No. 0
• Aleem Ford, redshirt junior, forward, No. 2
• Kobe King, redshirt sophomore, guard, No. 23
• Brad Davison, junior, guard, No. 34
• Nate Reuvers, junior, forward, No. 35

Michigan State

• Cassius Winston, senior, guard, No. 5
• Aaron Henry, sophomore, forward, No. 11
• Xavier Tillman, junior, forward, No. 23
• Marcus Bingham, sophomore, forward, No. 30
• Gabe Brown, sophomore, forward, No. 44