The home team has won 14 of the last 16 games between the two teams.
Wisconsin ranks second in the nation in fewest turnovers (8.3). This is very important against the Tom Izzo pressure defense.

Averaging 73.6 points per game, this is the highest scoring Badger team under Bo Ryan. Keith Appling will miss this game. He is very key for MSU. Appling, a 6-foot-1 senior from Detroit, has developed into one of the better point guards in the country. He is the catalyst for Michigan State, pushing the ball in transition and utilizing ball-screens in the half-court. This season, he is averaging 15.0 points and 4.9 assists while shooting better than 40 percent from 3-point range.

It is the second game in four years he will be out. The first was last game in which MSU could rally around, but it is generally the second game in which teams truly miss stars.

The Badgers are better than they have shown, but now have a big home game to rally around. Time and time again, that is the best remedy for quality squads.