Both teams ignite from thrilling OT wins. Can Michigan State's Fears outduel Wisconsin's scoring duo in a high-octane Big Ten clash?
WHO: No. 10 Michigan State Spartans (20-4, 10-3) vs. Wisconsin Badgers (17-7, 9-4)
WHEN: Friday, February 13, 8 PM EST
WHERE: Kohl Center, Madison, WI
WATCH: FOX
What do the Spartans and Badgers have in common? They’re both entering Friday’s showdown coming off overtime wins over Illinois.
Last Saturday, the Spartans and Fighting Illini delivered an instant classic. Ultimately, Michigan State pulled out a gritty 87-84 OT thriller — blood on the floor, nothing held back. A few days later, Illinois went right back to work hosting Wisconsin. There, the Badgers said, “Hold my beer,” and topped it with a 92-90 overtime win of their own.
Now, the two teams responsible for knocking off Illinois in back-to-back games meet in what suddenly feels like a round-robin championship between the three.
The Spartans come into this one riding the emotional high of that win over Illinois — a game that felt close to must-win territory. Sure, a loss wouldn’t have ended the season, but it might’ve felt like it. Michigan State had dropped its previous two games heading into that showdown, including a frustrating road loss to a lowly Minnesota squad. Before that? An overtime escape against Rutgers that felt like it belonged to the Scarlet Knights until the final seconds and OT, when the Spartans finally pulled away.
Those three games painted a grim picture for Spartan faithful. The Illinois win? A full-blown defibrillator to the season.
Michigan State is led by Jeremy Fears, who was just named to the Wooden Award Late Midseason Top-20 list. Fears averages over 15 points per game, but he’s been on an absolute tear lately — over 19 points per game in his last 12 and 24 per game over his last four.
And he’s not just a scorer.
Fears leads not only the Big Ten, but the entire nation, averaging 9.1 assists per game. He currently sits tied for 20th all-time in Big Ten single-season assists with 219. With eight games left, if he maintains roughly nine per game, he’d reach 291 assists — tying Cassius Winston for the most in a single season in Michigan State history and ranking third all-time in Big Ten history, just one shy of Braden Smith’s 292 in 2023-24. (Smith set the all-time record the following season with 313.)
Fears and the Spartans will have their hands full Friday against a surging Wisconsin squad.
The Badgers are 8-2 in their last 10 games. Their two losses? A combined three points. Two of those eight wins came against ranked teams — including No. 8 Illinois and the lone team to beat Michigan this season.
Wisconsin is no joke.
Led by Nick Boyd (20.2 PPG) and John Blackwell (18.7 PPG), the Badgers can score in bunches. They’re tied for 46th nationally at 83.3 points per game. They let it fly from deep and they don’t hesitate. Wisconsin ranks 11th in the country, averaging 11 made threes per game.
Prediction:
This has all the ingredients of another instant classic.
Michigan State has struggled in true road environments. Outside of a clean two-game West Coast stretch, the Spartans have stumbled on the road against Iowa, Penn State, Rutgers, and Minnesota. A Friday night at Kohl Center is a different animal.
To win, Michigan State will need to value the basketball and limit the rash turnovers that have haunted them at times. Wisconsin lives and dies by the three. If the Spartans let them get comfortable beyond the arc, it could snowball quickly.
Defensively, Michigan State must come out hungry. Offensively, they can’t afford to dig an early hole and expect to climb out of it in the second half.
Wisconsin is starting to feel less like just a solid basketball team and more like Gorr the God Butcher — slaying ranked opponents whenever one crosses its path.
Both teams will want this one badly. Expect hard-fought, football-style basketball. Expect bodies on the floor. And honestly?
Don’t be surprised if we’re watching overtime again.
Prediction - OT
Michigan State - 90
Wisconsin - 88