Wisconsin vs. Michigan State Prediction: Can Steven Crowl, Badgers Cover on the Road?
The No. 23 Wisconsin Badgers to take on the un-ranked Michigan State Spartans on tonight's college hoops slate. Can Steven Crowl and the Badgers cover on the road?
Ben Rajavuori - December 5, 2023, 4:42 PM EST
5 minWisconsin vs. Michigan State Prediction: Can Steven Crowl, Badgers Cover on the Road?
The No. 23 Wisconsin Badgers travel to East Lansing, Michigan, to take on the un-ranked Michigan State Spartans. The Spartans started the season ranked fourth in the nation, a ranking that quickly was erased after the Spartans went 4-3 to start the season. The Badgers started the season un-ranked and are now ranked 23rd after beating Marquette last time out. Can the Spartans cover as five-point favorites or will the Badgers cover on the road?
Wisconsin vs. Michigan State Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: December 5, 2023
- Game Time: 7:00 pm ET
- Where to Watch: Peacock
Wisconsin vs. Michigan State Prediction
Tom Izzo and the Spartans have had a tumultuous start to the season. They opened the year with an overtime loss to James Madison at home, then fell to 1-2 after losing to Duke 74-65 in game three. They won the next two before falling to Arizona 74-68. Out of the two quad-one games they have played, they are 0-2, and Wisconsin will be their third quad-one game of the season.
While Michigan State brought back Tyson Walker, AJ Hoggard, and Malik Hall, they lost Joey Hauser. Hauser was just under Walker for the leading scorer with his 14.4 points per game to Walker's 14.8. Walker and Hauser led the offense, and while they have brought back the rest of their talented players, I think we are seeing a hole left by Hauser early on this season.
On the Wisconsin side, they have returned every key player from last year, and this group has played together for years now, as four of the five starters are upperclassmen who have played all their years at Wisconsin. The only new addition is AJ Storr, a transfer from St. John's, who has quickly taken Madison, Wisconsin, by storm, as he leads the team with 13.3 points per game. Storr is a crafty guard/forward hybrid who can play and score all over the floor, and he is good at drawing fouls and getting to the line.
I am very high on this Wisconsin team for the 2023-2024 season. Steven Crowl, Tyler Wahl, and Chucky Hepburn are an extremely experienced group who have played together for years now and have chemistry. Wahl is in his fifth year, and Storr is an excellent addition to this team. They rank top 20 in both offense and defense, and they do not turn the ball over much, while forcing turnovers at a high rate. They also rebound well, as they rank 27th in average height.
It can be scary to back a ranked underdog against an un-ranked team, but I'll go with the scary side and take Wisconsin. This is too many points against a shaky Michigan State team that has not started the season well after entering the season ranked fourth overall. Wisconsin may lose, but this will be a close game, and I love getting five points with the road side.
Wisconsin vs. Michigan State Pick
Pick: Wisconsin +5 -110 Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
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