The highest-scoring trio in the nation lived up to their billing Thursday night, as Michigan State's 'Big Three' combined for 64 points and powered the Spartans (20-9 overall, 8-7 Big Ten) to a 74-65 victory over Wisconsin.
Without the services of now-ineligible Greg Stiemsma and Marcus Landry, who helped limit Spartan center Paul Davis (31 points, 6 rebounds) to a season-low two points in the team's first meeting this season, the Badgers had no answer inside for the Michigan State big man, who dominated all night with a variety of post moves and a smooth mid-range jumper.
The Badgers (19-9 overall, 9-6 Big Ten) were also unable to stop the Michigan State transition game, as Spartan point guard Drew Nietzel repeatedly pushed the ball off Badger misses, setting up open looks for the athletic guard duo of Shannon Brown and Maurice Ager.
Wisconsin had trouble scoring all night, as junior forward Alando Tucker was the only Badger in double figures with 23. Junior guard Kammron Taylor had a particularly tough night, scoring only nine points on 4 of 12 shooting, including being shut out from behind the arc, and was routinely serenaded with chants of 'airball' from the Michigan State fans.
Unlike the Badgers' victory over the Spartans in January, this time it was Wisconsin jumping out to an early lead, often critical to success on the road. After possessing a 9-4 lead, one which they quickly lost, senior forward Ray Nixon nailed a 3-pointer from the corner to give the Badgers their largest lead of the game at 23-13.
However, once Davis re-entered the game after sitting with early foul trouble, the lead quickly vanished as the Spartans quickly ripped off a 9-0 run to nearly erase the gap. With Tucker forced to sit at the end of the half with foul trouble, the Badgers quickly lost their offensive rhythm and trailed 35-31 at the half.
In the second, the Spartans quickly built their lead, and after junior guard Shannon Brown banked in a three as the shot clock expired, they led 48-36. But the young Badgers remained composed in the raucous Breslin Center and closed the gap to five. But ultimately, the Badgers' inability to slow down the Spartans' Big Three and hit their free throws prevented them grabbing the lead.
After its victory last week over Minnesota, in which they shot season highs in nearly every free-throw category, including 81 percent, Wisconsin shot 11 of 19, good for only 58 percent. Particularly damaging were three consecutive Tucker misses that would have cut the Spartan lead to one with 5:12 left to play.
