One could almost think that home wins over top-10 teams and dominating Michigan State outside of East Lansing might lose a bit of their luster with how common it has become for Wisconsin.
The No. 16 Badgers' 67-49 win over No. 5 MSU gave the home team its third Kohl Center triumph against an opponent ranked that high. Despite the achievement, Wisconsin's players have taken a more even-keeled approach to the big victories.
""It's nice to beat teams like that at home that have a lot of talent, and obviously are really highly touted all the way from one down to nine. But at the same time, it's just one game"" sophomore guard Jordan Taylor said. ""We've just got to go to the next game, keep trying to get better, can't dwell on one game.""
The crowd on the other hand could not get enough of the home team working over the Spartans, running Bo Ryan's record against MSU head coach Tom Izzo to 7-0 in Madison. Unpublishable chants rang through the arena as the clock ticked down in the second half.
Wisconsin's offense hummed all night against a Spartan defense that was not at its best according to Izzo.
""I thought they ran their swing a lot more than they've been running it and yet they've added a detention to their game and they run more ball screens now at the end of shot clocks,"" Izzo said. ""But I thought that was as bad as we've played ... we didn't play very tough or very aggressive and that was disappointing.""
One aspect of that swing, apparent in the middle of the game, was Wisconsin guards being active when they took opponents onto the block.
Three Badger guards, Hughes, Taylor and Wilson, took turns taking Spartans down low, often finding success. Although the swing offense often calls for guards to post up their backcourt counterparts, Tuesday night may have been their most assertive game of the season on that front.
""They got open a few times,"" Ryan said of his guards. ""And that always is one phase of the swing that if you can get some action off of that it helps create some other openings too.""
Wisconsin finished with 24 points in the paint. Wilson was especially active around the basket, both in the post and getting open off the ball for dump-off passes from driving teammates. The sophomore hit all five of his shots, most coming near the rim.
""I'd say five-for-five is a pretty good floor game. A tip-in, a couple power moves, a lay-up around the basket, he's tough driving into the lane, he's got that little floater"" Ryan said of Wilson, who played sparingly earlier in the year. ""He was doing so well for the scout team coaches, I had to take him over to my side because I hate to lose.""
Wilson finished with 10 points and four rebounds.
The Spartan offense also sputtered, connecting on just over 41 percent of its shots before a slew of quick ones outside of the offense in the final minutes dragged the percentage down even further. Michigan State turned the ball over at crucial times while Wisconsin caused problems in the two most efficient scoring areas on the floor: near the basket and beyond the arc.
Ryan threw out smaller players at four of his five positions for much of the night, but his squad managed to hold Michigan State's top inside players, senior Raymar Morgan, sophomore Delvon Roe and sophomore Draymond Green, to just 7-of-16 shooting. That becomes more meaningful since all three of Green's field goals were jump shots from mid-range.
The Spartan's came to Madison with a penchant for shying away from three point shots and the Badgers hardly gave them room to breathe coming off screens on the outside. Wisconsin players consistently chased the Spartans through their offensive sets, getting a hand up and preventing open perimeter looks.
