In East Lansing, Michigan, Jaden Akins emerged as a leading scorer with 19 points, and Jaxon Kohler contributed notably with 10 points and an impressive 16 rebounds, marking his career high, to steer No. 8 Michigan State towards a 71-62 victory over No. 11 Wisconsin on Sunday.
With this win, the Spartans (24-5, 15-3 Big Ten) have extended their winning streak to five games and have edged closer to vying for the conference championship as the regular season enters its final week. Meanwhile, the Badgers (22-7, 12-6) came into the match with a strong record, having secured victories in six of their last seven games.
Michigan State’s freshman Jase Richardson, despite grappling with foul issues in the first half, managed to end the game with 11 points, six assists, and five rebounds. On the Wisconsin side, John Blackwell recorded 19 points, while John Tonje added 11 points to the scoreboard, stepping up in the absence of injured guard Max Klesmit.
Initially, Wisconsin managed to establish a nine-point lead and were slightly ahead at halftime, leading 34-32. However, with the second half underway, Richardson’s well-rounded performance enabled the Spartans to gain an early foothold and seize control of the game.
One of the significant takeaways from the game was Wisconsin’s sharp shooter Tonje, who, despite several attempts, was restricted to just 11 points during the latter half of the game, falling short of his usual average of 19.5 points per game. On Michigan State’s side, Coen Carr, while scoring a modest four points, ignited the crowd with his electrifying dunks, offering the Spartans much-needed momentum at crucial times.
A pivotal moment in the game unfolded over a brief 17-second period where Richardson not only managed two assists but also a critical steal, propelling Michigan State into a nine-point lead with just 1 minute and 26 seconds remaining.
A striking statistic from the game was Wisconsins’ 3-point shooting. Known for their prowess from beyond the arc, the Badgers entered the match with a league-best 38% success rate, averaging nearly 11 successful 3-pointers per game. However, during this matchup, they only managed 5 of 32 attempts from long range.
Looking ahead, Michigan State is set to face Iowa on Thursday night before concluding their regular season at home in a pivotal match against 15th ranked rival Michigan on Sunday. This could possibly have significant implications in the Big Ten title race. On the other hand, Wisconsin is gearing up for their encounter with Minnesota on Wednesday night, followed by their regular season finale against Penn State at home on Saturday.
