Wisconsin Badgers: How Good Are They?

The University of Wisconsin men's basketball team is on a roll.

The Badgers have won six in a row, and are 2-0 to start Big Ten conference play.

Ohio State men's basketball coach Thad Matta summed it up this way: "...they had their way with us."

Can the Badgers continue the outstanding play? That is the question heading into a tough week of play which includes games against Michigan State in East Lansing, and Purdue in the Kohl Center.

The Badgers rolled to an easy victory on New Year's Eve against Ohio State, and another walk in the park Sunday at Penn State.

Going to Michigan State is a horse of a different color. The rivalry between the Badgers and Spartans has heated up over the last eight years, ever since the arrival of Wisconsin coach, Bo Ryan.

Something has to give in this matchup, as Michigan State is first in the conference in points scored per game, at 82.4, while Wisconsin is first in scoring defense, only allowing 56.4 points per game, and 46.4 points per contest over their last five.

One of the keys to Wisconsin winning against Michigan State lies in the ability of guards Trevon Hughes and Jordan Taylor to limit turnovers and to lockdown on Michigan State guards Korie Lucious and Kalin Lucas.

Lucas averages 16.1 points and over four assists per game while Lucious averages only 6.1 points, but adds another four assists per game.

If Wisconsin can pressure them with the tenacity that has become a trademark of Badger basketball, they will have a chance to walk away with a "w."

The other big key will be shooting percentage and shot selection. The success of the Badgers is predicated on forcing the opponent to take low percentage shots, and in turn taking high percentage shots.

MSU is first in the conference in field goal percentage, shooting .507 from the floor, while the Badgers are second in the conference in defensive field goal percentage, holding opponents to a .390 pace.

Should the Badgers keep MSU down to about .400, they will have a good shot at winning this game.

Notes

•Bo Ryan enters this conference game against Michigan State with the best winning percentage in Big Ten history.

•Badgers guard Jordan Taylor has provided a spark off the bench behind Jason Bohannon. Taylor is averaging 12 points per contest over the last six games, and scoring in double figures in five of the last seven.

•Taylor leads the conference in assist to turnover ratio at 3.32 to one per game.