3 reasons Michigan State basketball will upset No. 18 Wisconsin

Michigan State basketball should pick up a signature road win against No. 18 Wisconsin on Tuesday night. And here’s why.

Tom Izzo and Michigan State basketball will be on the road on Tuesday night to face one of the better teams in the Big Ten: No. 18 Wisconsin.

The Badgers are sitting at 11-3 overall and 3-1 in the conference and the winner of this game will move into a first-place tie with Purdue atop the standings.

Here’s why I think that winner will be Michigan State.

1. MSU will win the rebounding battle convincingly

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Wisconsin is a poor rebounding team. I think the Badgers are still a solid team, but they average just 32 board per game and if they’re without their second-leading rebounder (Tyler Wahl), that number is going to be even worse against MSU.

Michigan State has rebounded the ball much better in recent games and that’s going to continue against the Badgers who don’t really have a guy who can go up and get the ball with regularity like the Spartans do.

Mady Sissoko, Joey Hauser, and even Malik Hall will make sure this rebounding battle isn’t close.

2. (Potentially) No Tyler Wahl

Updated our story on #Badgers forward Tyler Wahl. He was held out again today and is unlikely to play Tuesday vs. MSU. https://t.co/zuhZ4vAAVN

— Jeff Potrykus (@jaypo1961) January 9, 2023

Wahl missed the Illinois game and it led to a 10-point loss and it’s reported that he’s “unlikely to play” on Tuesday night against Michigan State. Other reports have stated that he’s a game-time decision. My guess is he will play after not practicing all week because I’m a cynical MSU fan, but the Wisconsin side doesn’t seem optimistic.

That’s big for Michigan State because Wahl is the Badgers’ best player and they already have a thin rotation with about 7-8 guys playing decent minutes. Only seven players average 10-plus minutes per game.

If Wahl is out, that takes away Wisconsin’s leading scorer and makes the Badgers’ already-average offense just that much less effective against an improving MSU defense.

3. Veterans won’t crumble in hostile environment

One thing Michigan State does have that should help massively on the road is a veteran presence. Guys like Hall, Hauser, AJ Hoggard, Tyson Walker, and even Mady Sissoko have been in environments like these before so they know not to let the crowd get the best of them.

It may seem like an insignificant reason, but the best teams are often led by veterans who don’t get shaken on the road.