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**StarDust Bum** · 02-06-2011, 11:56 AM

Struggling MSU travels to Wisconsin as +8.5 Dog

MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS (13-9, 5-5 in Big Ten)

at WISCONSIN BADGERS (16-5, 6-3 in Big Ten)

Tip-off: Sunday, 1:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Wisconsin -8.5, Total: 124

No. 19 Wisconsin looks to extend its home winning streak to 16 games when it hosts struggling Michigan State on Sunday afternoon.

The Badgers have won their 12 home games this season by an average of 19.9 PPG and are coming off a 66-59 victory over Purdue at the Kohl Center on Tuesday night. In their home contests this season, Wisconsin is averaging 75.2 PPG on 47.5% FG and holding opponents to 55.3 PPG on 39.4% FG. The Badgers are once again relying on a strong defense and limited offensive mistakes to earn victories. Wisconsin owns the nation's third-best scoring defense (56.1 PPG) and it leads the country in fewest turnovers with a mere 7.8 TO per game. The Badgers are led by the combination of Jon Leuer (19.4 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 44.8% three-pointers) and Jordan Taylor (17.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 4.5 APG, 40.0% three-pointers). Leuer recorded his third double-double of the season and fifth of his career with 24 points and a career-high 13 rebounds against the Boilermakers. He has scored in double figures in every game this season, and has hit at least 20 in three of his past five contests. Taylor added 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists, but shot just 4-of-13 from the field versus Purdue. In his past two meetings with Michigan State, he's averaged 19.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. In its January matchup with the Spartans, a 64-61 Michigan State victory in overtime, Taylor posted 21 points and seven rebounds, while Leuer, who has averaged 15.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in his past two games against MSU, added 10 points and seven boards.

Michigan State has dropped four of its past five games, including four consecutive on the road, and is looking to rebound from a 72-52 embarrassment at Iowa on Wednesday. The Spartans, who are currently on an eight-game ATS losing streak, allowed the Hawkeyes to shoot 57.7% (30-of-52) for the game, while hitting only 33.9% (19-of-56) of their shots. Leading scorer Kalin Lucas, (15.6 PPG, 38.7% three-pointers) had 17 points against Iowa, despite shooting 5-for-16 from the field, while second-leading scorer Durrell Summers (13.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 39.1% three-pointers) had only six points on 2-of-7 shooting. Summers is just 23-of-65 (35.4%) from the field in his past seven games. Draymond Green (13.2 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 4.0 APG, 41.9% three-pointers) and Lucas were the only two players who scored in double digits for the Spartans in the first meeting with Wisconsin. Green finished with 26 points and nine boards, while Lucas chipped in with 17 and six assists, but shot just 4-of-17 from the floor. Michigan State's only win since Jan. 18 came in overtime against Indiana, 84-83, on Jan. 30. The Spartans have not won a game in regulation in more than a month (Jan. 3 at Northwestern).

Not counting Big Ten Tournament games, the home team has won each of the past 11 meetings in the series. MSU holds a 69-59 edge in the all-time matchup, but Wisconsin has a 42-22 edge in games played in Madison. The Badgers have won five of the past eight meetings between the schools and are 8-3 SU (7-3-1 ATS) in the past 11 games they’ve hosted the Spartans. Michigan State is 6-15 ATS overall this season, including 3-8 ATS away from home and 2-8 ATS in Big Ten play. The Badgers are 11-6 ATS overall, 6-2 ATS at home and 6-3 ATS against conference foes. The FoxSheets provide two more reasons to stay away from MSU and to put your money on Wisconsin to win and cover the big spread on Sunday.

MICHIGAN STATE is 0-8 ATS (-8.8 Units) after 2 consecutive conference games this season. The average score was MICHIGAN STATE 66.0, OPPONENT 70.9 - (Rating = 4*).

Tom Izzo is 5-17 ATS (22.7%, -13.7 Units) in road games off a road loss as the coach of MICHIGAN STATE. The average score was MICHIGAN STATE 69.0, OPPONENT 69.3 - (Rating = 2*).

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