Not even a patented high-flying dunk from Michigan State forward Coen Carr could swing the momentum in Wisconsin’s Kohl Center on Friday night.
The Badgers, who used a 19-4 run to build an 18-point lead in the first half, kept the No. 10 Spartans at distance in the second half.
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Wisconsin came into the day averaging 11 triples per game — tied the for the 11th most nationally as of Thursday morning — and splashed 15 3-pointers in an 92-71 victory over Michigan State (20-5, 10-4 Big Ten), which has lost three of its past four games. The Spartans’ lone win in that span, though, was a significant one, as they outlasted then-No. 5 Illinois in overtime last week.
Wisconsin (18-7, 10-4) now has three top-10 wins this season. Greg Gard’s squad previously spoiled then-No. 2 Michigan’s historic start to its 2025-26 campaign on Jan. 10 and then climbed out of a 12-point hole to come back and defeat now-No. 8 Illinois in overtime on Tuesday. Both of those victories came on the road.
Friday’s was in Madison, and Badgers fans were ready to celebrate with a court storming.
Speaking of Gard, his 18 top-10 wins during his 11-season tenure match Bo Ryan for the most such victories recorded by a head coach in program history.
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Nick Boyd knocked down five of Wisconsin’s 15 3-pointers — tied for its second most in a game this season — and finished with a game-high 29 points.
The former San Diego State and FAU guard has now scored at least 25 points six times this season. He ranks third in the Big Ten with 20.6 points per game.
Backcourt partner John Blackwell buried four 3s and wasn’t far behind with 24 points.
Carr paced Michigan State with 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., who fueled the Spartans’ come-from-behind, overtime win at Rutgers on Jan. 27, made only three of his 12 field-goal attempts, although he clocked out with 14 points and 12 assists.
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Wisconsin dominated Friday’s game, both on the perimeter and inside, where the Badgers doubled up the Spartans in the paint 28-14.
Michigan State shot a mere 36.4% from the field, and Wisconsin scored 21 points off the Spartans’ nine turnovers.
That said, the story of the day was Wisconsin’s 3-point shooting. The Badgers made their first five 3-point attempts during the opening 5 1/2 minutes of play and didn’t take their foot off the gas.
They’ve got three top-10 wins, including two in the past four days.
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