Sports

5 keys 4 UW

1. Win the battle of the boards

Michigan State and Wisconsin are first and second in the conference, respectively, in rebounding margin. Izzo's teams are known for being strong on the glass and the Badgers must out-rebound the Spartans to get the road win.

2. Hit some early 3s

Saturday against Penn State, Wisconsin really hit its stride following a pair of Jason Bohannon 3-pointers. The rest of the Badgers fed off of this positive energy and a similar surge of momentum will go a long way toward earning the win at Michigan State.

3. Get in the passing lanes

Michigan State leads the conference in assists, but the Spartans also turn the ball over more than any other Big Ten team. Active hands on the defensive end should be able to disrupt passes, prevent easy baskets and lead to steals.

4. Force Neitzel into taking bad shots

While a prolific scorer, Drew Neitzel is prone to forcing tough shots instead of giving the ball up. Getting him to take contested shots will not only keep the Spartans' shooting percentage down, but will also frustrate the streaky point guard.

5. Handle Izzo's adjustments

Tom Izzo is one of the best coaches in the country. No halftime lead is safe against the Spartans as Izzo always seems to fire his team up in the locker room. If the Badgers get an early lead, they will have to come out in the second half ready for anything.