If it doesn't concern tonight's game at Wisconsin, the MSU men's basketball team is lending only a deaf ear and a blind eye.
The Spartans (13-8 overall, 5-4 Big Ten) have won three straight games, putting them two games out of the conference lead and in a fifth-place tie with Minnesota.
But MSU head coach Tom Izzo said forecasting later games is useless in light of the Spartans' lackluster Big Ten start.
"If we get this one, I guess we'd be somewhat back in the race," Izzo said. "More than a couple teams have to lose."
But, it's hard not to recognize the Spartans' momentum going into Wisconsin (16-5, 6-3).
Freshman center Paul Davis has led the team in scoring and rebounding the past two games, averaging 18 points and 8.5 boards. His career-high 21 points against Indiana on Saturday was a key factor in MSU's first conference road win of the season.
The scope of Davis' emergence is reaching far beyond East Lansing. Badger head coach Bo Ryan assessed Davis' potential Monday.
"He's obviously a guy that's coming into his own, a freshman that's getting better," Ryan said. "Those kind of contributions - especially this time of year - helps your team."
In addition to Davis' break-out week, a win over Wisconsin would put the Spartans in a tie for fourth place with the Badgers. But to climb the ladder in conference standings, Davis will have to contribute on the defensive end and on the glass.
The Badgers are one of only two teams in the Big Ten to boast three players in the top-20 of conference rebounders.
"It's definitely going to be a tough game like Indiana," Davis said. "Their guards like to post up a lot, their big men can play inside and out. We're just going to have to counter that with playing even tougher."
Izzo concurred, despite expressing concern about handling Wisconsin's tough, versatile guards Kirk Penney and Devin Harris. Both average double-digits in scoring and more than five rebounds a game.
But countering Wisconsin's guards took a blow when MSU's sophomore forward/guard Alan Anderson went down with an open finger dislocation.
"We thought (Anderson) was one that could defend some of their bigger guards, especially on their post play," he said. "In this league, I don't care who you are, you're not going to win unless you're pretty damn tough."
