The first time around, Wisconsin handed MSU its worst beating of the season, a 82-63 decision at the Kohl Center.
Now, it's MSU's turn to protect its home floor when the two teams resume their rivalry at 7 p.m. tonight at Breslin Center.
In the last home game at Breslin, Ohio State handed the Spartans their first home defeat of the season. MSU followed that up with a 78-71 setback at Indiana on Sunday.
Those two teams predominantly played with four guards, causing many matchup problems for the Spartans, who are without senior forward Matt Trannon, the one player who could help neutralize smaller offenses.
The Badgers play more of a traditional set with two guards, two forwards and a center, meaning that MSU's big men — namely redshirt freshmen forwards Marquise Gray and Goran Suton — should see increased minutes along with junior forward Delco Rowley.
Wisconsin's style is in line with MSU's doesn't mean the Spartans can relax. The Badgers have two of the more explosive players in the league, guard Kammron Taylor, who torched MSU for 27 points in the team's first meeting, and forward Alando Tucker, who is one of the leading candidates for Big Ten Player of the Year.
"They are maybe the biggest team in size on that front line, but I think it gives us a chance to play more people," MSU head coach Tom Izzo said. "They're not as athletic up front. They're don't score as much up front as some of the teams we've played recently."
A major factor behind the Spartans' most recent slide is fatigue. Sophomore guard Drew Neitzel has only been on the bench for two minutes in the last two games, while his backup, freshman Travis Walton, was forced to play many minutes at power forward, leaving Neitzel without a backup.
"I don't know what I can do about it," Izzo said. "I feel bad that I'm putting those guys in that position, but that's just the way it is right now and it's what we've got to do."
Neitzel isn't letting the fatigue serve as an excuse, though.
"I just have to keep sucking it up," Neitzel said. "I'm not complaining at all, I realize that I do have to suck it up more. Even mentally, if I wear down a little bit, I still have to keep focus the last few minutes of the game. I have to keep the extra focus not to make a turnover or make a bad play, just stay solid throughout the whole game."
Despite losing four of five games, the mood is upbeat in the Spartans' locker room.
"This team is still the same team, the same guys on this team that won all those games in the preseason and beating some of the top teams in the country," senior center Paul Davis said. "We have to get back to that. We have two games to do it here and home, and it's the perfect time."
