Wisconsin (22-7, 12-6 Big Ten) had climbed to No. 3 in the Big Ten standings after winning five of its last six games, but MSU (24-5, 15-3 Big Ten) shut down the Badgers from beyond the arc to secure its 14th home win in a scrappy, high-stakes battle for the conference title.

Akins shows out in first half, Richardson in second

Senior guard Jaden Akins hadn’t been the focal point of any MSU game in February. He wasn’t playing poorly, but he seemed to be in a bit of a lull. His best game in MSU’s eight February games was at UCLA, where he put up 15 points, four rebounds and two assists. Even with that, he didn’t have any standout performances.

Until today — a great way to start March.

Against Wisconsin, he tallied 14 points, five rebounds and an assist just in the first half. He was the go-to guy and kept MSU’s motor running. His scoring run to bring MSU back from an early drought can’t be understated. In that scoring run, he hit three three-pointers and a pull-up midrange to bring MSU’s 13-4 deficit to a 19-17 lead. 

Akins finished with 19 points, eight rebounds, and an assist—his highest-scoring performance since dropping 20 against Washington on Jan. 9.

“When Akins shoots better, we’re a better team. It makes a difference,” MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo said. “There’s no question Jaden Akins did well not only offensively, but also defensively. Give Jaden a lot of credit. He works his tail off.”

The second half featured an incredible performance by freshman guard Jase Richardson. 

Two early fouls limited Richardson to just five first-half minutes, but he still knocked down a three-pointer — MSU’s first points of the game.

Within the first three minutes of the second half, he hit an open three-pointer to bring the lead to 39-36. Again he hit a shot from beyond the arc, getting another small lead for MSU. He put up eight points on 3-for-6 shooting in the latter half, as well as five rebounds and six assists. He accounted for 30% of MSU’s assists against Wisconsin, including three straight assists in the final three minutes. His most crucial assist came with just under 90 seconds left when he found a streaking Jaxon Kohler on a fast break, sealing the win. His assist made the game 69-60, and MSU finished the job, winning 71-62.

Richardson’s been known to have standout performances, especially as of late, putting up double-digit points every game since Feb. 8 and 15 overall games with 10-plus points. Richardson’s shots this game were crucial, and his final assist solidified MSU’s win. 

Without his contribution, MSU’s offense would’ve looked completely different.

Three-point and rebounding disparities

Heading into Sunday’s game, the Wisconsin Badgers shot 38% from three-point range in conference games and 36.2% overall, one of the best shooting teams in the Big Ten. Izzo said he watched the team to hold the Badgers to eight three-pointers. 

MSU kept Wisconsin from controlling the game. The Badgers were physical inside, scoring 32 points in the paint, but that was largely a byproduct of Michigan State's elite perimeter defense.

The Spartans kept Wisconsin to 2-for-16 from beyond the arc in the first half and 3-for-16 in the second half. Sophomore guard John Blackwell was Wisconsin’s star player on Sunday, putting up 19 points and six rebounds. However, he was held to 0-for-3 from three-point in the first half and 1-for-4 in the second half. Overall, Wisconsin shot 16% from three-point range and 34% overall.

Wisconsin’s poor shooting led to an overwhelming number of rebounds for MSU. The Spartans picked up 51 rebounds, outrebounding the Badgers by 11, and got 13 offensive rebounds. MSU finished with 12 second-chance points and 20 fast-break points, including a thunderous dunk by Coen Carr, which brought momentum to the Spartans.

“We defended and rebounded better,” Izzo said. 

MSU, meanwhile, connected on nine three-pointers — only the fourth time it has hit that mark this season. Akins’ four and Richardson’s three were the most monumental, but senior forward Frankie Fidler and sophomore forward Xavier Booker’s combined two helped MSU go on additional scoring runs throughout the game.

The Spartans’ three-pointers came at crucial moments: coming back from large deficits, gaining early second-half momentum and attaining ever-growing leads.

“We found a way to get a big win down the stretch again. That’s all that matters,” Izzo said. “Today’s what you coach for, play for, and hopefully are a fan for.”

What this win/loss means for MSU

MSU now turns its attention to Michigan, its top challenger for the Big Ten title. The Spartans will head to Iowa for their last away game, and after that, MSU plays Michigan on March 9 at home for the regular season finale. 

If Michigan defeats Illinois and Maryland this week, March 9 could turn into a winner-take-all showdown.

MSU travels to Iowa for its final road game on March 6 at 8 p.m. at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game will air on Fox Sports.