Big Ten basketball: Tom Izzo passes Bob
Knight; here’s the Top 5
MSU’s Tom Izzo stands alone atop the Big Ten in conference wins. Here’s who rounds out the Top 5
Michigan State basketball looks to move one step closer to cutting down the nets as Big Ten basketball regular season champions on Sunday.
To do that though, Tom Izzo’s squad will have to take down a team looking to pass them in the league standings in Wisconsin
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The eighth-ranked Spartans (23-5, 14-3 in Big Ten) will face the 12th-ranked Badgers (22-6, 12-5) in the lone top-25 matchup in men’s college basketball on Sunday. The teams will tip off at 1:30 p.m. ET at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.
REQUIRED READING: When does March Madness start? Selection Sunday bracket reveal date for NCAA Tournament
With just three games to go in the regular season, Michigan State is tied with Michigan for the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Conference standings, and has a two-game lead over Wisconsin.
Izzo’s squad has been one of college basketball’s best teams over the last month, going 5-3 and winning four straight games, three of which were vs. ranked opponents.
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Michigan State is coming off an electric road win at No. 15 Maryland on Wednesday, when the Spartans won a defensive dogfight against the Terrapins thanks to a half-court buzzer beater from Tre Holloman. Led by Jase Richardson’s 15 points, the win over Maryland marked Michigan State’s fourth straight Quad 1 win and third straight win over a top 25 opponent.
The Spartans will have their hands full on Sunday with the Badgers. Led by All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year candidate John Tonje, Wisconsin is having one of its best offensive seasons under Greg Gard. Entering Sunday, the Badgers rank No. 7 on KenPom in adjusted offensive efficiency.
Both teams are virtual locks for the NCAA Tournament, though both can improve their overall projected seeding on Sunday — and in next week’s Big Ten Tournament. The Spartans are currently projected as a No. 2 seed in the Midwest bracket in both USA TODAY and Joe Lunardi’s latest projections. The Badgers are currently slated as a No. 3 seed in both of those projections.
Follow along here for live updates, highlights and analysis of Sunday’s Michigan State vs. Wisconsin men’s basketball game:
Watch Michigan State basketball vs. Wisconsin live with Fubo (free trial)
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Michigan State basketball vs Wisconsin score updates
This section will be updated at tip-off
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This section has been updated with new information
The Spartans announced on X (formerly Twitter) that they are rocking with their alternative white uniform on Sunday vs. Wisconsin. An all-around clean retro uniform for Michigan State in a pivotal Big Ten game.
Per CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein, Wisconsin will be without guard Max Klesmit for Sunday’s game vs. Michigan State with a lower body injury.
As noted by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Mark Stewart, it is the second game Klesmit will miss this season. He only played in the first five minutes of the Badgers’ last game out vs. Washington, with what Wisconsin coach Greg Gard referred to as a lower leg injury.
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What channel is Michigan State basketball vs Wisconsin on today?
CBS will televise Sunday’s Big Ten basketball game between Michigan State vs. Wisconsin in East Lansing. Streaming options for the game include Paramount+ and Fubo, the latter of which carries CBS and offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Michigan State vs Wisconsin time today
Date: Sunday, March 2
Time: 1:30 p.m. ET
Location: Breslin Center (East Lansing, Mich.)
Michigan State and Wisconsin are scheduled to tip off at 1:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 2 from the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan.
REQUIRED READING: Izzo: B1G title within Michigan State basketball reach ‘if we take care of our business’
Michigan State basketball vs Wisconsin history
Series record: Michigan State leads 86-69
Michigan State’s last win: 2023 (69-65)
Wisconsin’s last win: 2024 (81-66)
As noted by Michigan State’s game notes, the Spartans lead the all-time series 86-69 against the Badgers and are 50-17 at home — though Izzo’s team has lost the three straight home games to Wisconsin. Izzo is 35-25 in his 30 seasons with the Spartans.
Graham Couch, Lansing State Journal: Michigan State 77, Wisconsin 74
“I thought MSU would more lose at Maryland and beat Wisconsin. It took about five minutes of the game Wednesday night for me to realize I had that evaluation wrong — whatever the result, MSU matched up fine with the Terrapins. So I could be wrong here, too. I do think being at the Breslin Center will help and that, at some point, MSU will have a game where outside shots fall. For all the Badgers’ strengths, they’re just OK at defending the 3-point line. It’s up to MSU to make more than a couple outside shots. This is a game the Spartans probably won’t win otherwise.”
Mark Stewart, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin 78, Michigan State 72.
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“Can great offense beat great defense? That will be the marquee matchup in this late-season showdown. The Badgers rank seventh in the nation in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom.com. The Spartans are No. 6 defensively and have held five straight opponents to less than 70 points, a run that includes wins over Purdue, Michigan and Maryland. They’re also at home where they’re 13-1 season. It all adds up to a Spartans win, except that this season has been filled with surprises. Why not Wisconsin?”
Game lines and odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Sunday, March 2
Spread: Michigan State -4.5
Over/under: 146.5
Moneyline: Michigan State (-200) | Wisconsin (+165)
Michigan State basketball schedule 2024-25
Here’s a look at Michigan State’s last five results. To view the Spartans’ full 2024-25 schedule, click here.
Tuesday, Feb. 11: Indiana 71, Michigan State 67
Saturday, Feb. 15: Michigan State 79, Illinois 65
Tuesday, Feb. 18: Michigan State 75, No. 13 Purdue 66
Friday, Feb. 21: Michigan State 75, No. 12 Michigan 62
Wednesday, Feb. 26: Michigan State 58, No. 16 Maryland 55
Wisconsin basketball schedule 2024-25
Here’s a look at Wisconsin’s last five results. To view the Badgers’ full 2024-25 schedule, click here.
Saturday, Feb. 8: Wisconsin 74, Iowa 63
Saturday, Feb. 15: Wisconsin 94, No. 7 Purdue 84
Tuesday, Feb. 18: Wisconsin 95, Illinois 74
Saturday, Feb. 22: Oregon 77, Wisconsin 73 (OT)
Tuesday, Feb. 25: Wisconsin 88, Washington 62
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Paula Wethington is a digital producer at CBS Detroit. She previously held digital content roles at NEWSnet, Gannett/USA Today network and The Monroe News in Michigan. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina.
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A pedestrian was struck and died of her injuries early Friday on the Lodge Freeway in Detroit.
Emergency dispatchers started to get calls about 2:30 a.m. about someone who was walking along the Lodge, and then were notified that the person had been struck by a vehicle, the Michigan State Police reported.
When troopers arrived, they found multiple cars stopped along the freeway, and people standing around a woman who was severely injured.
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Detroit EMS pronounced the woman dead at the scene, state police said. She has not yet been identified.
The driver who struck the woman did not stay at the scene.
“Troopers are currently using technology that is available in the area to identify the vehicle involved,” MSP F/Lt. Mike Shaw said.
The Lodge Freeway, also known as M-10, was closed at about 2:46 a.m. Friday between Chicago Boulevard / Hamilton Avenue and Clairmount Street for the investigation and emergency assistance, according to Michigan Department of Transportation reports. The Lodge was reported back open at 6:05 a.m.
Michigan Department of Transportation traffic reports are at the MI Drive site.
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State police said their investigation is continuing. Those who witnessed the crash or have other information are asked to call the MSP Metro South Post at 734-287-5000 or Crime Stoppers of Michigan at 800-SPEAK-UP.
Bryce Underwood talks Michigan football during spring practice
Bryce Underwood talks Michigan football during spring practice at Schembechler Hall in Ann Arbor on Wednesday, March 25, 2026.
The buzzword continued to come up in Schembechler Hall, from each one of the captains.
From Bryce Underwood to Jordan Marshall, Rod Moore to Trey Pierce − Michigan football players around for the previous regime and in the case of the latter two, the one before that too − each said Wednesday, March 25, that there’s a noticeable difference within the program under new coach Kyle Whittingham.
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For Moore, a sixth-year player who will likely become a third-time captain when the official leaders are voted on later this summer, he recognized the vibe.
SCHEME DREAM: Michigan football tailoring offense to strength behind Bryce Underwood
“I would say it’s kind of a similarity to coach Harbaugh’s regimen,” he said. “It’s a lot more strict than the past two years, and the weight room has kind of been a night-and-day difference than the past two years. We feel a lot stronger, a lot more progress.”
The Wolverines finished winter conditioning and Whittingham graded it with an “A+.” Hope is often the dominant mode at this time of year and adding a new coaching staff to what’s generally a positive time creates little surprise that the Wolverines are raving about the new system.
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But beyond the platitudes and clichés, there are tangible examples. Take Pierce: The projected starting defensive tackle has trimmed his weight to 300 pounds while adding muscle mass to his overall frame.
“Something new that we have now is that whenever we start meetings, there’s like a loud air horn that goes off throughout the whole building,” Moore said. “The past two years, we would start the meeting at 2:30, but now we start the meeting at 2:25, even though it’s a 2:30 meeting. Just everyone being five minutes early. The coaches are holding everyone accountable in the meetings, going to class.
“Just the little things that makes a team great, not just the big, broad things that everyone sees.”
There was an implication from everyone, though nothing said explicitly, that the past two seasons featured little enforcement. Most players would show up on time for lifts, but there were those who didn’t, with few repercussions.
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“It’s the little things,” Pierce said. “Guys being late for lifts, guys not being where they’re supposed to be, whether it’s [missing] class. Just enforcing that a little bit heavier, that type of thing. … A lot of coaches say that when you’re being recruited in front of your parents. But for [Whittingham] to say that in front of the huddle after practice and say, ‘That’s why I’m here,’ I would say, ‘OK, he cares. He gets it.’”
Throughout the offseason, some who’ve spent time inside the facility said the weightlifting sessions had notably more juice. The past two years felt like a carryover of the previous years in terms of style, but accountability and discipline wavered.
Now, with Doug Elisaia leading the strength and conditioning room, there are different philosophies.
RAINIER SABIN: Kyle Whittingham is dreaming big for Michigan football; it’s doable
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Practices are a bit shorter these days – two hours – but as Marshall said, “I don’t stop moving at practice, like, we’re always doing something that’s not only going to help with us competing with teams, but our conditioning.”
Marshall believes it can take the Wolverines to the next level, he said.
Just more than a week into spring ball, players are oozing confidence. Not just in their skills − the running back room is deep, the wide receiver room has as much raw talent as at any point the past decade, the offensive line returned multiple key pieces, the secondary added depth and the defensive tackles feel underrated − but in mindset.
U-M had early, demanding lifting sessions during winter conditioning, with a clear organization.
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“It introduces that factor of toughness, like we’ve been through this at 6:30 a.m., 6:15 a.m., all these days in the grind together,” Pierce said. “It improves team bonding, and puts you in the headspace of, we’ve done harder stuff than this, and nothing can break us.”
The difference between winning and losing can often be razor-thin. Will this pay off when it counts during the season?
“If I can trust you to do things maybe you don’t want to do,” Marshall said, “then I can trust you on the field when it’s the fourth quarter and we have one minute left.”
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
