East Lansing, MI (Sports Network) - Keith Appling scored a game-high 19 points
and No. 10 Michigan State shut down No. 22 Wisconsin, 58-43, to keep its hopes
of a Big Ten regular season title alive.
Michigan State had dropped three in a row coming in -- all to ranked opponents
-- and was seemingly out of the conference title race.
But after Thursday's convincing win, which saw the Badgers shoot a pitiful 29
percent from the field, the Spartans (23-7, 12-5 Big Ten) can gain a share of
the Big Ten crown on the final day of the regular season with a win over
Northwestern and a Michigan victory over front-running Indiana on Saturday.
Gary Harris chipped in 11 points and Adreian Payne totaled nine points and 11
rebounds in the rout.
Wisconsin (20-9, 11-5) has dropped five straight against Michigan State and
eight in a row in East Lansing. The Badgers were done in by lengthy scoring
droughts in their lowest scoring output of the season, including a seven-
minute stretch early in the second half that turned a five-point deficit into
a devastating 21-point hole.
Ben Brust led the Badgers with 10 points, while Ryan Evans finished with nine
points and 11 rebounds in the setback.
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