A.J. Storr scores 28 as No. 13 Wisconsin beats Michigan State 81-66

Jan 27, 2024, 04:45 am

MADISON, Wis. -- — A.J. Storr scored 28 points, Steven Crowl added 15 and No. 13 Wisconsin beat Michigan State 81-66 on Friday night for its ninth win in 10 games.

Wisconsin (16-4, 8-1 Big Ten) leads the conference by one game over No. 2 Purdue, and coach Greg Gard likes the way his team is handling the pressure that goes along with success.

“They understand that you can’t let success change you in terms of how you approach every day, and how you work,” Gard said.

“Their goals are big and our jobs are challenging them and pointing out the things they need to get better at, and hold them accountable to it.”

The Badgers swept the two-game series against the Spartans.

A.J. Hoggard scored 19 points and Malik Hall added 13 for Michigan State (12-8, 4-5), which had its three-game winning streak snapped. Spartans coach Tom Izzo remained stuck on 699 career victories.

Storr went 9 of 17 from the field and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line to fall one point short of his career high.

“We couldn’t guard Storr with a fish net,” Izzo said. “I’ve seen a lot of really good players in this league. I don’t want to jinx him, but he’s one of the better players I’ve seen here.”

Wisconsin point guard Chucky Hepburn held Michigan State’s leading scorer, Tyson Walker, to 11 points. Walker entered averaging 19.7 points per game.

Izzo said he’s been impressed with Hepburn’s defense and leadership. Hepburn finished with four points, three steals, three rebounds and two assists.

“Chucky, when he came here he wanted to score, and now he runs their team,” Izzo said. “He just does all the things. He’s a coach’s dream.”

Crowl, playing in his 100th game for the Badgers, had seven rebounds, two assists and one block.

Crowl’s 3-pointer from the top of the key extended Wisconsin’s lead to 74-59 with 3:24 left in the game.

Connor Essegian scored eight points off the bench for the Badgers, all in the first half.

Izzo said Mady Sissoko, a 6-foot-9 starter, learned about the death of a relative on Thursday night. Sissoko, the team’s top rebounder, finished with seven points.

“He was out of it,” Izzo said of Sissoko, who played 22 minutes. “It’s been a tough situation.”

BIG PICTURE

Michigan State: Despite foul trouble, the Spartans weren’t afraid of playing their standouts. Hoggard, with three fouls, scored 11 points in the second half. Hall scored four points in the second.

Wisconsin: The Badgers' offense was effective both inside and outside. Wisconsin scored 32 points in the paint and made nine 3-pointers.

UP NEXT

Michigan State: Hosts Michigan on Tuesday.

Wisconsin: At Nebraska on Thursday.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball