With a 68-61 win over Michigan State, Wisconsin clinch the Big Ten regular season title or at least part of it, something that hasn’t happened in seven years with Frank Kaminsky leading the way, maybe in his best performance of the season.
Kaminsky scored 31 points to go with 8 rebounds on 11-of-17 from the field (3-of-4 from beyond the arc) in his final home game of his career. Kaminsky’s ability was even easier to spot while Michigan State got 0 points from their two frontcourt players in the starting lineup.
Wisconsin, #5 in the nation and 14-2 in the Big Ten this season, win the Big Ten title (or part of it) for a fourth time under Bo Ryan, who began the tradition in 2002. That came 55 years after their previous regular season conference title. Ryan led Wisconsin to the Final Four for only the third time in program history last season, losing to Kentucky in the semifinal.
For Wisconsin to share the title with Maryland, they’ll need to lose both their road games to Minnesota and Ohio State. Maryland (12-4) are also playing in two road games: Rutgers and Nebraska.
Michigan State have lost their sixth conference game of the season. Tom Izzo has never lost more than six games in the Big Ten since becoming the head coach at East Lansing back in 1995. Bo Ryan’s 2008 Wisconsin team (winning the Big Ten and reaching the Sweet Sixteen) also lost two games, where the Badgers are at the moment.