EAST LANSING – “Nigel! Nigel! Nigel!”
Michigan State’s student section Izzone gleefully employed that taunt all night Thursday at Breslin Center, and that said something about the outcome of the game and about the things they’re used to seeing from their target.
Wisconsin junior forward Nigel Hayes scored 25 points the last time he faced MSU, and he had 25 the time before that. But this was the first time he’s faced a 6-foot-10 pogo stick with all of his moves memorized.
No. 8 MSU got 24 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds from senior star Denzel Valentine, and another 17 points from senior guard Bryn Forbes in a 69-57 win over the Badgers.