Michigan State Basketball vs. Wisconsin: Game Time, TV Schedule, Live Stream

Jan 17, 2016; Madison, WI, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Denzel Valentine (45) dribbles the ball as Wisconsin Badgers forward Ethan Happ (22) defends. Wisconsin defeated Michigan State 77-76 at the Kohl Center. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 17, 2016; Madison, WI, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Denzel Valentine (45) dribbles the ball as Wisconsin Badgers forward Ethan Happ (22) defends. Wisconsin defeated Michigan State 77-76 at the Kohl Center. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports /
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Michigan State takes on Wisconsin on Thursday night. Here’s how you can watch the game on TV or via online live stream.

The Michigan State Spartans have the distinction of being the No. 8 ranked college basketball team in the country while also being in 8th place in their conference.

The middle of the (deep) Big Ten is stacked tightly at the present juncture. There’s only a half game of separation between Wisconsin (8-4), who sit in fourth place, and Michigan State (8-5) who are currently eighth.

A win by the Spartans tonight would cause them to jump from eighth up into (a tie for) that fourth slot. The difference is marginal right now, but with only five games left in the regular season (four after tonight), it’s going to be a mad dash for Big Ten Tournament seeding.

The top four seeds will receive a double bye in the tournament which means they’d need to win three games in three days to be crowned champions instead of four games in four days (or even five in five for the bottom four teams).

RELATED: 20 Best NBA Draft Picks from Michigan State

Tonight will be the second meeting of the year between Michigan State and Wisconsin. The Badgers won a 77-76 decision a month ago when the Spartans failed to convert at the buzzer on their final possession. That was the first of two consecutive one-point losses for the Spartans in the midst of their three-game losing streak in January.

They’ll get a chance to avenge that defeat tonight at the Breslin Center.

Michigan State Spartans vs. Wisconsin
Breslin Center — East Lansing, MI
Game Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
National TV: ESPN
Radio: 760 AM in Detroit (click here for affiliates)
Live Stream: Watch ESPN
Line: Michigan State by 9

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