Men’s basketball need to know: No. 1 Wisconsin vs. No. 9 Michigan

by Eric Kohlbeck

March 12, 2015

CHICAGO — It’s finally tournament time for the No. 6 Wisconsin Badgers.

After rolling through the Big Ten, the Wisconsin men’s basketball team won its first regular season conference championship since 2008 and grabbed the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten tournament.

But before the Badgers seek a return trip to the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament, they want a Big Ten tournament title to call their own and truly become the undisputed best team in the conference. That all starts Friday in Chicago when Wisconsin plays Michigan at the United Center.

Wisconsin Update

The Badgers enter the 2015 Big Ten tournament with three straight wins to close out the regular season after a loss at Maryland on Feb. 24. Wisconsin knocked off Michigan State at home before picking up consecutive road wins at Minnesota and Ohio State. The latter came after a 72-48 blowout in Columbus that saw the Badgers shoot 50 percent from the field while the Buckeyes were held to just 34 percent shooting.

Newly-named Big Ten Player of the Year Frank Kaminsky scored a game-high 20 points against Ohio State while second-team all-Big Ten selection Sam Dekker scored 10 points with eight rebounds for the Badgers. Sophomore guard Bronson Koenig chipped in 15 points going 3-for-5 from three.

Wisconsin played just one overtime game all season which came against Michigan in Ann Arbor on Jan. 24. Kaminsky took over in the extra period, scoring eight points and finished with a game-high 22 points as the Badgers won 69-64. Sophomore forward Nigel Hayes added 10 points while Dekker (15) and Koenig (13) rounded out the Badgers scoring in double-figures.

The Badgers’ bench has been an issue of late with UW’s starters all playing at least 30 minutes in 11 of its last 13 games. However, the bench trio of Duje Dukan, Zak Showalter and Vitto Brown combined for 14 points and 10 rebounds against the Buckeyes in arguably their best game of the season. Wisconsin will likely need the bench to continue to produce if it hopes to bring home a Big Ten tournament championship.

1 – Wisconsin (28-3, 16-2 Big Ten)

Last Game: Defeated Ohio State on the road, 72-48

Probable Starters: G – Bronson Koenig (6-4, 7.8 ppg), G – Josh Gasser (6-4, 7.0 ppg), F – Sam Dekker (6-9, 13.1 ppg), F – Nigel Hayes (6-8, 12.0 ppg), F – Frank Kaminsky (7-0, 18.4 ppg)

Key Reserves: G – Zak Showalter, F – Duje Dukan, F – Vitto Brown

Michigan Update

The Wolverines advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament in a big way Thursday, rolling over the eighth-seeded Illinois Fighting Illini 73-55. Michigan built a 17-point lead at halftime and never looked back to earn a date with the top-seeded Badgers Friday morning.

Four of Michigan’s five starters scored in double figures with freshman Aubrey Dawkins leading the way with 18 points on 8 of 12 shooting. Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, another freshman, scored 15 points with a career-high eight rebounds while sophomore Zak Irvin added 14 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Wolverines in the win.

Michigan shot just under 50 percent for the game (49.2) and went 7-for-15 (46.7 percent) from three in Thursday’s win over the Illini. The Wolverines held Illinois to just 1-for-13 (7.7 percent) shooting from beyond the arc.

Needing to likely win the Big Ten tournament to get into the NCAA tournament, Michigan will have extra motivation against Wisconsin – a team who they nearly knocked off in overtime less than two months ago. Derrick Walton Jr. (17) and Irvin were the lone Michigan players in double figures against the Badgers on Jan. 24.

Walton Jr. has missed Michigan’s last 11 games with a toe/foot injury and did not play against Illinois. However, the sophomore guard did warm up before Thursday’s game and is considered day-to-day with the potential that he may suit up against the Badgers Friday.

9 – Michigan (16-15, 8-10 Big Ten)

Last Game: Defeated Illinois in the second round of the Big Ten tournament Thursday, 73-55

Probable Starters: G – Aubrey Dawkins (6-6, 6.6 ppg), G – Spike Albrecht (5-11, 7.4 ppg), G – Zak Irvin (6-6, 14.0 ppg), G – Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman (6-4, 4.0 ppg), F – Max Bielfeldt (6-8, 5.0 ppg)

Key Reserves: G/F – Kameron Chatman, F – Ricky Doyle, F – Mark Donnal