For as long as head coach Bo Ryan has been at Wisconsin, the Badgers have boasted one of the best home court advantages in all of college basketball. Under Ryan, the team has a home record of 210-22 (.950) and managed to go 16-1 last season at the Kohl Center.
Here are five must-see games taking place in Madison over the course of the 2015-16 season.
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Dec. 12: Marquette
After going through a rebuilding period and missing the NCAA tournament the past two seasons, Marquette is back under second-year head coach Steve Wojciechowski with a formidable team led by redshirt sophomore guard Duane Wilson and standout freshman forward Henry Ellenson.
And while Marquette is not in the preseason AP Top 25, there is a chance they could prove their worth by mid-December when they visit Madison.
Regardless of either team’s ranking, it is always a battle when the two schools go up against each other, as they have split their past two meetings at the Kohl Center.
Dec. 29: Purdue
Purdue was the surprise team in the Big Ten last season, finishing in fourth place after being projected in the preseason to finish towards the bottom of the conference standings.
No one is sleeping on the Boilermakers this year, however, as the team opens up the season ranked No. 23 in the AP Top 25 and considered a legitimate contender for the Big Ten championship.
This could end up being a nightmare matchup for the Badgers, as Purdue will feature their 7-foot senior forward A.J. Hammons against an undersized Wisconsin frontcourt. The big man gave UW all they could handle on both sides of the ball in last year’s Big Ten tournament, and now, the Frank Kaminsky-less Badgers will have an even tougher time slowing down Hammons.
Jan. 9: Maryland
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this will be Wisconsin’s most important game of the season as Maryland is considered one of the best teams in the country this season, boasting a No. 3 preseason ranking. There will be countless storylines as this matchup approaches beyond the fact UW will be upset-minded.
First, it will be star freshman Diamond Stone’s return to Wisconsin after the Milwaukee-native surprisingly chose to attend to play for Maryland instead of UW. Expect the Badger students to rain plenty of boos on Stone as soon as he steps on the Kohl Center floor.
This will also be a game of revenge for Wisconsin, as Maryland was one of only two Big Ten teams to defeat the Badgers last season when they topped them 59-53 in College Park. The loss ended what was a 10-game winning streak at the time for UW, so Wisconsin will be looking to return the favor this time around when the game is played at home.
Jan. 17: Michigan State
This will be another game of revenge — except this time, it won’t be for the Badgers.
The last time Wisconsin and Michigan State met was in last season Big Ten tournament championship game, and UW prevailed after a comeback that was nothing short of a miracle. The Spartans knew they should not have lost that game, and they will more than likely come into the Kohl Center with a vengeance.
Michigan State will be lead by senior forward Denzel Valentine, who brings a unique energy and enthusiasm to the court. His ability to spread the floor and bang down low with bigger forwards will prove to be a challenge for both Wisconsin’s wings and its forwards.
Jan. 26: Indiana
After a couple of down years where Indiana head coach had to recover from losing his prized recruits, the Hoosiers are back in the conversation for a Big Ten championship, entering the season at No. 15 in the AP Top 25.
In last year’s meeting, the Badgers wiped the floor with the Hoosiers, winning 92-78 behind 23 points from Frank Kaminsky. But this year, Indiana returns nearly all of its key pieces from last year’s team and will be a much more difficult test for Wisconsin this time around.
Senior point guard Yogi Ferrell is one of the country’s best point guards and has the makings of an All-American, while his running mate in the backcourt, sophomore James Blackmon Jr., is one of the most explosive athletes in all of college basketball. Both will look to wreak havoc on a largely inexperienced UW backcourt.
