The Kentucky Wildcats had an undefeated conference season, won the Southeastern conference tournament, earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and have not lost a game since Dec. 25, but a loss to Wisconsin tonight would result in an unfulfilled season.

Led by senior guard Keith Bogans, who averaged 16 points per game during the regular season, the Wildcats head to Minneapolis ranked as the Associated Press’ No. 1 team in the nation and ride the longest winning streak that college basketball has seen since 1996. Kentucky has beaten its opponents by an average of 17.3 points during its 25-game winning streak and will be playing in the Sweet 16 for the eighth time in the last nine seasons.

“They are a very talented team. They are deep. They can do it all,” UW head coach Bo Ryan said. “They can run the floor. They are a good defensive team. We will just have to go in and have our own game plan and execute our stuff and see what happens.”

So far in the streak, Bogans is averaging 15.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. During the tournament, however, it has been junior guard Gerald Fitch who has led the team in scoring with 16 points per game.

Fitch has made 60 percent of his three-point attempts during the tournament and presents a lethal high-low combination with center Marquis Estill, who has made 71.4 percent of his shots in the tourney. In its first two rounds, the Wildcats have four players averaging at least 13 points per game and as a team they are averaging 84.5 points per contest.

“As far as different guys scoring, you know, you’ve got the go-to guard [in Bogans], but Fitch and Estill, they are all capable of putting up numbers and that is why they are the No. 1 team,” Ryan said.

With an easy first-round victory over Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis by 31 points, Kentucky proved its dominance. In its second round blowout of Utah 74-54, Kentucky proved its strength. A stifling defense coupled with an explosive offense has led Kentucky to become the odds-on favorite to win this year’s national championship.

In its last eight games, the Wildcats’ defense has held its opponent under 40 percent shooting from the field and the teams have combined to shoot a meager 29.6 percent from behind the three-point line.

“It is a matter of outworking them; making sure that you execute the fundamentals,” Badger senior Kirk Penney said. “You box out; you get the rebounds and execute the way we know we can.”

Getting rebounds will be a tough task for the Badgers, as nearly all of the player matchups will feature Kentucky height advantages. During the tournament, Kentucky has outrebounded its opponents by 7.5 rebounds per game, while UW has been outrebounded by nine boards in each of its first two rounds of play.

“They do a great job of making sure that you do not get comfortable,” Ryan said. “I think they realize that in practice you cannot simulate what they bring defensively with the quickness on the perimeter and the size at the basket.”

The Wildcats have 6-foot-11 center Jules Camara coming off the bench alongside 6-foot-1 guard Cliff Hawkins. Camara is averaging five rebounds per game in the tournament, while Hawkins is averaging 13 points and four assists per game. The Wildcats’ great depth may prove to be too much for the Badgers to handle.

“They are very effective,” Ryan said. “Precision-wise they seem real comfortable with one another on their cuts, timing, and their execution has definitely been sharp.”

The Wildcats have been on top of their game all season, finishing the year with a 31-3 record. One of the three losses was a 67-71 defeat at the hands of a Michigan State team that UW defeated 64-53 on Feb. 11.

Wisconsin will need to build off of its first-round victory over Weber State and huge come from behind win against Tulsa if they are to stay with the fast paced Kentucky Wildcats.

“Knowing we are playing the No. 1 team in the country, you would definitely like to have your players’ self-esteem at a pretty good level,” Ryan said. “I do not think hitting that three to win the game, by Freddie [Owens], is going to make anyone here overconfident.”

Ryan will enter Minnesota’s Metrodome having never lost in Minneapolis before, winning both of his previous games against the Gophers. The Badgers will be led into battle by forward Mike Wilkinson, who is averaging 18 points per game in the tournament and senior captain Kirk Penney, who is averaging 13.5 points per game. For the Badgers, the game at the Metrodome will be the third year in four that the team will have to play a No. 1 seed on a neutral court.

“I hope some people show up for us and wear red by the hundreds or maybe the thousands,” Ryan said.

For Kentucky, the trip to Minnesota will hopefully replicate it’s 1996 appearance in the Metrodome in which they beat Utah 101-70 and Wake Forrest 83-63 en route to a Final Four appearance and eventually the national championship.

Much like this season, the 1996 Wildcats held the nation’s longest winning streak, which that year extended to 26 games. Playing in domes has been a particular strong point for Kentucky, as they have compiled a 30-6 record since 1995 when playing in such venues.

UW and Kentucky square off at 6:10 tonight in the Minneapolis Metrodome for the right to be titled one of this season’s Elite Eight.