Still reeling after consecutive road losses to Illinois and Michigan, the Badger men’s basketball team (17-6, 8-4) returned home in search of the cure to keep their Big Ten conference title hopes alive. The remedy is coming to the Kohl Center Wednesday night in the form of the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Penn State (9-14, 3-9) rolls into Madison trying to place a positive ending on what has otherwise been another dismal season. Only Minnesota (2-11) stands between Penn State and the conference cellar, and the team’s nine overall victories are the fewest of any Big Ten team.

The Nittany Lions enters its tilt with the Badgers on a six-game skid, losing by an average of 16 points per game during that stretch. However, they did give Illinois all they could handle Saturday before eventually falling to the Illini, 66-58.

Despite their woes this season, Penn State can use their series history with the Badgers as a source of confidence. The teams have split their last six meetings dating back to 1999, with the home team winning all six contests. Penn State beat Wisconsin in the two teams’ previous meeting last February, 58-57 at the Jordan Center. However, Penn State is 0-9 on the road this year, which is not good news for the Lions, considering Wisconsin has won 26 consecutive games on their home floor.

In order for Penn State to pull off the upset, the Lions will have to ride the experience and leadership of their junior forward Jan Jagla. Jagla leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 13.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. Jagla’s 7-foot frame, combined with his ability to hit the outside shot, makes him a versatile player who is hard to defend.

However, as the season has moved on, Jagla’s shooting percentage has steadily declined. First-year head coach Ed DeChellis thinks Jagla’s late-season slump is associated with focusing too much on honing his perimeter shot.

“We’re still instructing him on doing other things than shooting,” DeChellis told the media Monday. “We feel he plays better when he gets involved in other aspects of [the] game.”

While Jagla is unquestionably the leader of the team, Penn State gets equally valuable contributions from its all-freshman backcourt. Guards Marlon Smith and Ben Luber combine for nearly 20 points per game, accounting for roughly one-third of State’s scoring offense (59.4 ppg). Smith is tied for fifth in the Big Ten in three-pointers per game (2.13) and Luber is fourth in the conference in assists per game (4.2).

DeChellis is particularly pleased with the way Smith has progressed during his first year. “[Smith] has been really solid for us,” DeChellis said. “When he scores points, we’ve had a chance to win some games. I don’t think that’s by accident.” However, DeChellis realizes that Smith will still makes freshman mistakes.

“He tends to get himself in trouble on penetration,” DeChellis said. “Sometimes he tries to do too much, but that’s because we need him to do some stuff. Overall, I don’t think I can ask more of him.”

Penn State’s youth, combined with their lack of depth, forced DeChellis to start his pair of true freshmen for the majority of the season. DeChellis is beginning to notice how the long and difficult season is taking its toll on his talented backcourt.

“It’s been tough for us,” DeChellis said. “Our two kids in the backcourt are giving us all they can and, unfortunately, they’re both really, really tired at this point during the season.”

DeChellis believes Marlon and Luber have improved throughout the season and their experience can help Penn State eventually become a factor in the Big Ten.

“I think they’ve both learned a lot throughout the season,” DeChellis said. “When they don’t play well, we don’t have a chance. They both have to try and be very consistent.”

At this point in such a difficult season, DeChellis is looking for improvement in his players to use as a stepping-stone for next season. DeChellis will take moral victories, as well as those that show up in the standings.

“Our guys are still really focused,” DeChellis said. “Our kids are still working hard and trying to improve, so I’m proud of them for that.”