It’s a funny thing when two teams’ paths cross as many times as Maryland’s and Wisconsin’s. With histories as different as their geographical locations, it’s been a contest of disparity that has developed into a quiet rivalry.

Tonight the Badgers square off against the Terps for the first time since Juan Dixon and company dispatched Wisconsin, behind the leadership of Bo Ryan in his first season with the Badgers, in the second round of the 2002 NCAA tournament. Maryland would go on to win its first national championship, and the 87-57 shellacking they handed the Badgers was nothing more than a tune up for the Terps.

Sure, the game was held in the nearby MCI Center in Washington, D.C., creating a decided home-court advantage for Maryland, but Wisconsin was clearly outmatched.

The Badgers would hang tough for the first half of that game, but when Gary Williams decided to turn up the pressure, Wisconsin had a tough time finding the basket and the turnovers the Terps induced were converted into easy points.

Two years prior, the teams met at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee in what would be the last game of Dick Bennett’s coaching career with the Badgers. Coming off an appearance in the 2000 Final Four, Wisconsin would go into that game as underdogs to No. 13 Maryland.

But behind the tough Bennett defense, the Badgers forced overtime as senior point guard Mike Kelley simply shut down Juan Dixon, and Wisconsin took home a hard-fought 78-75 victory.

Tonight Wisconsin travels to College Park for the first time since 1932 to play Maryland in the year-old Comcast Center. This time the Badgers enter the game as favorites, with a No. 15 ranking as opposed to the Terps’ No. 24 spot in the ESPN/USA Today poll. With experience on its side, Wisconsin has the experience and depth to take an advantage into the game.

But the real spotlight has to be on the two coaches. Gary Williams and Bo Ryan have solidified themselves as two of the best minds in the game over the last several seasons. Williams took his alma mater to its first ever Final Four and NCAA Championship while knocking the North Carolina Tar Heels from the tops of the ACC. It’s been a conference dominated by Duke and Maryland since the late nineties, and while part of this can be attributed to the Tar Heels’ demise, a lot of credit has to be given to Williams.

And we all know about Ryan’s coaching talent, turning the Badgers into annual Big Ten contenders behind the strength of players he did not even recruit. He has made the Badgers a tough team that does not turn the ball over. Even when the shots aren’t falling, Ryan’s teams make it to the line and score their share of points from the charity stripe. Ryan has also delivered in his defensive schemes, player conditioning, and ability to coach a team shallow in depth. He has made Wisconsin a team no one likes to face, especially at the Kohl Center.

Coaching will take the forefront tonight, as the abundance of youth on Maryland’s team leaves Williams in a predicament he has been met with time and time again. With players like Joe Smith, Steve Francis, and now Chris Wilcox leaving College Park early, the Terps are left with a talented but unproven nucleus. It’s these types of games that Williams circles on his calendar, providing an early test for his players and a stage for them to display how tough and talented they can be.

Ryan, on the other hand, sees that game unlike any other. It may sound like a cliché, but it has become a proven formula for Ryan’s success on the hardwood.

So keep your eye on the sidelines tonight. It will be no matter if the two teams are going at it neck-and-neck or if it’s a one-sided affair. Both coaches will be on their players, yelling, screaming and sweating (especially Williams) until the final whistle. It’s that type of passion for the game and excellence the two coaches put out on the floor that makes tonight’s game something special.