[media-credit name=’BRYAN FAUST/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Looking to rebound after a tough loss against top-ranked Illinois, the UW men’s basketball team (13-4, 4-2) will travel to Happy Valley for a conference battle against Penn State (7-12, 1-5) Saturday.

“That’s the great thing about playing in the Big Ten. You’ve got at least two games a week, so you can bounce back right away,” guard Sharif Chambliss said. “We just want to go in there and prove that we’re one of the elite teams in the country.”

Saturday’s game carries added significance for Chambliss, who played at Penn State for three seasons before transferring to Wisconsin. Chambliss, who surpassed the 1,000-point mark against Illinois Tuesday, downplayed the emotional aspects of his return to Happy Valley.

“I’m here now; I’m on the right team,” Chambliss said. “We’re going to go in there and try to get something done.”

Chambliss and the Badgers may be without the services of forward Brian Butch, who is listed as day-to-day with a left-foot injury. Butch did not play against Illinois Tuesday and was held out of most of Thursday’s practice. He was able to work out on the exercise bike and participate in shooting drills, and he was no longer wearing a protective boot as he did in practice prior to the Illinois game.

Butch’s potential absence may hurt the Badgers on the boards, as Penn State enters the game the top rebounding team in the Big Ten (36.9 rebounds per game). Wisconsin currently ranks third, with an average of 36.4 boards per game.

Leading the way for the Nittany Lions is forward Aaron Johnson, the only player in the Big Ten averaging double figures in both scoring and rebounding. The top rebounder in the Big Ten, Johnson averages 13.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. He leads Penn State in both categories.

“He’s a throwback to a guy that realizes that he can’t jump that high, yet he gets the basketball because he takes up space, he has good footwork and he works hard,” Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan said of Johnson. “There’s always room for those guys in this game.”

Led by Johnson, Penn State has demonstrated a balanced attack this season with four players scoring in double figures. Johnson, Geary Claxton (12.1 points per game), Travis Parker (12.1 points per game) and Marlon Smith (11.8 points per game) give the Nittany Lions a number of scoring options.

Claxton, a freshman, has been on a tear since the start of conference play, averaging 15.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game against Big Ten opponents.

Wisconsin will have an edge on the defensive end thanks to Chambliss, who has passed on information he gained during his time at Penn State to his Badger teammates. Chambliss’ first-hand knowledge of player tendencies from three seasons of practices at Penn State may help UW defenders slow the Nittany Lions down.

Both teams will enter Saturday’s contest after a loss, with the Badgers losing to Illinois and Penn State falling 68-62 to Ohio State. Penn State has lost 10 of their last 12 games, including six of the last seven.

The Nittany Lions have struggled mightily this season, with losses against Illinois State, South Carolina State, Buffalo and Valparaiso in addition to five conference losses. Penn State’s only Big Ten win came against Northwestern, 65-62.

The Nittany Lions currently allow more points than any team in the Big Ten, surrendering an average of 69.5 points per game. Ed DeChellis’ squad is one of three Big Ten teams with a negative scoring margin (-2.4 points per game). Penn State also ranks last in the conference in turnover margin (3.63).

If history is any indication, the venue may be a factor. The home team has won each of the past eight meetings between the two squads. However, Wisconsin has won four of their last five conference road games, including two of three this season. Meanwhile, Penn State has posted an unimpressive 4-5 record this season within the confines of the Bryce Jordan Center.

Despite the Lions’ struggles, Ryan has been impressed with DeChellis’ young team, which will not face the pressure of lofty expectations.

“The expectations will be high on their end as competitors, but from the outside, there’s not very much,” Ryan said. “They’re loose and getting better — young guys that are hungry and want to play. We see them doing some really good things.”