[media-credit name=’BRYAN FAUST/Herald file photo’ align=’alignright’ width=’336′][/media-credit]Many years ago, Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan had a little bit of a rivalry with Indiana's Kelvin Sampson. However, the clashes weren't on a basketball court, but on one for racquetball back at the 1993 Olympic Festival.

"We used to be old racquetball combatants," said Sampson, the first-year head coach of the Hoosiers. "You can ask Bo about how that went."

"Kelvin Sampson is (better) by far; I don't think there's any coach in America that could beat Kelvin Sampson in racquetball. He's the best," said Ryan, who added that his one racquetball win at the Festival was a defeat of Rick Barry's pregnant wife.

Ryan will have the opportunity to avenge his racquetball shortcomings against Sampson tonight, as No. 2 Wisconsin (21-1, 7-0 Big Ten) takes on Indiana (15-5, 5-2 Big Ten) in Bloomington. For the Badgers to do so, they will have to continue the tremendous road play that has characterized the team this season. At 5-0 in true road games (the Badgers' lone loss came to Missouri State on a neutral court), Wisconsin and Virginia Commonwealth are the only teams in the nation to have not lost on another team's home floor.

Playing well away from the Kohl Center has been a focal point for the team thus far, especially in light of the road struggles a year ago, when the team stumbled to a 2-8 record away from Madison.

"I think we are definitely more focused; we are playing as a team," senior point guard Kammron Taylor said. "I think we have to bring even more energy when we are on the road because we are just out there by ourselves. We have to be even more intense."

Wisconsin's experience and reinforced concentration for road contests will be tested again, as the Badgers travel to one of the Big Ten's more storied and historically difficult venues to play in: Assembly Hall. UW players expressed that they are looking forward to playing at the celebrated arena.

"I think it's exciting. Indiana, what more can you say? It's a great basketball program and to play in that gym is going to be fun," said sophomore Joe Krabbenhoft, who was quick to point out that the experience would be marred with a loss. "But I don't think I'll be smiling so much if we don't come out of there with a win."

In fact, according to Krabbenhoft, the team has embraced playing on the road in general, which could explain the outstanding success so far this season.

"I love playing on the road. Being an underdog, going in with only 15 guys and a coaching staff, us against the world sort of," Krabbenhoft said. "We kind of like that feeling, and we thrive on it."

The Hoosiers, however, provide challenges greater than their building.

Depending on what statistics you use, the team could be the Big Ten's top offense. The Hoosiers average 72.3 points a game, good for third best in the Big Ten, but average a league-best 1.16 points per possession in Big Ten play. Wisconsin, by comparison, averages 1.07, good for fifth in the conference.

The biggest reason for Indiana's scoring prowess has been its proficiency from beyond the arc, where the Hoosiers shoot a league-best 38 percent. However, that isn't to say that the Hoosiers are a perimeter team, as they sport one of the Big Ten's most seasoned and effective post players in junior D.J. White, who is averaging 14.2 points and 7.2 rebounds this season.

"They are shooting the three so well, and a lot of that is D.J. White has been drawing a lot more attention," UW senior forward Alando Tucker said. "He adds the extra inside presence where you have to respect that, and it opens up the three-point shots."

The Badgers, who sport the conference's best two-point field goal defense by a vast margin at 41.4 percent, will likely look to play to their strength and shut down the Hoosiers from the inside out.

"D.J. White is a premier big man in the country, let alone the Big Ten, so a lot of focus is going to be on him," Krabbenhoft said. "But they have eight, nine or 10 guys who can really light it up."

Among Indiana's other offensive threats are Roderick Wilmont (11.5 PPG), A.J. Ratliff (39 percent three-point shooter) and Armon Bassett (42 percent three-point shooter).

The Badgers seem prepared to face an Indiana team unlike any they have played in their careers under a new scheme and regime.

"We have to erase from our minds what they did last year," Krabbenhoft said.

"I guess you can look at it like a non-conference game," Taylor added.