Who – No. 6 Wisconsin (17-2, 5-1 Big Ten) at Michigan (12-7, 5-2 Big Ten)
When – Saturday, Jan. 24, 6 p.m.
Where – Ann Arbor, Michigan; Crisler Center (12,707)
TV Broadcast – ESPN (Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas, Shannon Spake)
Wisconsin (17-2, 5-1 Big Ten)
Big Ten: 5-1, tied for 1st place with Indiana
Last Game: Defeated Iowa, 82-50
Probable starters: G – Bronson Koenig (6-4, 5.6 ppg), G – Josh Gasser (6-4, 7.2 ppg), F – Sam Dekker (6-9, 12.6 ppg), F – Nigel Hayes (6-8, 12.5 ppg), F – Frank Kaminsky (7-0, 16.9 ppg)
Key Reserves: F – Duje Dukan, F – Vitto Brown, G – Zak Showalter
Need to know: After a loss to Rutgers last Sunday, the Badgers have bounced back with two convincing wins against Nebraska and Iowa. UW’s drubbing of the Hawkeyes came on Tuesday when they nearly led wire-to-wire to pick up their fifth conference victory. Four players scored in double-figures for UW including Kaminsky, Hayes, Dekker and Koenig in their win over the Hawkeyes. The Badgers committed just one turnover.
According to Ken Pomeroy’s efficiency rankings, Wisconsin currently leads the nation in offensive efficiency, averaging 122.5 points per 100 possession. UW is first in the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing 54.6 points per game, and leads the Big Ten in scoring during conference play at 74.3 points per game. In three career starts, Koenig is averaging 12 points per game and his season 4.33 assist-to-turnover is second in the nation. With another double-double against Iowa, Kaminsky still leads the Big Ten with eight. In conference play, Dekker is averaging 13.7 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting 55.4 percent from the field.
Last season Michigan and Wisconsin split their two-game series with both teams winning on the road. The Wolverines took down UW at the Kohl Center 77-70 before the Badgers knocked off then-No. 15 Michigan in Ann Arbor, 75-62.
Michigan (12-7, 5-2 Big Ten)
Big Ten: 5-2, tied for 2nd place with Maryland, 1/2 game behind UW, Indiana
Last Game: Defeated Rutgers, 54-50
Probable Starters: G – Derrick Walton Jr. (6-0, 10.4 ppg), G – Spike Albrecht (5-11, 4.9 ppg), F – Zak Irvin (6-6, 13.7 ppg), F – Aubrey Dawkins (6-6, 3.5 ppg), F – Ricky Doyle (6-9, 6.9 ppg)
Key Reserves: F – Max Bielfeldt, G – Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, F – Mark Donnal, F – Sean Lonergan
Need to know: The Wolverines shook off a rough start to their season and now have a 5-2 record in Big Ten play. In non-conference play, Michigan lost four straight games to the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Eastern Michigan, No. 3 Arizona and Southern Methodist. The Wolverines have since defeated Illinois, Minnesota, Northwestern, Penn State and Rutgers and fell to Purdue and Ohio State in conference play thus far.
Michigan is without their best player and preseason all-Big Ten selection Caris LeVert, who led Michigan in every major offensive category before fracturing his foot against Northwestern on Jan. 17. No player for the Wolverines is over six-foot-nine while the Badgers have four players that are six-foot-nine or taller. Michigan’s lack of height has shown as they average 31.8 rebounds per game, ranking 300 out of 351 teams in Division I. UM is also 243rd (64.9) and 280 (.411 percent) in points per game and field goal percentage, respectively. Irvin is fourth in the Big Ten in three-point field goals made per game, averaging 2.5 shots made from beyond the arc.
ESPN’s College Gameday will be in Ann Arbor on Saturday to host their weekly show at the Crisler Center. The show will air from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on ESPNU before switching to ESPN from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. College Gameday is hosted by Rece Davis who will be joined by Bilas and analysts Seth Greenberg and Jay Williams.
