Wisconsin vs. Richmond: how to watch and open thread

The Wisconsin Badgers (4-1 overall) are in the Big Apple to take on the Richmond Spiders (4-0 overall) in the semifinals of the Legends Classic. The other semifinal matchup is the No. 19 Auburn Tigers (4-0 overall) taking on the New Mexico Lobos (5-1 overall). The tournament takes place at the Barclays Center where the Brooklyn Nets play. Jay-Z owns that team!

Only in New York!

The Spiders have shot an eye-popping 46.2% from beyond the arc this year, good for No. 2 in the whole dang country, and are No. 3 in the country in eFG% at 62.3%. Richmond also misses few free throws, shooting 80.3% as a team (No. 11 in the country). They are scoring the ball at an impressive clip as well, which you may have guessed from their shooting numbers, averaging 92.5 points per game (No. 3 in the country).

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Richmond has a good offense is what we are trying to say. They don’t play particularly fast either, which will be nice for Wisconsin, but they are rather efficient. Wisconsin will have an advantage in size as the Spiders start two guards that are 5-foot-9 and 6-foot-0. Richmond also has only one guy that is 6-foot-10 or taller, but the Badgers aren’t exactly bursting through the roof of the arena with height either.

This should be a fun game between two teams that play a similar style. If it isn’t fun? Well, hopefully that means the Badgers won by 30.

How to watch/listen

TV: ESPN2, 6 p.m., CT, Bob Wischusen, Sean Farnham

Streaming: Watch ESPN

Radio/Satellite: 1310 AM, Sirius 83, XM 83; Matt Lepay and Mike Lucas

Live stats: Here!

Arena: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York

Line: Wisconsin -6

KenPom Wisconsin win percentage: 69% (NICE!)

Fun facts (according to the media guides)

• Wisconsin is making its first trip to the Barclays Center, but is very familiar with the New York City area. In fact, the Badgers have played six games (going 3-3) at Madison Square Garden over the last five years.
• Wisconsin and Richmond meet for just the second time in series history. The Badgers won the only other meeting, a 76-64 decision in the opening round of the 2004 NCAA Tournament.
• The Badgers rallied from a 13-point, second-half deficit in that game, out-scoring the Spiders 36-8 in the final 13:16. UW scored on 19 straight possessions at one point during the run. Mike Wilkinson led all scorers with 18 points while Boo Wade contributed a career-high 16 points.
• UW owns a combined record of 23-10 (.697) in November tournaments since 2005.
• Richmond is 4-0 for the first time since 1985, when the Spiders started 8-0 and reached the NCAA Tournament.
• Through four games, Richmond ranks in the top 20 in the nation in assists per game (4th), assist-turnover ratio (9th), field-goal percentage (17th), free-throw percentage (7th), points per game (3rd), three-point field goals per game (3rd), and three-point field-goal percentage (2nd).
• Gilyard (20.8), Sherod (20.8), and Blake Francis (18.5) are Richmond’s leaders in points per game. Richmond is the only team in D-I with three players averaging at least 18 points per game.
• Junior forward Aleem Ford entered the season with nine career games scoring in double figures. He’s currently posted four straight with 10+ points.
• Wisconsin dished out 24 assists on 32 FGs against Green Bay, the team’s most helpers since Dec. 13, 2018.
• UW shot 15-31 (.484) 3FG against UWGB, tied for fourth-highest single-game total for threes in school history.

Probable starters

Wisconsin

• D’Mitrik Trice, redshirt junior, guard, No. 0
• Aleem Ford, redshirt junior, forward, No. 2
• Kobe King, redshirt sophomore, guard, No. 23
• Brad Davison, junior, guard, No. 34
• Nate Reuvers, junior, forward, No. 35

Richmond

• Jacob Gilyard, junior, guard, No. 0
• Blake Francis, redshirt junior, guard, No. 1
• Nathan Cayo, junior, forward, No. 4
• Nick Sherod, redshirt junior, guard, No. 5
• Grant Golden, redshirt junior, center, No. 33