Wisconsin vs. New Mexico: how to watch and open thread

The Wisconsin Badgers (4-2 overall) struggled to find any sort of shooting range on Monday night in their loss to the Richmond Spiders (5-0 overall). Wisconsin played solidly on defense, holding the Spiders to 30 points under their season average, but UW scored seven points in the last 10 minutes of the game and turned the ball over 15 times. Half a recipe to win is no recipe at all.

The nice thing about holiday tournaments, however, is that you get a chance to play again the very next day! Wisconsin takes on the New Mexico Lobos (5-2 overall) who were trounced by the Auburn Tigers (6-0 overall) in the second game of the Legends Classic on Monday night.

Below you’ll find our preseason previews of both teams because we wrote about both teams AND YOU’RE GOING TO READ OUR HARD WORK!

The Lobos are a much different team than the Spiders, pace-wise. New Mexico wants to get out and run, they are ranked No. 18 in Adjusted Tempo by KenPom, and they do not like to shoot, nor are they particularly good at shooting, threes. They prefer to make their hay at the free throw line, where they score nearly 23% of their points which is good for No. 50 in the country.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Lobos don’t foul much but they do give up a lot of three point attempts. If the Badgers are shooting like they did against Richmond, this will play into New Mexico’s hands. If they shoot like they did against Milwaukee, the Badgers may win by 15.

How to watch/listen

TV: ESPN2, 4 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 -5

KenPom Wisconsin win percentage: 69% (NICE!)

Fun facts (according to the media guides)

• The Badgers have never lost to New Mexico in basketball in recorded human history, so that’s pretty good. Wisconsin won in 1984 AND in 1957, both games in New Mexico btw, and will look to continue their undefeated streak in 2019.
• The Lobos enter the week in Brooklyn having claimed a pair of home wins against Green Bay (93-78) and McNeese (90-80) in the opening rounds of the 2019 Legends Classic.
• New Mexico is No. 3 in free throws made (124) and No. 5 in free throw attempts (170) on the season (heading into the Auburn game).
• Here’s a fun fact that wasn’t in the media guide, but the Badgers scored seven points in the last 10 minutes of their game against Richmond.
• UNM center Carlton Bragg is No. 22 in the nation in total rebounds (59).

Nicole Sweet-USA TODAY Sports

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

New Mexico

• Vance Jackson, redshirt junior, forward, No. 2
• JaQuan Lyle, redshirt senior, guard, No. 5
• Makuach Maluach, junior, forward, No. 10
• JJ Caldwell, redshirt junior, guard, No. 11
• Carlton Bragg, Jr., redshirt senior, center, No. 15