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The Wisconsin Badgers (5-4 overall, 1-0 B1G) ended their three game losing streak with a dominating 20 point win over the previously undefeated Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday. Imbued with new confidence, the Badgers hit the road again to take on a better than you’re thinking Rutgers Scarlet Knights (6-3 overall, 0-1 B1G) team Wednesday night.
The Scarlet Knights are riding a two game losing skid (at Pitt in the ACC/B1G Challenge and at Michigan State in their conference opener) and will be looking to get back to their winning ways on their home court.
Rutgers is playing especially stout defense this year, ranking No. 57 in defensive efficiency on KenPom and also blocking a whole bunch of shots (mostly by 6-foot-10 and 255 pound center Myles Johnson). The Scarlet Knights aren’t a good three point shooting team, but they shoot extremely well inside the arc and are excellent at getting second chances on the offensive glass.
1-0 in Big Ten play
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) December 9, 2019
Focused on the NEXT#OnWisconsin » #Badgers pic.twitter.com/YbFlZgtgLt
The Badgers are underdogs in this game, which is weird to say when they’re playing Rutgers, but Wisconsin has had trouble on the road against the Scarlet Knights in the past. Let’s take a further look at this game and how to watch it.
How to watch/listen
TV: BTN, 6:00 p.m., CT, Brandon Gaudin, Stephen Bardo
Streaming: FOX Sports app
Radio/Satellite: 1310 AM, Sirius 83, XM 83; Matt Lepay, Mike Lucas
Live stats: Here!
Arena: Rutgers Athletic Center (The RAC), Piscataway, New Jersey
Line: Wisconsin +2
KenPom Wisconsin win percentage: 46%
Fun facts (according to the media guides)
- Wisconsin leads the all-time series vs. the Scarlet Knights, 7-2, winning four of the last five meetings.
- Greg Gard is 4-1 all-time against Rutgers.
- In five meetings against Gard-led teams, Rutgers has averaged 58.2 ppg and hasn’t scored more than 64 points in any game.
- In last season’s only meeting between UW and Rutgers, the Badgers pulled out a 69-64 win at the Kohl Center.
- Seven current Badgers have seen action against Rutgers, led by Nate Reuvers who is averaging 10.0 ppg, scoring 10 points in each of his two career meetings. (MATH!)
- The Badgers shot a season-high 53.6% from the floor (30-56), including 8-20 3FG, in their win against Indiana last week.
- UW committed a season-low four turnovers vs. the Hoosiers.
- Sophomore Kobe King broke out with a career high 24 points (10-15 FG), while also tallying four rebounds, one assist and one block.
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
Rutgers
- Geo Baker, junior, guard, No. 0
- Myles Johnson, sophomore, center, No. 15
- Montez Mathis, sophomore, guard, No. 23
- Ron Harper Jr., sophomore, forward, No. 24
- Jacob Young, junior, guard, No. 42
Rutgers has a lot of players that play similar amounts of minutes, so this is an educated guess at their starting five. Please don’t yell at me online about it if it’s wrong!