Wisconsin vs. Milwaukee: how to watch and open thread

Well, well, well. You had probably forgotten all about the men’s basketball team, hadn’t you? The volleyball team has been marching to the Final Four, there was Early Signing Day for football and the Packers are trying to clinch the NFC North on Monday. Also, it’s the holiday season which definitely was taking up a lot of your time.

Today is the first Wisconsin men’s basketball game in 10 days and it is a big one. The Badgers have lost four out of their last five and desperately (we’ve been using this word a lot recently in regards to the basketball team) need a win to start to get some kind of momentum before the schedule get REALLY hard.

It is also a big game because it is the long-anticipated (and delayed) debut of Ohio State transfer Micah Potter! Potter, who was senselessly denied an NCAA waiver to play earlier this season, will bring much-needed size and outside shooting ability to a Wisconsin team that has lacked both this season.

The Badgers will try their best to start the day off right for the whole athletic department with a win before the main event later Saturday night (the freaking volleyball finals!!!!!!).

How to watch/listen

TV: BTN, 4:00 p.m., CT, Jeff Levering, Ben Brust

Streaming: FOX Sports app

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

Live stats: Here!

Arena: Kohl Center, Madison, Wisconsin

Line: Wisconsin -16

KenPom Wisconsin win percentage: 93%

Fun facts (according to the media guides)

• A lot has been made of the correct way to talk about the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, especially in the area of collegiate athletics. It would be appreciated if you would refer to the athletics teams as “Milwaukee”. Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated.
• Wisconsin and Milwaukee will meet for the 35th time on Saturday in a series that began in 1901.
• Outside the Big Ten, UW has faced only Marque‚tte (126) more frequently than Milwaukee.
• UW owns a 32-2 lead in the all-time series, including a 21-2 mark in Madison.
• Prior to coming to Madison, UW head coach Greg Gard served as an assistant coach under Bo Ryan at Milwaukee for two seasons (2000 and 2001), compiling a record of 30-27 (.526).
• For the first time since 2017-18, Wisconsin will face in-state foes Green Bay, Marque‚tte and Milwaukee all in the same season.
• With wins already this season over Marquette and Green Bay, the Badgers seek their first in-state sweep since 2014-15 when they host Milwaukee on Saturday.
• The Badgers turned the ball over 14 times and were out-rebounded, 40-to-26, including a 14-to-3 disadvantage on the offensive glass in their last game, against Rutgers.
• Junior Trevor Anderson added 11 points off the bench, his first time scoring in double figures as a Badger (11th in his career). Anderson entered the game with eight total points on the season.

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

Milwaukee

• Te’Jon Lucas, redshirt junior, guard, No. 3
• C.J. Wilbourn, freshman, forward, No. 5
• Amir Allen, junior, forward, No. 12
• Darius Roy, senior, guard, No. 20
• Josh Thomas, junior, guard, No. 24