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The Wisconsin Badgers (6-5 overall, 1-1 B1G) are in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday afternoon for their last road game of the decade. UW will be facing off with the Tennessee Volunteers (8-3 overall, 0-0 SEC) who just lost their starting point guard to a season ending injury and also just fell out of the top-25.
The Vols, much like the Badgers, have had an up and down season and will be looking to make a last non-conference statement before the rigors of conference play start. Wisconsin is more in need of a “tournament resume” win than Tennessee, but the Vols could be on the bubble come March and a win against UW would look nice.
Wisconsin will need another big performance from reigning B1G Player of the Week D’Mitrik Trice as well as, uh, any sort of performance from Kobe King (who scored zero points against Milwaukee). Nate Reuvers and Micah Potter will also have their hands full down low with Yves Pons and John Fulkerson, who both like to swat shots.
Getting loose in Knoxville, TN#OnWisconsin » #Badgers pic.twitter.com/h7mYnxMro7
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) December 27, 2019
How to watch/listen
TV: CBS, 12:30 p.m., CT, Carter Blackburn, Clark Kellogg
Streaming: CBS Sports app
Radio/Satellite: 1310 AM, Sirius 83, XM 83; Matt Lepay, Mike Lucas
Live stats: Here!
Arena: Thompson-Boling Arena, Knoxville, Tennessee
Line: Wisconsin +3.5
KenPom Wisconsin win percentage: 30%
Fun facts (according to the media guides)
- Since 2001-02, UW has racked up 107 true road wins, the top mark of any Big Ten team. Zero of those wins have come this year.
- The all-time series between Wisconsin and Tennessee is tied, 2-2. UT claimed a win in the only game played in Knoxville to date, a 66-56 win on Nov. 21, 2000.
- Greg Gard is 1-0 against Tennessee, serving as head coach in the most recent meeting between the two in the opening round of the 2016 Maui Jim Maui Invitational.
- Tennessee will visit Madison next season on Nov. 11, 2020 for a game at the Kohl Center.
- Junior D’Mitrik Trice broke out in Wisconsin’s last game (vs. Milwaukee) and scored a career-high 31 points, including 5-for-6 shooting from 3-point range. He was named B1G co-player of the week.
- Junior transfer Micah Potter made his Badger debut against Milwaukee, finishing with 12 points (6-6 FT) and five rebounds in just over 12 minutes of action off the bench.
- Tennessee owns a 23-35 all-time record against current members of the Big Ten. Head coach Rick Barnes is 1-4 in his career vs. Wisconsin.
- Saturday’s game has been sold out for several weeks. It is one of five UT home games that has sold out thus far.
- Tennessee leads the SEC and ranks ninth nationally in scoring defense, allowing only 57.2 ppg.
- The Vols haven’t missed a free throw in their last two games, going 23-for-23.
- Starting point guard Lamonté Turner announced on Dec. 21 that he will no longer suit up for the Vols due to thoracic outlet syndrome.
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
Tennessee
- Davonte Gaines, freshman, guard, No. 0 or Jalen Johnson, redshirt junior, guard, No. 13
- Josiah-Jordan James, freshman, guard, No. 5
- John Fulkerson, redshirt junior, forward, No. 10
- Jordan Bowden, senior, guard, No. 23
- Yves Pons, junior, forward, No. 35