Wisconsin vs. Nebraska: how to watch, game preview and open thread

The No. 9 Wisconsin Badgers (6-1 overall, 0-0 Big Ten) are opening conference play against the Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-3 overall, 0-0 Big Ten) on Tuesday night in Madison at the Kohl Center. UW is coming off of a dominant win over then No. 23 Louisville while the Huskers haven’t played a D-1 team since Dec. 11, a 24-point loss to No. 8 Creighton.

Tuesday’s game will be a matchup of contrasting styles, as Nebraska is No. 25 nationally and second in the Big Ten in tempo according to KenPom, while Wisconsin is No. 326 nationally and No. 13 in the BIg Ten. You’ll probably have to take a long look at the Huskers roster this year as only four active members, Akol Arop, Yvan Ouedraogo, Thorir Thorbjarnarson and Dalano Banton (while he was with WKU), of the NU roster have faced Wisconsin prior to Tuesday’s game.

The Huskers have the sixth shortest average possession time of any team in the country and has helped them average 81.6 points per game so far this season. Those numbers are goosed a bit by two 100-point scoring outputs against McNeese State (No. 326 KenPom) and something called Doane (?????). Nebraska’s AdjO numbers on KenPom are No. 144 in the nation, so above average but nothing too threatening, and their best win is against North Dakota State (No. 173 KenPom).

While Nebraska doesn’t have great size in the front court, their guards are all long and disruptive on defense which could pose a problem for Trice and Davison, although neither of them have been turnover happy this year. This would seem like yet another game where one of Nate Reuvers or Micah Potter (whoever stays out of foul trouble) should have a big scoring night.

How to watch/listen

TV: FS1, 6:00 p.m., CT, Chris Vosters, Stephen Bardo

Streaming: FOX Sports GO

Radio/Satellite: 1310 AM, Sirius/XM 84; Matt Lepay, Mike Lucas

Live stats: Here!

Arena: Kohl Center

Line: Wisconsin -17

KenPom Wisconsin win percentage: 94%

Fun facts (according to the media guides)

• Wisconsin enters Big Ten play enjoying a pair of impressive streaks, winning their last eight Big Ten games and 14 consecutive home games.
• Wisconsin is the only team in the nation ranked top-10 in the Ken Pomeroy Rankings for both offense and defense (No. 4 Def., No. 10 Off.).
• Seven different Badgers are averaging between five and 13 ppg. A total of nine different players have scored in double figures this season.
• UW leads the Big Ten and ranks No. 4 in the NCAA shooting 43.7% on 3FGs with six of its top eight scorers shooting over 40.0%.
• UW leads the NCAA averaging just 8.1 turnovers per game. The Badgers have not turned it over more than 10 times in any game this season.
• UW leads the Big Ten in scoring defense (58.1 ppg) and third in FG Pct defense (36.6%).
• The Badgers lead the all-time series with Nebraska, 18-14, winning 12 of the 16 meetings since the Huskers joined the Big Ten in 2011.

• UW is 9-3 against the Huskers in Madison, including a mark of 5-1 since the Huskers joined the Big Ten. The Badgers have won four straight against Nebraska as well.
• In the two meetings last season, the Badgers went a combined 33-for-65 (.508) from three-point range. Wisconsin set a school record with 18 made triples against Nebraska on Jan. 21, 2020.
• In his most recent meeting with the Huskers, Brad Davison matched his career high with 30 points, tying the school record with eight made three-pointers.
• D’Mitrk Trice has a 5.2 assist-to-turnover ratio this season (26 assists to five TOs), all while playing a team-high 189 minutes this season. Trice is 39 assists away from being in Wisconsin’s all-time top-five for the category.
• Nebraska’s Dalano Banton joins Illinois’ Ayo Dosunmu as the only Big Ten players in the top-10 in the conference in both rebounding and assists as of Dec. 20.
• Nebraska averages 9.1 steals per game, a total which leads the Big Ten and ranks No. 37 nationally entering Tuesday’s game with Wisconsin.

Probable starters

Wisconsin

• D’Mitrik Trice, 6-foot, redshirt senior, guard, No. 0
• Aleem Ford, 6-foot-8 redshirt senior, forward, No. 2
• Micah Potter, 6-foot-10, redshirt senior, center, No. 11
• Brad Davison, 6-foot-4, senior, guard, No. 34
• Nate Reuvers, 6-foot-11, senior, forward, No. 35

Nebraska

• Teddy Allen, 6-foot-6, junior, guard, No. 0
• Lat Mayen, 6-foot-9, junior, forward, No. 11
• Trey McGowens, 6-foot-4, junior, guard, No. 24
• Thorir Thorbjarnarson, 6-foot-6, senior, guard, No. 34
• Dalano Barton, 6-foot-9, sophomore, guard, No. 45