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

Ugh, that was an awfully long week with no basketball, wasn’t it? The Wisconsin Badgers (14-10 overall, 7-6 B1G) haven’t played since last Sunday, a 70-57 victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes, and it has been a really quiet week around the Kohl Center.

The Badgers are in Lincoln this Saturday to take on the reeling Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-17 overall, 2-11 B1G) who are losers of nine straight games, including one to Wisconsin back on January 21st.

Despite the atrocious record, Nebraska has wins over Purdue and Iowa at home this year and also have been playing pretty good ball over the past five games. They lost to Rutgers by three and Maryland by only two, so it would appear that the Huskers are getting the hang of Fred Hoiberg’s system.

The Huskers play fast, don’t turn the ball over and don’t foul a lot. Despite all of these things, they only have a 48.4% eFG% (which is No. 230 in the country) and give up an offensive rebound on 33.6% of possessions (No. 340 in the country). They are also a dreadful free throw shooting team (60.3%, No. 350 in the country), so if this is a close game which it might be since the Badgers often forget how to play basketball on the road, this will be a big factor.

How to watch/listen

TV: BTN, 1:15 p.m., CT, Chris Vosters, Shon Morris

Streaming: FOX Sports App

Radio/Satellite: 1310 AM, Sirius/XM 380; Matt Lepay, Mike Lucas

Live stats: Here!

Arena: Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, Nebraska

Line: Wisconsin -6.5

KenPom Wisconsin win percentage: 69% (NICE!)

Fun facts (according to the media guides)

• UW is seeking its first road win since Jan. 11 (at No. 20 Penn State).
• The Badgers have won 11 of the 15 meetings with Nebraska since the Huskers joined the Big Ten in 2011. UW has won three straight over Nebraska. Badgers lead the all-time series 17-14.
• The Badgers have five wins over teams in the top-25 of the NET Rankings, more than any other team in the nation.
• UW is 6-8 against the Huskers in Lincoln, but the Badgers are 5-2 at Nebraska since the Huskers joined the Big Ten.
• In the 15 games since Nebraska joined the Big Ten, the Huskers have averaged a mere 58.4 ppg against the Badgers.

• Junior Brad Davison has scored in double figures in four of his five career meetings with Nebraska, averaging 11.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg and 2.4 apg.
• Junior Nate Reuvers has scored in double figures in each of his last three outings against Nebraska, averaging 11.7 ppg and going 5-7 on three pointers.
• Cam Mack is one of just eight players in Division I - and just four in power conferences - averaging at least 12.0 points, 6.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game as of Feb. 13.
• Nebraska had 50 returning total points from last season, all by Thorir Thorbjarnarson. That is the lowest by any power conference team in the last decade.
• Saturday’s game is part of the annual Nebraska Legends Weekend, as nearly 50 former players will be back in town for the game. Players spanning six decades will be recognized on Saturday. The game is sold out.

Probable starters

Wisconsin

• D’Mitrik Trice, redshirt junior, guard, No. 0
• Aleem Ford, redshirt junior, forward, No. 2
• Micah Potter, redshirt junior, forward, No. 11
• Brad Davison, junior, guard, No. 34
• Nate Reuvers, junior, forward, No. 35

Nebraska

• Kevin Cross, freshman, forward, No. 1

• Cam Mack, sophomore, guard, No. 3
• Haanif Cheatham, senior, guard, No. 22
• Jervay Green, junior, guard, No. 23 (Dachon Burke, junior, guard, No. 11 will start if he isn’t still sick)
• Thorir Thorbjarnarson, junior, guard, No. 34