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

Round 2 of the back-to-back finds the Badgers looking for revenge.

NCAA Basketball: Wisconsin at Penn State Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Not a whole lot to say about this one that we haven’t already discussed in the last couple of days. The No. 19 Wisconsin Badgers (13-5 overall, 7-4 Big Ten) struggled against the Penn State Nittany Lions (6-7 overall, 3-6 Big Ten) on Saturday but will get a chance at immediate revenge on Tuesday night.

Wisconsin turned the ball over too many times, allowed the PSU guards ample opportunities to drive the lane, didn’t make enough threes and didn’t attempt enough free throws to have any business winning the game and, guess what, they didn’t!

If Brad Davison and D’Mitrik Trice are unable to contain Myreon Jones and Izaiah Brockington it could be another long night for the Badgers. The Nittany Lions duo combined for 38 points while the Badgers starting guards only had 14.

While it was nice to see Nate Reuvers have a bounce-back game against PSU, his big man compatriot Micah Potter was basically invisible. Aleem Ford, Tyler Wahl and Jonathan Davis all contributed nicely, but this team operates at another gear when Potter is scoring the ball effectively. Six points in only 15 minutes of playing time isn’t going to cut it against any team in the league and Potter will have to be better in the rematch.

Here is all of the info you’ll need to know for Tuesday night’s game!

How to watch/listen

TV: BTN, 7:30 p.m., CT, Brandon Gaudin, Stephen Bardo

Streaming: FOX Sports App

Radio/Satellite: 1310 AM, Sirius/XM 195; Matt Lepay, Mike Lucas

Live stats: Here!

Arena: Kohl Center

Line: Wisconsin -8.5

KenPom Wisconsin win percentage: 69% (nice!)

Fun facts (according to the media guides)

  • Penn State beat Wisconsin 81-71 on Saturday which broke a 13-game winning streak for the Badgers over the Nittany Lions.
  • Wisconsin and Penn State are meeting in back-to-back games. The last time the Badgers played consecutive regular season games against the same opponent was in 1992 against Michigan State.
  • The 81 points was the most that the Nittany Lions have ever scored against Wisconsin.
  • The Badgers lead the Big Ten allowing only 62.8 ppg this season and and are second in FG pct. defense (40.5%).
  • Wisconsin had won 25 straight against Penn State when scoring at least 60 points, until this past Saturday’s loss. The last time UW had lost to PSU when scoring at least 60 was a 76-61 setback in 2000 under head coach Dick Benne‚tt.
  • PSU hasn’t won a game in Madison since January 1995 (19 straight home wins for UW).
  • UW has won 18 of its last 20 home games.
  • Going back to the 2018-19 season, Wisconsin has beaten a team it lost to earlier in Big Ten play in seven straight series.
  • Over the last two seasons, UW is 16-4 in February and March regular season games.
  • UW averages just 8.8 turnovers per game, first in the Big Ten and third in the NCAA. The Badgers have had 10 or fewer turnovers in 15 of 18 games this season. They had 12 on Saturday against Penn State.
  • Junior G Sam Sessoms is a spark for the Nittany Lions with the highest scoring average (10.1 ppg) of any Big Ten player in a non-starting role.
  • After scoring a team-high 18 points (7-of-12 FG) at Penn State last Saturday, senior F Nate Reuvers is now just eight points away from joining Wisconsin’s 1,000-point career scoring club.
  • When senior G Brad Davison scores in double digits the Badgers are 8-0 this year. Unrelated, but his next charge taken will be No. 69 in his career.
  • Sophomore F Tyler Wahl recorded his second double-double of the season with 13 points (all in the first half) and a team-high 10 rebounds against PSU on Saturday.

Probable starters

Wisconsin

  • D’Mitrik Trice, 6-foot, redshirt senior, guard, No. 0
  • Aleem Ford, 6-foot-8, redshirt senior, forward, No. 2
  • Tyler Wahl, 6-foot-9, sophomore, forward, No. 5
  • Micah Potter, 6-foot-10, redshirt senior, center, No. 11
  • Brad Davison, 6-foot-4, senior, guard, No. 34

Penn State

  • Myreon Jones, 6-foot-3, junior, guard, No. 0
  • Seth Lundy, 6-foot-6, sophomore, forward, No. 1
  • Jamari Wheeler, 6-foot-1, senior, guard, No. 5
  • Izaiah Brockington, 6-foot-4, junior, guard, No. 12
  • John Harrar, 6-foot-9, senior, forward, No. 21