Badgers Basketball Preview: Indiana pt. 2

[Da-news-now]

The Matchup: Wisconsin (11-9, 2-4 B1G) vs. No. 19 Indiana (17-3, 7-0 B1G)
When: Tues, Jan. 26, 2016; 6p.m. (CT)
Where: Madison, Wis.; Kohl Center (17,287)
TV: ESPN
Radio: Badgers Sports Network
Last Meeting: Indiana won, 59-58 Bloomington, Ind. (1/5/16)
All-Time Series: IU leads 95-69

Starting Lineups:


Indiana Hoosiers

G Yogi Ferrell — Sr. 6-0, 180 (17.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 6.1 apg)
G Robert Johnson — So. 6-3, 195 (7.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.4 apg)
F Troy Williams — Jr. 6-7, 215 (13.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.4 apg)
F Collin Hartman — Jr. 6-7, 215 (5.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.6 apg)
C Thomas Bryant —Fr. 6-10, 245 (11.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 0.9 apg)

Wisconsin Badgers

G Bronson Koenig — Jr. 6-4, 193 (14.0 pgg, 2.6 rpg, 2.4 apg)
G Zak Showalter — Jr. 6-2, 180 (7.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.3 apg)
F Vitto Brown — Jr. 6-8, 230 (8.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 0.6 apg)
F Nigel Hayes — Jr. 6-8, 240 (16.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.7 apg)
F Ethan Happ — Fr. 6-9, 235 (12.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 0.9 apg)

Biggest Matchup: Bronson Koenig vs. Yogi Ferrell


It may seem obvious, but there’s a reason why this matchup of star point guards is of vital importance — game flow. Ferrell, who somehow lasted all four years in Bloomington (because he came in about as hyped as anyone in his class nationally), has a crazy ability to take a game over and Wisconsin simply can’t afford that.

He is shooting a career-best 47.9 percent from the field and a career-best 44.7 percent from beyond the arc. That’s super dangerous to a Wisconsin team that has struggled to stop teams from hitting on the perimeter. Just how bad is UW’s perimeter defense this season? It ranks dead last in the Big Ten in opponent three-point percentage.

That means Koenig’s defense is going to need to step about a step or 10 from what we’ve seen throughout the rest of the season. If he can at least slow down Ferrell and continue to figure out how to hit big shots when needed on the other end of the floor, Wisconsin may be in business this game. If not, it could be a long night in Madison.



3 Numbers to Know:


— 1998: That is the last year Indiana won a game at the Kohl Center. Wisconsin has won 13-straight at home over the Hoosiers, and have won 14 of the last 16 overall. That’s how the Badgers are tied 40-40 in games played in Madison in this series. That’s a lot of really good and really mediocre teams to have won games against equal, worse or better Indiana teams.

— 7: That is the number of games played by the Badgers in which it was decided by 3 points or less. Wisconsin leads all major conference teams in games played with the final margin of three points or less, but it has failed in most of those games. The Badgers are just 2-5 in those seven games and have a record of 1-2 in those games during the Greg Gard portion of the Badgers’ season.

—42.1%: That is point guard Bronson Koenig’s three-point shooting percentage in the last 6 games. UW’s point guard really struggled from deep for most of the season, however he’s turned it on in Big Ten play and has hit at least one three-pointer in 31 consecutive games. That is the 5th-longest streak in the country.

Prediction: Wisconsin 71, Indiana 66


It just feels like this Wisconsin Badgers team is different, and perhaps it is because it has finally figured out who it is. This Badgers team under Gard is all about physical play down low, getting to the line and stretching opponents when on offense. It also has clamped down on defense.

These two teams played a barn-burner at Assembly Hall in Bloomington early on in Big Ten play, and given the history of struggles for Indiana (especially under Tom Crean) it just feels ripe for the upset. Also, we’ve seen some absolutely crazy things happen in the last few weeks of Big Ten play.

Wisconsin gets Ethan Happ and Nigel Hayes going early, struggles in the second half to shoot the ball but gets to the line enough to make up for it. Such is the formula for a Badger victory as of late. Look for this to be a signature win as the Badgers start hitting their stride with a third-straight win in conference play and easily their best win of the season.

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