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The Matchup: Wisconsin (6-3, 0-0) vs. Milwaukee (6-3, 0-0)
When: Wed. Dec. 9; 8p.m. CT
Where: Madison, Wis.; Kohl Center (17,287)
TV: BTN
Radio: Badgers Sports Network
Last Meeting: Wisconsin won, 93-54 (Dec. 10, 2014)
All-Time Series: Wisconsin leads, 31-1
Starting Lineups:
Milwaukee Panthers
G Jordan Johnson Jr. 5-9, 175 (9.9 ppg, 8.3 apg)
G Akeem Springs Jr. 6-4, 210 (12.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg)
F Austin Arians Jr. 6-6, 200 (13.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg)
F Matt Tiby Sr. 6-8, 230 (14.8 ppg, 8.4 rpg)
F J.J. Panoske Sr. 6-10, 225 (10.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg)
Wisconsin Badgers
G Bronson Koenig — Jr. 6-4, 193 (15.8 pgg, 3.2 rpg, 2.7 apg)
G Zak Showalter — Jr. 6-2, 180 (8.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.4 apg)
F Vitto Brown — Jr. 6-8, 230 (10.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 0.6 apg)
F Nigel Hayes — Jr. 6-8, 240 (15.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 4.2 apg)
F Ethan Happ — Fr. 6-9, 235 (10.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.2 apg)
Biggest Matchup: Matt Tiby vs. Nigel Hayes
No question this is the matchup to watch when these two clash on Wednesday night. Why? Both of these guys are the catalysts for their respective teams and both stretch opposing defenses in ways that other big men can’t. Hayes has been a big perimeter player this season and Tiby is no stranger to the three-pointer either, hitting on 39.3 percent of his attempts this season.
Wisconsin hasn’t had a ton of luck with perimeter defense this season, and if Tiby can get hot it could be a very interesting night. Similarly, Hayes likes to use the perimeter to set up the other parts of his game and getting Tiby out of the middle on defense would be a huge help to defeating the Panthers.
3 Numbers to Know:
— 36.8: After struggling to hold opponents down defensively, the Badgers have seemingly figured it out as of late. UW has held Syracuse and Temple to a combined 36.8 percent shooting, after starting the season by giving up 45.1 percent from the field in the first seven games. If Wisconsin’s defense comes to play on Wednesday it will be a long night for the Panthers.
— 3: Wisconsin freshman Ethan Happ secured a third double double on the season with an 18-point, 15-rebound night in the Carrier Dome against Syracuse last time out. It tied him for the lead in the Big Ten in that category. It appears Happ has also started to come in to his own on the defensive end of the court as well, with his 8.0 rebounds per game ranking 4th in the Big Ten. It’s also the number of straight double doubles scored by teammate Nigel Hayes, who of course is also tied atop the Big Ten lead in that category.
— 1992: The Badgers have lost just once in this series, and it was in 1992. Coincidently, the two teams have played every season since that 77-72 defeat in the old UW Fieldhouse. That means the Badgers own a 22-game win streak in this series that started way back in 1901.
Prediction: Wisconsin 82, Milwaukee 63
No doubt the mid-major in-state program always get up to play the Badgers and we’ve seen crazy losses before (most recently the OT loss to Green Bay). However, don’t expect that to be the case this time around and don’t be fooled by the 6-3 record of Milwaukee. They’ve got some really bad losses, including defeats to Duquesne and Murray State.
Sure, the Panthers have been close in all three losses, but this Badgers squad appears to have turned a corner. Look for the combination of Happ and Hayes to be way too much for Milwaukee to handle in the Kohl Center, where the Badgers have never lost to the Panthers.
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