B1G TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: No. 24 Wisconsin vs. Northwestern

Matchup

No. 24 Wisconsin (24-8 overall, 12-6 Big Ten) vs. Northwestern (23-10 overall, 10-7 Big Ten)

When & Where

Saturday, March 11 | 2:30 p.m. CST | Washington D.C.

Broadcast

TV – CBS

Radio – 101.5 FM | 1310 AM | Matt Lepay and Mike Lucas

Streaming – CBS All Access

At a Glance

The No. 24 Wisconsin Badgers took apart Indiana in their first action of the Big Ten Tournament and will now have the opportunity to exact revenge on Northwestern, the team that ended the Badgers home-win streak and sent them into a late-season tailspin. It won’t be easy, though, as the Wildcats have proven themselves to be a true contender after beating Wisconsin in Madison last month and pressuring No. 13 Purdue into the final minutes less than a week ago. The victor will go on to play in the Big Ten Tournament Championship tomorrow at 2 p.m. versus the winner of Michigan/Minnesota.

Head Coach

Greg Gard: 39–16 (.709)

Last Time Out

Wisconsin opened the Big Ten Tournament with a convincing 70-60 win over Indiana and the high-powered Hoosier offense. The Cardinal and White took the lead with over seven minutes left in the first half and never gave it back. UW held their opponents to just 27 points in the first period and 60 points overall by pressuring Indiana to shoot 41 percent from the field while forcing 12 turnovers. Bronson Koenig continued to show improvement after a mid-season injury and led the Badgers in scoring with 16 points in Wisconsin’s post-season opener.

Bronson Koenig – 16 points, 5 assists, 1, rebound, 3 steals

Nigel Hayes – 10 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists

Ethan Happ – 14 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist

Quick Facts

- Though Wisconsin had a late-season slide they still managed to win 23 games – good enough for one more win than last season’s Sweet 16 squad.

- After a mid-season slump Bronson Koenig has found his rhythm and has scored 96 combined points in the last 5 games (19.2 PPG avg.)

- Nigel Hayes has scored at least 15 points in 13 of the Badgers 32 games this season.

Head Coach

Chris Collins: 72-58 (.554)

Last Time Out

Northwestern has had a tough road to this point – having to face the Maryland Terrapins in the “neutral” federal district of Washington D.C. – but the Wildcats showed no fear as they shocked the Terps in a courageous 72-64 upset. The Cats shot nearly 47 percent from 3-point range and over 55 percent from the field. The numbers were too much for Maryland to match as Northwestern took control with more than 12 minutes left in the second half and never looked back.

Quick Facts

- Northwestern delivered the Badgers their first home loss in 20 games in mid-February.

- According to Kenpom.com Northwestern is the No. 35 most efficient team in the nation.

- The Cats are led scoring in by Bryant McIntosh who scored 25 points on 23 shots when Northwestern beat Wisconsin in Madison last month.

Wisconsin – 71

Northwestern – 66