Preview: Saturday marks the 128th meeting between Wisconsin and Marquette
No. 23 Wisconsin (6-1, 0-0) vs. Marquette (7-1, 0-0)
Game: Saturday, Dec. 4 inside the Kohl Center
Time: 11:30 PM (CT)
Watch: FOX (Aaron Goldsmith and Jim Jackson)
Listen: 1310 WIBA AM and 101.5 FM (Matt Lepay and Mike Lucas on the call); stream online on iHeartRadio
Prediction: Wisconsin 67, Marquette 60
Follow Online: The Badgers' Den
Twitter: @Badger_Blitz
PRE-GAME NOTES
The historic in-state battle between Wisconsin and Marquette resumes on Saturday in Madison. The matchup returns some normalcy to the rivalry with fans from both programs expected to fill the Kohl Center this afternoon.
The Badgers are looking to continue their hot start to the year. UW followed up its tournament win in the Maui Invitational with an impressive 70-66 road victory at Georgia Tech. The group has won in different ways this season, whether that's been holding onto a lead, coming back from a big deficit or surviving multiple scoring droughts.
"You guys are fun. Fun to coach, to watch. Love you guys," Greg Gard told the team in the post-game locker room on Wednesday.
Gard's team is back in the Kohl Center after four games away from home, so they'll see friendly rims. His young squad passed their first true road test, though, which should bode well for the rest of the season.
"A lot of the guys in there, that’s their first true road game," Brad Davison said following the win over Georgia Tech. "It’s a new energy for guys to be a part of. So proud of how my teammates responded from being in that environment. We responded to every punch and we threw the last couple,"
With Jonathan Davis struggling to score at his usual clip, Davison erupted for 27 points against the Yellow Jackets. Something to watch moving forward will be whether or not Tyler Wahl or even Chucky Hepburn can step up and add some scoring punch so that Davis and Davison don't have to carry the load offensively. To this point, Davis (19.3) and Davison (15.3) are averaging more than half of the team's points (68.0) on a given night.
Marquette brings a 7-1 record to Madison, a resume that includes solid wins over Ole Miss, Illinois (No. 10) and West Virginia. Shaka Smart's group is led by the duo of Justin Lewis (16.1) and Darryl Morsell (15.3). They lead the team in scoring and are the lone players who average double figures offensively.
Morsell, a Maryland transfer, is a familiar face for Gard's staff. The 6-foot-5 forward was named defensive player of the year in the Big Ten a season ago, and his shooting and ability to get into the paint is key for the Golden Eagles. He will likely draw the assignment of covering Davis, which could create some stagnant possessions for UW.
Friday afternoon will be the 128th all-time meeting between the two rivals with UW leading the series, 68-58. Marquette comes in winners of four of the last six matchups.
| Pos. | Wisconsin | HT/WT | Pts. | Reb. | Ast. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
G |
Chucky Hepburn (Fr.) |
6-2, 211 |
8.6 |
4.9 |
0.7 |
|
G |
Brad Davison (Sr.) |
6-4, 200 |
15.3 |
4.6 |
1.9 |
|
W |
Jonathan Davis (So.) |
6-5, 194 |
19.3 |
5.7 |
2.7 |
|
F |
Tyler Wahl (Jr.) |
6-9, 221 |
9.3 |
4.7 |
0.9 |
|
F |
Steven Crowl (So.) |
7-0, 234 |
8.6 |
4.9 |
0.7 |
Manage privacy settings
| Pos. | Marquette | HT/WT | Pts. | Reb. | Ast. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
G |
Tyler Kolek (R-Fr.) |
6-3, 190 |
8.1 |
3.6 |
5.0 |
|
G |
Darryl Morsell (Gr.) |
6-5, 205 |
15.3 |
3.4 |
3.1 |
|
F |
Justin Lewis (R-Fr.) |
6-7, 245 |
16.1 |
8.0 |
0.9 |
|
F |
Olivier-Maxence Prosper (R-Fr.) |
6-8, 220 |
5.0 |
3.9 |
0.9 |
|
F |
Kur Kuath (Gr.) |
6-10, 215 |
6.6 |
4.6 |
0.4 |
Manage privacy settings
_________________________________________________
*Chat about this article in The Badgers' Den
*Check out our videos, interviews, and Q&As on our YouTube channel
*Subscribe and listen to the BadgerBlitz.com podcast (as seen on Apple, Google, Spotify and wherever you listen to podcasts)
*Follow us on Twitter: @McNamaraRivals, @JakeKoco, @TheBadgerNation, @RaulV45
*Like us on Facebook