Preview: Badgers look for 2-0 Big Ten start against Iowa

Wisconsin (7-2) vs. Iowa (7-2)

Game: Sunday, Dec. 11 inside Carver-Hawkeye arena

Time: 5:30 P.M CT

Watch: BTN

Listen: 1310 WIBA AM and 101.5 FM (Matt Lepay and Mike Lucas on the call); stream online on iHeartRadio

Prediction: Wisconsin 71, Iowa 70

Follow Online: The Badgers' Den

Twitter: @Badger_Blitz

Betting Line: Iowa - 5.5

Wisconsin is coming off a victory in their first Big Ten game of the year, slipping past Maryland, 64-59. Their short December Big Ten stretch will continue with Iowa, before rounding out the month with three more out-of-conference foes.

The Badgers spread the ball around in their win over Maryland, getting positive contributions from up and down the roster. The Terps played Wisconsin extremely close after falling behind 12 points in the first half. Wisconsin needed a few big threes from Connor Essegian, Carter Gilmore and Chucky Hepburn, along with some stifling defense that caused Maryland to miss 10-straight shots late in the second half.

At 7-2, the Badgers are starting to look like a legitimate force in the Big Ten, not the doormat that they were expected to be. The season is young, but this team is proving they can ride elite defense and a diverse offense to big time wins. Knocking off undefeated Maryland, which had just beaten a talented Illinois team, was a great start to conference play.

Sunday evening in Iowa City will only be Wisconsin's second true road game this season, not counting the three games played on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. In a raucous Fiserv Forum against Marquette, Wisconsin was able to hang on for a sweet overtime victory. Carver-Hawkeye arena might not be quite as loud as it is in the thick of winter Big Ten play, but it'll be a hostile environment nonetheless.

Iowa has rolled to a great 7-2 start. Just like Wisconsin, one of its two losses came to a blue blood in Duke on the road. The biggest story for Sunday's game, however, might be Kris Murray's absence. The 6-foot-8 junior and brother of current Sacramento King Keegan Murray will miss his second straight contest on Sunday. Murray has been a scoring machine for the Hawkeyes, averaging 19.4 points and 10.1 rebounds with great efficiency. Iowa is simply much more dangerous when he's on the court, although the Hawkeyes didn't seem to miss him on Thursday when they blew out Iowa State, 75-56.

Even without Murray, Iowa's offense is one of the most efficient in the country. Their 12.1 turnover percentage is the fourth lowest nationally. Just like the Badgers, these Hawkeyes pride themselves on playing smart and limiting mishaps. In this kind of game, every mistake is magnified and clean basketball is imperative.

Behind Murray, Iowa's offensive production comes from a variety of places. Forwards Patrick McCaffery and Filip Rebraca both average over 10 points-per-game, and they mostly dominate minutes in Iowa's front court. Junior guard Tony Perkins is a scoring threat as well with 11.5 points-per-game, and he's shooting at a 41.8% clip.

Wisconsin will need to play an extremely sound game to beat Iowa on the road. The Badgers nearly forced double the turnovers they committed against Maryland. A similar stat line will be a tall task in Iowa City. Without Murray on Thursday, the forward Rebraca took the lead scoring role with 22 points. The big man is the default five for Iowa — Wisconsin must defend the post and force Iowa's guards to hit their outside shots.

Wisconsin won their last game against Iowa, an 87-78 early January victory at the Kohl Center.

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