Wisconsin (14-9) vs. Nebraska (11-14)

Game: Saturday, February 11 inside Pinnacle Bank Arena

Time: 3:00 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 67, Nebraska 62

Follow Online: The Badgers' Den

Twitter: @Badger_Blitz

Wisconsin picked up a big win against Penn State on the road Wednesday, outlasting the Nittany Lions in overtime. In a game both teams had to have, or risk falling out of the tournament bubble completely, the Badgers handled their business in State College.

It was a big win for Wisconsin in lots of ways. First of all, they hadn't reached the 70-point threshold since December. Yes, they got to 79 points in overtime, but it's still a confidence booster for an offense that has appeared to be on life support at times this season.

Additionally, Tyler Wahl looked as close to his true self as he has since his ankle injury. The junior posted 16 points, six rebounds and a team-leading eight assists. His ability to impact the game in so many ways has been dearly missed, and his near double-double indicates that he's trending in the right direction.

The Badgers are now set for a critical game against Nebraska. With so little margin for error, every game is obviously huge for Wisconsin going forward. However, with the Cornhuskers struggling and Purdue, Rutgers and Michigan (twice) still on the schedule, the pressure is on the Badgers to prevail against a lesser foe.

Nebraska is 12th in the Big Ten, with a 4-10 record in league play. They've lost seven of their last nine, most recently letting Michigan hang 93 points on them in Ann Arbor. And while their defense has clearly been an issue, their offense has problems as well.

They're not a long-range shooting team — their 31.5 percent from deep is near 300th nationally, according to KenPom. They cough up the ball too frequently on offense, and they, like the Badgers, have struggled mightily from the charity stripe. If you thought Wisconsin's 64.9 percent from the line was bad, try Nebraska's 62.6 percent.

The Cornhuskers' leading scorer is their senior center Derrick Walker, and he's easily their go-to. Walker averages 13.3 points and 7.4 rebounds, and Nebraska's offense runs through him. So many Big Ten games come down to which team can control the post, so Steven Crowl's matchup with Walker will be one of the most important come Saturday.

Keisei Tominaga is another Cornhusker to keep an eye on. The junior guard has quietly been a very proficient scorer this season, shooting 49.5% from the field and 39.8% from deep. He dropped 30 points on Penn State on Feb. 5, and followed that up with a 24-point showing against Michigan. Tominaga only entered the starting lineup recently, and it'll be hard for Nebraska to bench him with the much needed scoring ability he provides, especially from three-point land.

After facing a Penn State squad that lives and dies by the three, Wisconsin has a much different task ahead of them in Lincoln. Walker should be the primary focus on defense for the Badgers, and they'll need to protect the paint to stop him. With one made three on the year, Walker isn't a stretch five by any means, so Wisconsin won't necessarily need all hands on deck to defend the three.

Something else to watch — how does Chucky Hepburn fair in his return to his home state? The point guard has scored at least 15 points in four straight games, a sign that his aggression is trending in the right direction. In his freshman year, Hepburn scored 13 points in Lincoln, including three triples.

The Badgers will be faced with another critical game on Saturday. Yes, schedule-watching can be distracting and no, there are no easy games in the Big Ten. But with an 11-14 Cornhuskers squad in between Wisconsin and a .500 record in conference play, and with Purdue and other daunting tests lurking around the corner, this is an absolutely pivotal game.

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