Preview: Wisconsin looks to clean up on defensive end against Maryland

No. 14 Wisconsin (12-4, 6-3) vs. Maryland (9-7, 3-6)

Game: Wednesday, Jan. 27 inside the Xfinity Center in College Park, Maryland

Time: 8:00 PM

Watch: BTN (Kevin Kugler and Stephen Bardo)

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

Follow Online: The Badgers' Den

Twitter: @Badger_Blitz

No. 14 Wisconsin heads back on the road to face Maryland on Wednesday evening. The Badgers are hoping their success from a season ago in rematch contests carries over to this season.

With Maryland fielding such a uniquely small lineup, much of Wisconsin's work this week has been on defending against dribble penetration and keeping the ball out of the paint, according to head coach Greg Gard.

“Because of how they play, matchup-wise, there are a lot of challenges that get put on the floor. Even against Minnesota, they played exceptionally small and that presents some challenges. It’s going to test our adherence to our rules and discipline in our system," Gard told reporters when previewing Maryland on Monday afternoon. "We’ve got to be better on the ball in terms of containing dribble penetration initially, but also in the layers that build our defense.

"They probably do more so just because of the lineup they put on the floor - challenge that as much as any other team in the league.”

Earlier this year, UW's struggled to stop the Terrapins in the second half. Maryland hit 16 of its final 19 shots after it opened the half 0-of-6 from the floor. Much of that production came inside, as the Terrapins scored 26 points in the paint compared to just 12 in the first half.

"I remember them scoring a lot of baskets at the rim. Way too many points in the paint, which is something as a defensive unit we pride ourselves on," senior guard Brad Davison said. “Definitely remember them getting to the rim a lot, whether it was straight line drives or backdoor cuts or post touches. They found themselves operating right next to the basket which, obviously, you’re going to make a higher percentage of your shots when you’re working inside.

"So trying to take that away - plugging gaps, getting to shooters, working as a unit and playing as five on the defensive end is definitely a key against Maryland.”

At times, Maryland can play four guards and a 6-foot-7 forward in Hakim Hart as its big.

"When you've got five guys who can handle the ball like that it's tough," senior forward Micah Potter said. "All you can do is focus on the basics and the fundamentals on defense. Our rules as a team are to be in the gap, closing out hard, chopping your feet, high hand, taking away baseline, just different things like that. Being a good help-side defender. Just going back to the fundamentals of defense."

UW will have its hands full with the backcourt duo of Eric Ayala and Aaron Wiggins. The pair led Maryland with 17 and 15 points, respectively, in the meeting one month ago. The guards also combined to score 26 of the team's 46 second-half points. Ayala led the rally by scoring all 17 in the second half. Donta Scott is coming off a 15-point, 11-rebound night against Minnesota in their most recent contest.

If Wisconsin can figure things out on the defensive end, Gard believes that success will naturally carry over to a slumping offense. UW is coming off a cold afternoon, shooting 7-of-28 from beyond the arc against Ohio State.

“This group, when they’re at their best, they’re focused on the defensive end and let the offense come to them, not the other way around," Gard said. "When we get focused the other way around, we’re not as good as we can be. Our best has always been when we’re locked in defensively.

UW leads the all-time series, 8-7, and the matchup is now tied up at 5-5 since Maryland joined the Big Ten in the 2014-2015 season.