PREVIEW: No. 22 Syracuse at No. 17 Wisconsin - Big Ten/ACC Challenge

The match-up:

No. 17 Wisconsin (5-2 overall, 0-0 Big Ten) vs. No. 22 Syracuse (4-1 overall, 0-0 ACC)

When/Where:

Tuesday, Nov. 29 | 6:30 p.m. CST | Madison, Wisconsin

Broadcast:

T.V. – ESPN

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

Stream – WatchESPN

At a glance -

The No. 17 Badgers are coming off a dominant bounce-back win over a smaller opponent, but will see increased size, defense and efficiency when they take on the No. 22 Syracuse Orange in Tuesday night’s Big Ten/ACC Challenge game. The Orange are the No. 6 most efficient team on the defensive end of the court, and teams tend to struggle shooting the ball when they play SU. This isn’t great news for Wisconsin, as the Badgers have struggled early this season finding the bottom of the net. UW improved in more ways than one in their last outing versus Prairie View A&M, but it will be interesting to see if they can sustain it versus a more worthy opponent. Last year when the two met Wisconsin upset No. 14 Syracuse, 66-58 in overtime at the Carrier Dome.

Badgers last outing

Wisconsin had its best offensive night of the season against PVAMU, scoring 95 points and shooting 56 percent from the field. Versus a physically smaller opponent the Badgers managed 44 rebounds and imposed their will on the defensive end of the floor, only allowing 50 points. The usual crew of Nigel Hayes, Bronson Koenig and Ethan Happ led Wisconsin to the decisive victory.

Hayes – 17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal

Happ – 12 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists

Koenig – 11 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 steal

Badgers quick facts

- UW is 20-12 versus top 25 opponents in the last three years.

- The Wisconsin senior class has 93 total wins (29.3 per season over past three seasons), just 22 short of the all-time record of 115 set by the recent 2015 class.

- Wisconsin is 8-9 all time in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge series.

Orange last outing

Syracuse lost to South Carolina in the Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational last Saturday, 50-64. Syracuse shot just 32 percent from the field and never held the lead during the game. They struggled in the paint, only scoring eight points to the Gamecocks 30, while getting outrebounded on the glass, 30-37. Anytime the score got close, South Carolina would respond with runs that would reestablish a healthy cushion over the Orange.

Orange quick facts –

- Coach Jim Boeheim will likely reach 1,000 total wins as the head coach of Syracuse this season. However, Boeheim has already accomplished that feat once, but had 101 wins vacated by the NCAA as the result of an athletics scandal.

- Syracuse is the No. 9 most statically efficient team in the nation, while Wisconsin sits one place ahead at No. 8.

- Syracuse advanced to the Final Four for the second time in four seasons and the sixth time in program history last season.

With two of the most efficient teams in the country facing off, it will be a great game for true basketball fans. Expect deliberate possessions, team play and an overall low scoring affair between the two Top 25 teams. With Syracuse coming off a loss, and the Badgers coming off an easy win, emotions could play an early role in the contest. If Wisconsin can keep their momentum going, the Badgers could get their first ranked win of the season. But if Syracuse comes out swinging after a lackluster performance, the Badgers could lose their first home game of the year.

Wisconsin – 67

Syracuse - 65