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Preview: No. 8 UW vs Marquette

MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin Badgers have lost a total of seven home games to six non-conference opponents at the Kohl during Bo Ryan's tenure. Marquette is the only one of those six to do it twice.
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The Golden Eagles (5-3) have won two straight against the Badgers (9-0) and are 6-6 against Wisconsin with Ryan at the helm. In games played in Madison, the Badgers are 37-16 all-time against the Golden Eagles, including 4-2 under Ryan. Starting in the 2005-06 season, the two teams have traded off back-to-back victories (Wisconsin - 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010; Marquette - 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012) and neither squad has won three straight in the series since Wisconsin won four straight from 1998-2001.
Last time out, the Golden Eagles took it to the Badgers with a 60-50 victory at the Bradley Center. It was Wisconsin's worst loss in the I-94 rivalry since 1994 when Marquette defeated then-number 19 Wisconsin 80-65.
Not one Badger was able to reach double figures in scoring in the 2012 meeting, while the Golden Eagles saw three of its players (Junior Cadougan, Vander Blue, and Davante Gardner) combine to score 45 of the team's 60 points.
"Gardner had his way, especially early," Wisconsin associate head coach Greg Gard said of last year's game. "It wasn't a very good night for the guys in red and white."
Marquette was able to shoot 48.1 percent from the floor and limited Wisconsin to just 32.7 percent shooting. The Golden Eagles won the rebounding battle, 39-35, and dominated inside as they were plus-26 in points in the paint.
This season, with the Badgers off to a hot start offensively by shooting nearly 46 percent from the field and averaging 73.6 points per game, and finding their defense in Wednesday night's win over Virginia, the team is hoping for a better outcome and it start with their attitude.
"They took it to us physically, mentally, their environment got to us, I think, and we were very soft," Sam Dekker said on Thursday prior to practice. "We don't want to feel that again this year. We have to play strong, hopefully use our home crowd behind us, get a little momentum and play Wisconsin basketball."
Josh Gasser echoed Dekker's sentiments and having missed last season's game between the two teams with a knee injury, he went back to the last meeting at the Kohl Center in 2011 for reference.
"They were more aggressive and they brought more energy from the start and that's just something you can't let happen - especially at your home court," Gasser said of the 2011 contest in which Marquette won 61-54. "They're going to come in [Saturday] amped up and ready to go, so if we don't match that then that result could happen [again]."
With the two rosters putting out a total of 10 players from the state of Wisconsin, this game obviously means more than just a victory on the schedule; it's about bragging rights.
"Growing up in Wisconsin, this is kind of the biggest game for the fans - bragging rights for the state - and it's just a fun game to be a part of," Gasser said. "I grew up watching it and now to be a part of it, it's pretty fun; it's pretty special."
"I was a Wisconsin fan [growing up] so I wanted to see Wisconsin beat Marquette," Dekker explained. "Now I have a chance to suit up for the Badgers so there's a little bit more of an added incentive for me to want to knock them off. You have to respect them because they're a very good team. They know what we do, but we know what they do."
Game Info
When and Where: 1:15 p.m. Saturday at the Kohl Center
TV: Big Ten Network
Radio: 1310 AM, 101.5 FM
WISCONSIN BADGERS (9-0)
Coach: Bo Ryan, 300-113 in his 13th season at Wisconsin.
Probable starters (height, year, ppg.)
1 Ben Brust 6-1 Sr. 11.2
12 Traevon Jackson 6-2 Jr. 11.1
15 Sam Dekker 6-7 So. 13.8
21 Josh Gasser 6-3 Jr. 10.4
44 Frank Kaminsky 7-0 Jr. 15.0
Key reserves (height, year, ppg.)
10 Nigel Hayes 6-7 Fr. 4.2
13 Duje Dukan 6-9 Jr. 4.3
24 Bronson Koenig 6-3 Fr. 3.4
Quick hits: Of the nine coaches to win 300 games at a Big Ten school, Bo Ryan's .726 win percentage is the second-highest, trailing only Bobby Knight (.734)…Redshirt sophomore George Marshall informed the team on Saturday morning of his decision to transfer…Wisconsin's No. 8 ranking in the AP poll is the team's highest since ending the 2007-08 season No. 6…The Badgers are the only team in the Big Ten to have five players averaging in double figures.
MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES (5-3)
Coach: Buzz Williams, 127-57 in his sixth year at Marquette.
Probable starters (height, year, ppg.)
0 Jamil Wilson 6-7 Sr. 10.5
10 Juan Anderson 6-6 Jr. 4.4
12 Derrick Wilson 6-1 Jr. 5.5
23 Jake Thomas 6-3 Sr. 7.3
42 Chris Otule 6-11 Sr. 7.4
Key reserves (height, year, ppg.)
4 Todd Mayo 6-3 Jr. 10.0
5 JaJuan Johnson 6-5 Fr. 5.6
54 Davante Gardner 6-8 Sr. 14.0
Quick hits: The two teams combined for 30 turnovers in last season's meeting, with Marquette stealing the ball away from Wisconsin nine times. This season the Golden Eagles average 12 turnovers per game, good for 125th in the country…
Why you should worry: Marquette has not lost back-to-back games in almost two years (Georgetown 1/4/12, Syracuse 1/7/12). The Golden Eagles lost 67-59 to San Diego State their last time out.
Why you shouldn't worry: Marquette is shooting just 27.2 percent from 3-point range, among the 30 worst teams in the nation.
For more Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and discussion, follow Zack on Twitter.
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