Preview: No. 9 UW vs. Purdue
MADISON, Wis. - The last time the Wisconsin Badgers had a three-game losing streak, the 2011-12 season, they brought it to a close with a 67-62 win over the Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena.
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Now, in the midst of their first three-game skid since, No. 9 Wisconsin (16-3, 3-3) looks again to use the Boilermakers (13-6, 3-3) as a springboard toward getting their season back on track when the two teams meet Saturday in West Lafayette, Ind.
While Purdue is not one of the Big Ten's elites, winning games at the Mackey Arena has proven to be an especially difficult task for the Badgers as they are just 2-34 in West Lafayette since 1972.
The Boilermakers hold a 105-65 advantage in the 170 all-time meetings with the Badgers, but are just 8-7 in their previous 15 match-ups with Wisconsin.
Here are some news and notes from Saturday's Big Ten meeting between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Purdue Boilermakers…
Game Info
When and Where: 4 p.m. Saturday at the Mackey Arena
TV: Big Ten Network
Radio: 1310 AM, 101.5 FM
WISCONSIN BADGERS (16-3, 3-3)
Coach: Bo Ryan, 307-116 in his 13th season at Wisconsin.
Probable starters (height, year, ppg.)
1 Ben Brust 6-1 Sr. 12.9
12 Traevon Jackson 6-2 Jr. 10.9
15 Sam Dekker 6-7 So. 14.1
21 Josh Gasser 6-3 Jr. 9.1
44 Frank Kaminsky 7-0 Jr. 13.3
Key reserves (height, year, ppg.)
10 Nigel Hayes 6-7 Fr. 7.1
13 Duje Dukan 6-9 Jr. 3.4
24 Bronson Koenig 6-3 Fr. 3.4
Quick hits: The Badgers lead the Big Ten in offensive efficiency with an average of 1.21 points per possession and are averaging 75.4 points per game (up 10.4 ppg from last season)…Wisconsin has scored 70 or more points in nine of its last 10 games…Only Kansas (8) has more top-50 wins than Wisconsin (5) does…The Badgers rank first in the nation in turnovers per game (8.2) and are turning the ball over just 7.5 times per game in Big Ten play….The Boilermakers are the only Big Ten team with a winning record against the Badgers in the Bo Ryan-era, owners of a 10-8 mark.
PURDUE BOILERMAKERS (13-6, 3-3)
Coach: Matt Painter, 185-98 in his ninth season at Purdue.
Probable starters (height, year, ppg.)
0 Terone Johnson 6-4 Sr. 13.5
3 Ronnie Johnson 6-0 So. 10.9
5 Basil Smotherman 6-5 Fr. 6.4
20 A.J. Hammons 7-0 So. 10.2
35 Rapheal Davis 6-5 So. 4.5
Key reserves (height, year, ppg.)
12 Bryson Scott 6-1 Fr. 7.4
21 Kendall Stephens 6-6 Fr. 7.4
32 Errick Peck 6-6 Sr. 4.4
Quick hits: Purdue leads the all-time series 105-65, including a 68-18 mark at Mackey Arena. The .618 win percentage the Boilermakers have against the Badgers is their fourth-best mark against any team in the Big Ten…Over the last two games, Purdue is shooting just 34-of-115 (.296) from the field and averaging 62.5 points per game….Purdue has held four straight opponents to 64 points or less…The Boilermakers have come out victorious three times this season when trailing by three or more points with less than one minute remaining in regulation.
Why you should worry: The Badgers have won just two games at Purdue since 1972, with a record of just 2-34 over that span.
Why you shouldn't worry: Purdue has lost 11 straight games against top 10-ranked teams and is 0-2 against ranked teams this season.
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