Holy Cross (0-0, 0-0 Patriot) vs. Wisconsin (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten)

Date/Time – Monday, November 4, 7 p.m. CT

Arena – Kohl Center (16,838)

Watch – BTN Plus (Joey Bonadonna, Trey Kenas, Krissy Birdsall)

Radio – Badgers Radio Network (Matt Lepay and Brian Butch); stream online on iHeartRadio)

Series – First Meeting

Follow Online: The Badgers' Den

Twitter: @Badger_Blitz

Betting line: Wisconsin -25.5

Player to Watch: Klesmit scored in double figures in 16 of the final 21 games last season and is Wisconsin's leading returning scorer in the backcourt

Player to watch: Kenney was named the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year in 2023-2024, and averaged 11.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.2 blocked shots per game last season. He led the Patriot League in field goal percentage (57.6 percent) and led his team in scoring six times, in rebounding 15 times, and in blocks 27 times last year.

Wisconsin is 8-0 against teams currently in the Patriot League but only two games have been played in Madison.

The Badgers are 4-0 against the Patriot League in the NCAA Tournament, last playing Colgate in 2022.

The Crusaders are 6-24 all-time against current members of the Big Ten.

Wisconsin has won its home opener eight straight seasons and 25 of the last 26 years. The Badgers are 8-0 in Greg Gard’s tenure in such games, winning by an average of 22.5 points.

Wisconsin is returning 47 percent of its scoring from last season and three players who started at least one game (Blackwell, Crowl, and Klesmit). When Gard has a team that returns at least three starters, Wisconsin has averaged 21.8 wins (11.7 Big Ten) per season. UW was an NCAA tournament team in five of the six instances.

In the Badgers' exhibition win over UW-River Falls, UW went 11-for-32 from 3-point range. Wisconsin knocked down double-digit triples in just seven games last season.

Since Gard arrived in Madison in 2001-02 (associate head coach 2001-15), Wisconsin has finished fifth place or better in the Big Ten Conference 21 of 23 seasons.

The Badgers were 14-3 at home last season, averaging 78.5 ppg (49.6% FG). Two of UW's three losses came against top 10 teams Purdue (#2) and Tennessee (#9). UW is 360-70 (.837) all-time at the Kohl Center, the 11th-best active venue record in the country.

The Crusaders went 10-23 overall last season and 6-12 in their league, finishing ninth out of 10 teams. Holy Cross is picked to finish ninth in the preseason poll.

The Crusaders are returning three starters from a team that ranked second in the conference in three-point field goal percentage (35.4 percent) and fourth in overall field goal percentage (43.9 percent).

Feroah earned Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors in 2023-2024, averaging 18.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game at Green River College in Auburn, Wash.

Head coach Dave Paulsen is entering his second season with the program after winning four conference titles in seven seasons with league-rival Bucknell.

Since winning 20 games in 2014, Holy Cross has had 10 straight losing seasons, including five straight of winning 10 or fewer games.

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