Preview: Wisconsin battles in-state rival Marquette

Wisconsin (2-1) vs. Marquette (2-0)

Game: Sunday, Nov. 17 at the Kohl Center

Time: 12:00 pm CT

Watch: FS1 (Fox sports GO app, foxsportsgo.com) (Brian Anderson and Bill Raftery)

Listen: Badger Radio Network (Matt Lepay and Mike Lucas)

Follow Online: The Badgers' Den

Twitter: @Badger_Blitz, @JakeKoco, @alow_33

Wisconsin will face an early test at home when the Marquette Golden Eagles come to the Kohl Center on Sunday afternoon. After a season-opening loss to Saint Mary's on a neutral floor, the Badgers have protected home court by winning two straight games in Madison.

Things will get much tougher, however, when the Badgers face the undefeated Golden Eagles. Marquette is coming off a home win against Purdue in which it trailed by 13 at halftime before a dominant second-half performance saw the Golden Eagles outscore the Boilermakers, 40-17, en route to a 10-point win.

Marquette is led by one of the most prolific scorers in college basketball over the past few seasons in senior Markus Howard. The 5-foot-11 guard averaged 25 points per game last year and comes into this contest averaging 28 through two games. His efficiency has also vastly improved in a small sample size this year. After shooting 42 percent from the field as a junior, the senior has shot it at a 53.1 percent clip throughout the two Golden Eagle wins.

After a cold shooting start to the season, Wisconsin found its stroke from beyond the arc in the second half against McNeese State on Wednesday. The Badgers will hope to continue their hot streak offensively after putting up 46 in the second half on Wednesday.

There is a rich basketball history between these two programs. The in-state rivals have met over 100 times, and Wisconsin holds a 67-58 lead in the series.