Preview: Wisconsin hosts Minnesota in a top 25 border-battle clash
No. 6 Wisconsin (8-2, 2-1) vs. No. 21 Minnesota (9-1, 2-1)
Game: Thursday, Dec. 31 inside the Kohl Center; Madison, Wis.
Time: 3:30 p.m. CT
Watch: BTN (Kevin Kugler and Robbie Hummel)
Listen: 1310 WIBA AM and 101.5 FM (Matt Lepay and Mike Lucas on the call); stream online on iHeartRadio
Follow Online: The Badgers' Den
Twitter: @Badger_Blitz
PRE-GAME NOTES
You've heard this before, but the Big Ten schedule is as tough as it gets and Wisconsin will get a firsthand taste of that on New Years Eve with red-hot Minnesota coming to the Kohl Center. The No. 21 Gophers have rattled off three straight wins, including consecutive victories against Iowa and Michigan State.
Outside of dropping its lone road contest to the Fighting Illini, Minnesota has started the season on the right foot with two impressive wins in its two most recent contests.
Leading the way for the Gophers is junior guard Marcus Carr - not only one of the best in the Big Ten, but the entire country. His 24.0 points per game is fourth best in the nation and his 6.1 assists per game is the top mark in the Big Ten. Prior to Minnesota's most recent game against Michigan State, Carr was coming off 30- and 32-point performances against Iowa and Saint Louis.
Liam Robbins, a 7-foot center who transferred from Drake, anchors a Minnesota defense that leads the Big Ten with 5.3 blocks per game. Robbins is leading the Gophers with 6.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game, tops in the conference.
Both Gach, a transfer from Utah, has been productive for the Gophers, averaging 11.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Brandon Johnson, a transfer from Western Michigan, poured in a career-high 26 points - including 8 of 9 from three-point range - against Iowa. Gach, Johnson and Robbins, a trio of transfers, have all contributed in a big way for the Gophers to power a team pegged to finish in the bottom of the Big Ten to a 9-1 record.
The all-time series between the two schools is tied at 98-98. Richard Pitino, now in his eighth season with Minnesota, is just 3-10 against Wisconsin.
| Pos. | Wisconsin | HT/WT | Pts. | Reb. | Ast. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
G |
D'Mitrik Trice (R-Sr.) |
6-0, 184 |
14.2 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
|
G |
Brad Davison (Sr.) |
6-4, 202 |
10.6 |
2.9 |
2.8 |
|
F |
Aleem Ford (R-Sr.) |
6-8, 217 |
9.6 |
4.2 |
1.1 |
|
F |
Micah Potter (R-Sr.) |
6-10, 248 |
12.2 |
6.9 |
1.8 |
|
F |
Nate Reuvers (Sr.) |
6-11, 235 |
10.3 |
3.9 |
0.8 |
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| Pos. | Minnesota | HT/WT | Pts. | Reb. | Ast. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
G |
Marcus Carr (R-Jr.) |
6-2, 195 |
24.0 |
3.8 |
0.8 |
|
G |
Gabe Kalscheur (Jr.) |
6-4, 200 |
9.3 |
2.3 |
1.9 |
|
G |
Both Gach (Jr.) |
6-6, 185 |
11.7 |
6.3 |
3.5 |
|
F |
Brandon Johnson (R-Sr.) |
6-8, 220 |
8.6 |
5.7 |
0.4 |
|
C |
Liam Robbins (Jr.) |
7-0, 235 |
13.1 |
6.8 |
0.8 |
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