Iowa (10-3, 1-1 Big Ten) vs. Wisconsin (10-3, 0-2 Big Ten)

Date/Time – Friday, January 3, 6 p.m.

Arena – Kohl Center (16,838)

Watch – FS1 (Connor Onion and LaPhonso Ellis)

Radio – Badgers Radio Network (Matt Lepay and Brian Butch), Sirius 106 or 195, stream online on iHeartRadio.

Series – Wisconsin leads 89-86 (Wisconsin leads 56-30 in Madison)

Last Meeting - Iowa won, 88-86, in overtime on February 17, 2024, in Iowa City

Follow Online: The Badgers' Den

Twitter: @Badger_Blitz

Betting line: Wisconsin -5.5

Player to Watch: Despite struggling offensively, shooting a career-worst 32.5 percent from the floor, Klesmit leads Wisconsin with 38 assists and has a 2.4 assist-to-turnover ratio, the second-best mark on the team.

Player to watch: Dix is averaging 15 points and 4.6 rebounds, shooting 56.6 percent from the field (43-of-76) with 13 3-point field goals over his last seven games. Dix scored 17 points on 8-for-11 shooting in last February's win over Wisconsin.

Wisconsin had its four-game winning streak in the series snapped in last February’s overtime loss in Iowa City.

The Badgers have won the last three meetings in Madison. The Hawkeyes have won three games in Madison during the McCaffery era (2011-12, 2016-17, 2020-21).

Crowl scored 22 points in the last meeting against Iowa, registering career-bests in field goals (13) and field goal attempts (15). In five career games against Iowa, the senior averages 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, all while shooting 64.3% from the field.

The Badgers finished the nonconference schedule 10-1, losing only at No.5 Marquette. The 10 wins were the most for Wisconsin out of conference since going 11-2 in 2016-17. UW beat four Power-Five conference teams in the nonconference (Arizona, Butler, Pittsburgh, and UCF), its most since 2018-19.

Wisconsin leads the NCAA in free-throw shooting at 85.1 percent, well ahead of the Big Ten record of 81.8 percent that Wisconsin set in 2010-11.

The Badgers are averaging 15.0 assists per game, their most since 1993-94. With UW ranking 18th nationally in turnovers (9.6), the program has never had a season averaging over 15 assists with fewer than 10 turnovers per game.

UW is taking 27 three-point shots per game and making 8.8 three-pointers per game, the most in both categories for the Badgers since the inception of the three-point line in 1986-87.

With a career record of 104-72, Greg Gard is one of 23 Big Ten coaches to register 100 conference wins. He’s the sixth-fastest Big Ten coach to 100 wins in the last 50 years. Gard’s overall record is 196-110 (.641).

Friday’s game at Wisconsin is just Iowa’s second true road game of the season. The Hawkeyes had a look at the buzzer in an 85-83 loss at Michigan on Dec. 7. Iowa is 2-1 in three neutral site games this season.

The Hawkeyes have shot better than 50 percent from the floor in three straight contests and in seven games this season. Iowa shot a season-high 62.7 percent in its victory over New Orleans. Iowa is unbeaten this season when shooting at least 50 percent from the field.

The Hawkeyes have made at least eight 3-point field goals in 12 games, including 10+ in seven contests. Iowa made 18 in the win over Southern -- the most since 2022 -- and 14 against New Orleans. Iowa is second in the Big Ten (23rd nationally), averaging 10.5 per game.

Iowa is leading the Big Ten in assists (20.2, second in NCAA) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.98, fourth in NCAA). The team has had 20+ assists in six games.

Iowa has held 11 of its 13 opponents under 50 percent shooting (and two under 40 percent), has forced at least 18 turnovers in six games, and has held four opponents under 70 points.

Wisconsin’s home game against Iowa tonight might be the hottest ticket in town for those wanting to see offensive fireworks.

The Badgers and Hawkeyes are both inside the top 20 in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency ratings and ranked outside the top 75 in adjusted defensive efficiency.

Iowa ranks second nationally in scoring (89.7) while KenPom has them ranked in the top 30 in effective field goals percentage (59.0%), offensive turnover percentage (13.6%), 2-point percentage (60.2%) and 3-point percentage (38.3%). A lot of the offense stems from transition offense, another stat where the Hawkeyes are among the national leaders (Iowa’s 17.54 fast-break points per game has them ranked ninth).

Wisconsin's transition defense has been hit-and-miss. The Badgers allowed double-digit fast-break points to Michigan (19), Arizona (12), and Butler (12) but held Marquette (6) and Illinois (4) in check.

Last February at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa converted 52.6 percent of its shots, including 26 of 43 inside the arc (60.5 percent) and 24 of 30 (80 percent) from the line.

“Having a first game back that requires (us to be good with transition defense) is a challenge,” Gard said.

There are multiple pieces that make Iowa work. Dix is producing in his starting role by shooting 53.4 percent from the floor and Harding used his experience of backing up Tony Freeman last season to pressure defenses by making smart decisions with Iowa’s transition offense (76 assists, 29 turnovers).

The Hawkeyes are still empowered by Freeman, who leads them in scoring (17.1), rebounds (6.5) and blocks (22). He is the only Hawkeye to reach double figures in every game he has played. McCaffery said Freeman will play tonight after missing Monday’s game against New Hampshire with an ankle injury. The Hawkeyes didn’t appear to miss him, as their 45 field goals against UNH were the most under McCaffery.

“Owen is a great player for them with shooters all around him,” Crowl said. “They play really fast. They play hard. They switch things up on defense … He’s a great player. He runs the floor hard, which makes us as bigs have to run, too. They utilize him in a great way. He’s grown immensely from last year to this year.”

Wisconsin ranks among the bottom four of the Big Ten in field goal percentage (44.9) and 3-point percentage (32.5) but the Badgers have made it work by limiting turnovers and being proficient at the line, especially at home (86.9). If UW can continue tightening its defense, the Badgers should get a needed conference win tonight.

Worgull’s Prediction: Wisconsin by nine

Record: 10-3 (9-4 ATS)

Points off Prediction: 104 (8.0 per game)

_________________________________________________

*Chat about this article in The Badgers' Den

*Check out our videos, interviews, and Q&As on our YouTube channel

*Subscribe and listen to the BadgerBlitz.com podcast (as seen on Apple, Google, Spotify and wherever you listen to podcasts)

*Follow us on Twitter: @McNamaraRivals, @TheBadgerNation, @_Perko_, @seamus_rohrer, @DonnieSlusher_

*Like us on Facebook