UW LOOKS FOR MORE ROAD SUCCESS
Winners of five straight and off to their third-best start in the last 100 years, the Badgers travel to Illinois looking for their seventh win away from home this season. Wisconsin has won 10 straight against the Illini.

Up next, the Badgers host Indiana on Feb. 5 for a noon tip on CBS. UW has won 14 straight home games against the Hoosiers and 16 of 18 overall.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WISCONSIN
MID-SEASON SURGE: Wisconsin has won 14 of the last 15 games and is out-scoring foes by 18.1 ppg (78.4 to 60.3) during that stretch. 
GARD IN CHARGE: Greg Gard and Wisconsin haven't missed a step since he took over a year ago. The 2016 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year, Gard is 33-11, the best start of any UW coach in 100 years.
ALL-AMERICAN TRIO?: Nigel Hayes and Ethan Happ were named to the Wooden Award Midseason Top-25 list. Along with Bronson Koenig, all three players are on national award watch lists.
BIG TEN BEASTS: The Badgers have boasted a winning conference record and finished among the top 4 in each of the last 16 seasons, the longest run of success of any team in B1G basketball history.
HAYES AT THE HUB: Senior Nigel Hayes is one of the most versatile players in the Big Ten and one of just two players in the league averaging at least 13.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 3.0 apg. Sixth on UW's scoring list, Hayes is the nation's only player with 1,500 pts, 600 reb and 250 ast.
MAKING IT HAPP-EN: Sophomore Ethan Happ is doing it all for UW during Big Ten play, averaging 17.1 ppg (5th in Big Ten), 8.1 rpg (5th), 3.1 apg (18th), 2.8 spg (1st) and 1.5 bpg (11th). The two-time reigning Big Ten Player of the Week, Happ was dominant vs. Rutgers at MSG, becoming the first Big Ten player in over 20 years with at least 30 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast, 2 blks and 4 stls.
KINGS OF THE ROAD: Over the last four seasons, UW is 52-19 (.732) in road/neutral games, the fifth-best win percentage in college basksetball. Under Greg Gard, UW is 8-5 in true road games.
BADGER BALANCE: UW ranks among the top 25 in both offensive and defensive efficiency (KenPom), averaging 75.9 ppg on offense and leading the B1G in scoring defense (60.9 ppg).
OWNING THE GLASS: The Badgers are 5th in the nation with a +9.8 rebounding margin. UW also ranks 4th in the NCAA in defensive rebounding percentage (77.3%) and 14th in offensive rebounding percentage (36.7%).
KOENIG SIZZLING FROM DEEP: UW's second-leading scorer (14.4 ppg), Bronson Koenig is shooting 50% from 3-point range (25-for-50) during Big Ten play, averaging a B1G-high 3.1 triples per game.
OWN THE PAINT: The Badgers are out-scoring opponents 728 to 472 in points in the paint. That's a +12.4 margin (34.7 to 22.5 ppg). UW has only been out-scored in the paint on three occasions.

STELLAR START
With a record of 18-3, the Badgers have equaled the school's 3rd-best start in the last 100 years. Wisconsin has won at least 18 of their first 21 games for the 4th time in the last 11 seasons.
- Wisconsin had a 9-game winning streak snapped earlier this season with a loss at No. 20 Purdue (1/8). The Badgers have enjoyed a winning streak of at least 9 games in 3 of the last 4 seasons.
- The Badgers do have another impressive winning streak still intact. UW has won 18 consecutive home games dating back to Jan. of 2016 -- that includes 10 straight B1G home wins.
- UW has won 23 straight games vs. unranked opponents overall (dating back to 1/12/16).

ALL-TIME VS. ILLINOIS
Tuesday marks the 196th meeting between UW and Illinois in a series dating back to 1906. The Illini lead the all-time series 110-85, including a 68-25 edge in games played in Champaign.
- Wisconsin has won 10 straight over Illinois, the team's longest-ever win streak vs. the Illini. That streak 4 consecutive wins in Champaign, UW's longest road winning streak against Illinois in series history. After UW's 10-game win streak, the Big Ten's next-longest active win streak over Illinois is Indiana (4).
- Dating back to 2007, UW has won 17 of the last 21 meetings with Illinois.
- In the Badgers' last trip to Champaign (a 63-55 win), UW posted a dominant 22-8 scoring edge in the paint. In 2 meetings last season, the Badgers out-scored Illinois, 46-20 in the paint. The Badgers also out-rebounded the Illini 37-25 in their most recent visit to Assembly Hall. UW went 17-20 (.850) from the foul line with all 20 FTAs coming in the second half.
- Reaching 60 points has been an incredible indicator in this series. The first team to score 60 points is 28-1 over the last 14 seasons. The only loss was UW's 71-64 comeback win on 1/20/07 (ILL led 60-57 with 5:07 left).
- Wisconsin has held Illinois to 70 or fewer points in each of the last 23 match-ups.
- Ethan Happ has averaged 13.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 4.0 bpg and 4.0 spg in 2 career games against Illinois, including 20 points, 12 boards, 4 blocks and 4 steals in the most recent meeting. Nigel Hayes has scored in double figures in each of his 5 career games against Illinois, averaging 14.6 ppg. He has averaged 6.8 FTAs per game in those 5 contests, going 26-for-34. Bronson Koenig is averaging 13.3 ppg in his last 3 outing vs. Illinois, reaching double digits in all 3 affairs.
- UW has 1 player on its travel roster from the state of Illinois: sophomore Ethan Happ (Milan, pronounced "MY-lin").

LAST TIME OUT
#15 Wisconsin 61, Rutgers 54 (OT)
Jan. 28, 2017 | Madison Square Garden | New York

- Trailing by 9 with 3:20 remaining after shooting just 9-for-46, the Badgers finally found some offensive rhythm in Madison Square Garden last Saturday. Wisconsin scored 29 points in the final 3:20 and overtime (hitting 11 of its final 14 FGAs) to pull off a 61-54 win over Rutgers in OT.
- Wisconsin rode the back of Ethan Happ, who scored a career-high 32 points, while adding 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks and 4 steals. Happ scored 8 of UW's final 13 points in regulation, including the game-winning basket with 0:02 left.
- UW overcame 33.3% shooting by tallying 18-for-28 FTAs, 14 offensive rebounds and forcing Rutgers into 35.2% shooting and 19 TOs.
- Bronson Koenig was the only other UW player in double figures (10 points). Nigel Hayes pulled down a season-high 11 rebounds, while Vitto Brown tallied 7 boards and 3 blocks.

WHAT'S TRENDING
- UW is 17-0 when shooting at least 42.0% from the field this season. The Badgers are 29-2 under Gard when shooting at least 42.0%. Conversely, the Badgers are 14-0 when limiting opponents below 45.0% shooting this season. The Badgers are 26-2 under Gard when keeping foes below 45.0% from the field.
- Wisconsin is averaging 75.9 points per game, a figure that would serve as the team's highest scoring output since averaging 77.9 ppg in the 1993-94 season.
- The Badgers are out-scoring opponents in the paint by a margin of 728 to 472. That's an average margin of +12.4 ppg (34.7 to 22.5). UW has only been out-scored in the paint on 3 occasions.
- UW is 3rd in the Big Ten and 26th in the NCAA with just 11.2 turnovers per game.
- Wisconsin is allowing 60.6 ppg, which leads the Big Ten and ranks 5th nationally.
- The Badgers are committing an average of 15.4 fouls per game, 10th-fewest in the NCAA.
- UW is 16-0 this season when leading or tied with 5:00 remaining, continuing a Mariano Riveralike string of closing games. Under Greg Gard, UW is 31-0 when leading or tied with 5:00 remaining. Wisconsin was tied with Michigan 49-49 last Tuesday with 5:00 left. The Badgers won 68-64. Dating back to February of 2011, UW is 153-5 (.968) when leading or tied with 5:00 left.
- Wisconsin is 2-0 in overtime this season and has now won each of its last 7 overtime games and 10 of its last 11. The Badgers haven't lost an overtime game since 2013.

2016-17 TEAM INFO
Starters Returning/Lost: 5/0
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 13/4

RETURNING FRONTCOURT STARTERS
- The Badgers welcome back 2016 first-team All-Big Ten selection Nigel Hayes, who averaged 15.7 ppg and 5.8 rpg while leading UW with 104 assists. The 2016-17 Blue Ribbon Magazine preseason National Player of the Year and preseason Big Ten Player of the Year, Hayes joins Michael Finley as the only Badgers to tally at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 200 assists by their junior season. If he just matches his junior year totals he would finish 3rd in school history in points (1,340 entering 2016-17), 7th in rebounds (557 entering 2016-17) and 7th in career assists (219 entering 2016-17).
- Sophomore Ethan Happ looks to build off his 2016 Big Ten Freshman of the Year campaign during which he averaged 12.4 ppg, ranked 6th in the Big Ten with 7.9 rpg and became the first freshman to lead the Big Ten in steals (63 steals) since OSU's Aaron Craft (2010). Happ became just the third NCAA freshman over the last 15 seasons to score 400 points, while recording 60 steals and 30 blocks (also Kevin Durant and DuJuan Blair).
- Senior Vitto Brown finished 4th on the team in scoring, averaing 9.7 ppg with 5.0 rpg. He enjoyed the third-largest scoring increase in the Big Ten a year ago, going from 1.8 ppg to 9.7 ppg in 2015-16. Brown did not attempt a 3-pointer in his first two seasons at UW, but led the team last year, shooting 40% (38-95) from deep.

RETURNING BACKCOURT STARTERS
- Third-team All-Big Ten junior Bronson Koenig returns as the team's lead guard after averaging 13.1 ppg and shooting 39.0% (83-213) from 3-point range. The moniker "Klutch Koenig" was born in 2015-16 after his game-winning shots against VCU and Xavier. In fact, over the final 5:00 and overtime of games last season, Koenig shot 54.8% (17-for-31) from 3-point range. Koenig needs just 71 points and 27 assists to become the 14th player in UW history with at least 1,000 points and 250 assists.
- Senior guard Zak Showalter made just four 3-pointers in his first two seasons, but knocked down 35 percent (37-107) from long range as a junior. Showalter averaged 7.5 ppg and 3.8 rpg while ranking third on UW with 36 steals.
- The Badgers also return key reserves Jordan Hill (junior guard - 15.6 mpg), Khalil Iverson (soph. guard - 13.0 mpg), Alex Illikainen (soph. forward - 9.8 mpg) and Charles Thomas, IV (soph. forward - 9.1 mpg). Wisconsin will also regain the services of redshirt freshman guard Brevin Pritzl, who missed all but one game of his freshman year with a foot injury and sophomore forward Andy Van Vliet, who was forced to sit out the 2015-16 season after the NCAA ruled him ineligible for not enrolling in college within a year of high school graduation. 
- Wisconsin will also welcome a three-man freshman class that features guard D'Mitrik Trice (6-0, Huber Heights, Ohio), forward Aleem Ford (6-8, Lawrenceville, Ga.) and walk-on guard Michael Ballard (6-4, Oak Park, Ill.)