Game Coverage
Saturday, Dec. 23 | 4:30 p.m. (CT) | Kohl Center
MADISON, Wis. — After more than a week off for final exams on campus, Wisconsin returns to action to host Green Bay on Saturday. The Badgers are 19-0 all-time at home against the Phoenix. Tip-off is set for 4:30 p.m. (CT) on BTN.
Up next, the Badgers continue their six-game homestand and round out non-conference play by hosting Chicago State on Dec. 27 and UMass Lowell on Dec. 30.
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FIVE THINGS TO KNOW: GREEN BAY
1. TOUGHEST STRETCH: Wisconsin has played arguably the toughest schedule in the country so far. The Badgers have played eight games against the KenPom top-60, the most in the nation. UW is also one of four teams in the country that has played four ranked teams this season.
2. BEEN HERE BEFORE: Wisconsin is .500 or below through 12 games for the first time since 2001-02, the first year under Bo Ryan and Greg Gard. That team was 6-6 and rallied to finish 19-13, winning a share of the Big Ten championship and reaching the NCAA tournament.
3. GARD IN CONTROL:Â With a record of 47-25 (.653), Greg Gard owns the third-highest win percentage in school history (min. 60 games) behind Hall of Famers Bo Ryan (.737) and Walter Meanwell (.712). He has gone 25-13 (.658) in Big Ten play.
4. GOOD TO BE HOME:Â Having already played five games away from home this season, the Badgers are glad to be back at the Kohl Center where they have won 86.3% of their games all-time.
5. THISCLOSE:Â Wisconsin has lost seven games this season, but has been within minutes of winning four of them. In each of those four setbacks, UW was tied or within two points with 2:00 remaining.
ALL-TIME vs. GREEN BAY
Wisconsin and Green Bay have played every year since 1999 and Saturday's contest will mark the 24th all-time meeting. The Badgers own a 22-1 record against Green Bay, going 19-0 in Madison.
- Greg Gard's first game as head coach was against Green Bay, an 84-79 win on Dec. 23, 2015
- Wisconsin has won each of the last seven meetings with Green Bay by an average of 14.1 points per game
- Since the regular meetings began in 1999, Green Bay is averaging 58.1 ppg against UW and has scored more than 62 points just three times (2009, '13, '15)
- The matchup with Green Bay completes Wisconsin's three-game series with the other in-state foes. The Badgers defeated Milwaukee, 71-49, on Nov. 24 and lost to Marquette, 82-63, on Dec. 9.
- Wisconsin is 3-1 against in-state opponents under Greg Gard and has gone 42-10 (.808) in such games dating back to 2000
- The Badgers, who always take an extended break during final exams on campus, have won their last 20 games immediately after finals. UW's last post-finals defeat came in a 59-57 loss to Providence in 1996.
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LAST TIME OUT
WISCONSIN 81, WESTERN KENTUCKY 80
Dec. 13, 2017 | Kohl Center | Madison, Wis.
- Wisconsin got back on the winning track with an 81-80 win last week over Western Kentucky
- UW rallied from a four-point halftime deficit and led by as many as 11 points in the second half before WKU tied the game with 2.0 seconds remaining. Freshman Brad Davison drew a player control foul against WKU on the ensuing inbounds pass and made a free throw at the other end to win the game.
- The Badgers shot 54.9% from the field (their second-highest mark of the season), including 72.7% (16-for-22) during the second half
- UW went 12-for-20 (60%) from 3-point range, notching season-highs for 3-pointers made and percentage
- Sophomore Brevin Pritzl matched his career high with 17 points to lead Wisconsin, hitting a career-best four 3-pointers (4-5 3FG)
- Junior Ethan Happ also scored 17 points to go with four rebounds and six assists
- Davison finished with 16 points and five assists, while Aleem Ford scored a career-high 14 points with five rebounds
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COMPLETE GAME NOTES
For complete game notes,
click here.
