Wisconsin

9-10 (2-4)

Illinois

10-9 (0-6)

Game Coverage

Friday, Jan. 19  |  8 p.m. (CT)  |  Kohl Center

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MADISON, Wis. — After dropping three straight games on the road, Wisconsin returns home to take on Illinois on Friday. The Badgers have won the last 11 meetings with the Illini. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. (CT) on FS1.

Up next, UW heads back on the road to face Iowa (Jan. 23) and Michigan State (Jan. 26).
 

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW: ILLINOIS

1. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Friday's game against Illinois marks the 20-year anniversary of the Kohl Center opening its doors. In the inaugural game on Jan. 17, 1998, the Badgers defeated Northwestern ,56-33. 
2. HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: Since opening in 1998, the Badgers are 282-44 (.865) in the Kohl Center, owning the ninth-highest winning percentage of any active building in college basketball.
3. GARD IN CONTROL: With a record of 51-28 (.646), 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).
4. FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH: Wisconsin has one of the least experienced rosters in college basketball. The average experience level is 1.01 years. Only 20 of the 351 teams in the nation are younger.
5. TOUGHEST SCHEDULE: UW faced arguably the toughest non-conference schedule in the country. The Badgers played seven games against the KenPom top-90, most int he nation.

ALL-TIME vs. ILLINOIS

Tuesday marks the 197th meeting between Wisconsin and Illinois in a series dating back to 1906. The Illini lead the all-time series, 110-86, but the Badgers hold a 75-39 edge in Madison.

• Wisconsin has won 11 straight over Illinois, the team's longest-ever win streak against the Illini. That streak includes six consecutive wins in Madison and five victories in Champaign. After UW's 11-game win streak, the Big Ten's next-longest active win streak over Illinois is four games (Indiana and Maryland).
• Dating back to 2007, UW has won 18 of the last 22 meetings with Illinois
• 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 24 matchups
• UW has won two players on its roster from the state of Illinois: junior Ethan Happ (Milan) and Michael Ballard (Oak Park)

LAST TIME OUT

#3 PURDUE 78, WISCONSIN 50
Jan.16, 2018 | Mackey Arena | West Lafayette, Ind.

So tough, so efficient, so good. ??

No. 3 @BoilerBall has won 14 in a row, and it was never close Tuesday when the Badgers came to town: pic.twitter.com/diPU1tBS23

— Purdue On BTN (@PurdueOnBTN) January 17, 2018

• Wisconsin dropped its third-straight road game with a 78-50 setback at No. 3 Purdue on Tuesday. The Boilermakers made their first four 3-point attempts to open a 12-0 lead and never looked back.
• UW out-rebounded the Boilermakers, 33-28, and owned a 10-1 advantage in second-chance points, but couldn't overcome 20 turnovers and Purdue's hot 14-for-22 (.636) 3-point shooting.
• Junior Ethan Happ was the only Badger to score in double figures, leading Wisconsin with 15 points, to go go six rebounds and seven assists

COMPLETE GAME NOTES