Game Coverage
Thursday, Feb. 15Â |Â 6Â p.m. (CT)Â |Â Kohl Center
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin hosts No. 6 Purdue at the Kohl Center on Thursday. This marks the Badgers' sixth game this season against teams ranked in the current top eight of the AP Top 25 poll. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. (CT) on ESPN.
Up next, UW will host Minnesota on Monday, Feb. 19. The Badgers have won seven straight against their border rivals.
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FIVE THINGS TO KNOW: PURDUE
1. #44EVER: During special pregame and halftime ceremonies on Thursday, the University of Wisconsin will honor the 2015 National Player of the Year, Frank Kaminsky, and officially hang his No. 44 jersey in the Kohl Center rafters. His will be just the second number to hang in the Kohl Center, alongside the No. 8 worn by the late Ab Nicholas (1950-52).
2. TOP-10 TAKEDOWNS: Wisconsin faces No. 6 Purdue looking for the team's sixth top-10 win in just three seasons under head coach Greg Gard.
3. FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH:Â 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. The Badgers' talented freshman class has accounted for 35.6% of the team's scoring this season.
4. HAPP HAVING HIS WAY:Â All-American Ethan Happ is the only player to rank among the Big Ten's top 10 in points (3rd at 18.2 ppg), rebounds (4th at 8.3Â rpg) and assists (9th at 3.9Â apg). He is also the only major conference player averaging at least 16.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg and 3.0 apg.
5. HAPP BIRTHDAY! This season marks the 20-year anniversary of the Kohl Center, which opened its doors on Jan. 17, 1998. The Badgers are 283-46 (.860) in the Kohl Center, owning the ninth-highest win percentage of any active building in college hoops.
ALL-TIME vs. PURDUE
Thursday's game will be the 179th meeting between Wisconsin and Purdue in a series beginning in 1906. The Boilermakers lead the all-time series, 108-70, but the rivalry has been quite even recently, splitting the last 10 meetings.
- Purdue has won four straight overall, including a 78-50 win earlier this season in West Lafayette
- UW owns a 49-37 edge over Purdue in games played in Madison. Thursday marks PU's first game at the Kohl Center since Dec. 29, 2015. The Boilermakers have four wins at the Kohl Center since 2008, the most of any Big Ten team.
- Wisconsin went 5-1 against Purdue with Frank Kaminsky on the roster. Kaminsky averaged 17.8 points per game in his final four meetings with the Boilermakers, winning all four games.
- A total of 13 current Badgers have played against Purdue, led by Ethan Happ who is averaging 12.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game in four meetings
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LAST TIME OUT
#20 MICHIGAN 83, WISCONSIN 72
Feb. 11, 2018 | Kohl Center | Madison, Wis.
- Wisconsin fell behind Michigan, 15-2, in the opening 6:00 and could never recover. The Badgers would pull within 8 with 2:37 remaining, before ultimately falling, 83-72, on Sunday.
- UW shot 49.1% overall and 41.2% (7-17) from 3-point range, including 60% overall in the second half. But the Wolverines were even better, shooting 56% overall and 45% 3FGs (9-20).
- Junior Ethan Happ led all scorers with 29 points and seven rebounds. He has scored at lease 20 points in five of the last seven games, including back-to-back games of 27 and 29 points.
- Sophomore Brevin Pritzl scored 13 points (2-5 3FGs), while freshman Brad Davison finished with 10 points
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COMPLETE GAME NOTES
For complete game notes,
click here.
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