MADISON, Wis. — Winners in five of their past six games, the Badgers face No. 19 Michigan on Thursday night in Ann Arbor. Tip is set for 6 p.m. (CT) on ESPN2.

1) LEAVE IT TO REUVERS: Nate Reuvers has been Mr. Reliable for the Badgers this season, scoring in double figures in 22 of UW's 27 games. While averaging 13.7 points per game and 4.7 rebounds per game, the junior forward has also emerged as an elite presence on defense with 54 blocks on the season, good for fifth-most in the Big Ten. Reuvers has 140 career blocks and needs just 14 rejections to break Ethan Happ's school record (154).

2) BATTLE TESTED: Wisconsin ranks No. 27 in the KenPom.com rankings (as of Feb. 25), which also lists UW as facing the ninth-toughest schedule in the nation. The Badgers are also ranked No. 30 according to the NET Rankings. Wisconsin has tallied a Big-Ten best seven Quadrant 1 wins. Only four teams in the country have more. 

3) IN THE THICK OF IT: The Badgers are currently 17-10 overall and 10-6 in Big Ten Conference play. That record puts UW in a three-way tie for third place in the Big Ten, deadlocked with Penn State and Illinois. If the season ended Wednesday morning, Wisconsin would be the No. 4 seed in the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis. The Badgers have just four games left in the regular season, with two on the road and two at home at the Kohl Center. 

4) SCOUTING MICHIGAN: The Wolverines enter Thursday night's matchup riding a five-game win streak. All five of Michigan's starters average double digits in points, including senior center Jon Teske who is averaging 12.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. UM, guided by first-year coach Juwan Howard, is 10-4 in home play at the Crisler Center. Michigan is 7-1 in its past eight games with notable victories over No.16 Michigan State (Feb. 8) and Indiana (Feb. 16) in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines also have wins over Creighton, Iowa State, North Carolina, Gonzaga and Iowa this season.
 
5) BALANCED BADGERS: UW is getting quality production from its rotation this season. Six Badgers currently average at least 8.1 points per game with four Badgers hauling in 4.2 rebounds or more per game. Wisconsin has also found it's offensive stroke as a team connecting on 48 percent or more of its shots in two of its past three games. Brevin Pritzl, 8.1 points per game and 3.7 rebounds per game, and Micah Potter, 9.6 points per game and 6.0 rebounds per game, have been consistent contributors and energy boosters in minutes off the bench this season. 

LAST TIME OUT
Wisconsin 79, Rutgers 71 

Four Badgers scored in double figures to push Wisconsin past Rutgers, 79-71, Sunday at the Kohl Center. 

• Micah Potter (18 points), Nate Reuvers (17 points), Brevin Pritzl (17 points) and Brad Davison (15 points) led UW's scoring attack to help the Badgers earn their fourth-consecutive victory.
  • Potter nearly finished with a double-double, tallying nine rebounds alongside 17 points on 6-for-8 shooting from the field (including four three-pointers) in just 17 minutes off the bench.
  • Pritzl had a hot hand against the Scarlet Knights, finishing 7-for-10 from the field. 
  • Reuvers was automatic from the charity stripe connecting on 80 percent (8-for-10) of his free throw attempts.
• Wisconsin shot 50 percent (11-for-22) from 3-point territory in the victory.
• Brad Davison became the 43rd Badger in school history to score 1,000 career points after the junior drained a three-pointer with 6:16 to play that propelled Wisconsin to close out Rutgers at home. 
• D'Mitrik Trice also had an impressive line, recording a career-high nine assists with eight points.
• The victory marked Wisconsin's fifth win in its last six outings and UW's sixth-straight home win.

ALL-TIME SERIES: MICHIGAN

• Thursday's game marks the 168th meeting between Wisconsin and Michigan in a series that dates back to 1920. The Wolverines lead the all-time series, 92-75, including a 56-22 record in Ann Arbor. 
• Wisconsin is 6-4 in the past ten meetings against Michigan.
• The Badgers have not beaten the Wolverines in Ann Arbor since UW grabbed a 69-64 overtime victory on Jan. 24 2015 in the Crisler Center.
• Nate Reuvers is shooting 47 percent (8-for-17) with nine rebounds in UW's last two outings against Michigan.  
• UW's last victory over Michigan came on Jan. 19 2019 when the Badgers stunned the No. 2 Wolverines 65-54 at the Kohl Center.
  •  Ethan Happ scored 26 points and had 10 rebounds as Wisconsin handed No. 2 Michigan its first loss of the season.