1. ALL TIME vs. WESTERN ILLINOIS

Wisconsin and Western Illinois meet for just the third time on Monday, with the all-time series tied at one game apiece. The last time the two sides faced was back on Nov. 13, 2015, which saw the Leathernecks win 69-67. A month later, in December, Greg Gard took over as interim head coach.

The only other meeting between the two was back on Dec. 7, 1989. The Badgers were victorious in that game, earning a 69-42 win. Wisconsin is 11-1 all-time against teams in the Ohio Valley Conference. 

2. SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

Western Illinois is off to a 2-4 start for the season. The Leathernecks are currently on a two-game losing streak, suffering an 84-52 road loss at Illinois on Friday. 

Junior James Dent Jr. is leading the way for Western Illinois, currently averaging 17.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. The guard is coming off of a 20-point performance against Illinois on Friday after he scored a season-high 24 points against Southern University on Nov. 11. Junior Ryan Myers is also averaging double digits, scoring 11.5 points per game.

3. FORT MYERS CHAMPIONS

The Badgers were crowned 2023 Fort Myers Tip-Off champions after taking down SMU, 69-61, this past Wednesday. Wisconsin also earned a 65-41 win over No. 24 Virginia in the opening game of the tournament.

The title marks UW's sixth non-conference tournament championship in the past 20 years. Wisconsin trailed the Mustangs, 40-30, with 13 minutes remaining. Chucky Hepburn went off in the final 4:36, scoring all 10 of his points, to help secure the win. Including Hepburn, five total Badgers scored double figures.

Tyler Wahl was named MVP of the tournament after averaging 11.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. Steven Crowl also earned All-Tournament honors. 

4. OFFENSE GETTING REVVED UP

Wisconsin is firing on all fronts offensively this season, improving in multiple categories when compared to last year. The Badgers are averaging 74.3 points per game and shooting 45.5% from the field. Last season by comparison, the team averaged 65.3 points per game and shot 41.4% from the floor.

When Wisconsin faced Tennesse, the Badgers dropped 70 points. According to KenPom, the Volunteers have the No.1 defense efficiency rating in the country and are holding opponents to just 57.9 points per game. The Badgers also scored 65 points against a Virginia defense that ranks 13th and is allowing only 53.8 points per contest.

At the moment, five players are averaging double-figure scoring for the Badgers: AJ Storr (13.3 ppg), Tyler Wahl (10.8 ppg), Chucky Hepburn (10.7 ppg), Steven Crowl (10.5 ppg) and John Blackwell (10.2 ppg). UW has not had five players average double digits in a season since the 2002-03 campaign. 

5. UP FOR THE CHALLENGE

After its game against Western Illinois, Wisconsin is set to face ranked opponents in three consecutive games. Those games, in order, include No. 4 Marquette, No. 18 Michigan State, and No. 3 Arizona. In the first 10 games of the 2023-24 season, the Badgers will play four ranked opponents. Two of those teams are ranked top 10 in the nation. 

However, the Badgers have shown they are not one to back down from a challenge. Wisconsin is looking to set the tone early this season and face the best possible competition. Not only will it prepare the team for conference play, but it will also give them a chance to build a strong resume come postseason.