Starting Five: Minnesota

Sunday, March 5

Minneapolis, MN

6:30 PM

Wisconsin Badgers

Minnesota

Photo by: David Stluka

March 03, 2023 | Men's Basketball

Badgers have road Border Battle against Gophers

By: Jenna Statz

Wisconsin

16-13, 8-11 Big Ten

Minnesota

8-20, 2-16 Big Ten

Game Coverage

Sunday | 6:30 p.m. | FS1 | Williams Arena | Minneapolis, Minn.

MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin men's basketball wraps up its regular season with a road Border Battle against Minnesota on Sunday. This year's rematch with the Gophers is set to tip off at 6:30 p.m. CT Sunday on FS1.

Before the Badgers tip, here is the Starting Five.

1. LAST TIME OUT: Max Klesmit scored a team-high 19 points, but Wisconsin suffered a heart-breaking 63-61 loss to No. 5 Purdue on Thursday night at the Kohl Center. Chucky Hepburn (13 points) was the only other Badger to score in double-figures. Connor Essegian and Isaac Lindsey each added eight points for UW. A back-and-forth contest throughout the night, neither team led by more than three points over the final 12 minutes of the game.

2. TO THE MAX: Klesmit has scored in double figures in five of the last six games, including back-to-back, season-high 19-point performances at Michigan and again versus Purdue. Klesmit is shooting 16-for-30 (53.3%) from 3-point range since returning from injury (last 10 games). On the season, Klesmit is averaging 8.3 points per game.

3. BENCH BOOST: The Badger bench was a bright spot on Thursday, scoring a combined 14 points. Sophomore guard Isaac Lindsey scored a season-high eight points, going 2-for-2 from 3-point range. While Jordan Davis and Carter Gilmore each added three points.

4. BORDER BATTLE: The Badgers lead the all-time series against Minnesota, 106-104. Wisconsin has won five straight games in the series, including a win earlier this year in Madison. Four of the last five games between the Big Ten foes have been decided by six points or less.

5. WISCONSIN VS. MINNESOTA: Sunday marks the second meeting between Wisconsin and Minnesota this season after the Badgers earned a 63-60 victory over the Gophers in January. In the season's first meeting, Steven Crowl scored 17 points, going 8-for-13 from the field. Hepburn (16 points) and Essegian (11 points) also scored in double figures for UW.