Wisconsin Badgers
Illinois
Five Things to Know: Wisconsin vs. Illinois
February 29, 2024 | Men's Basketball
Badgers look to tally another ranked win
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin looks to keep winning at home and record its third win over a ranked team this season when it hosts No. 13 Illinois at the Kohl Center on Saturday. The game is sold out, with opening tip set for noon on Big Ten Network.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW:
1. HONORING HOWARD MOORE AND FAMILY
Saturday’s game at the Kohl Center will be special, as the program will be honoring former assistant coach Howard Moore and family. A number of Howard's family and former teammates will be in attendance. Fans attending the game are encouraged to arrive early and be in their seats by 11:45 a.m. for pregame.
2. LAST TIME OUT
Wisconsin trailed by as many as 15 points before rallying back to take a late lead, only to fall at Indiana, 74-70, on Tuesday night at Assembly Hall in Bloomington.
With the game tied 54-54 midway through the second half, the game was delayed nearly 20 minutes after a fire alarm sounded and the building had to be evacuated.
UW had five players score in double figures for the fourth time this season. Chucky Hepburn led the Badgers in points (15), rebounds (7) and assists (6), while committing zero turnovers in 35 minutes.
3. SERIES HISTORY
Wisconsin and Illinois will meet for the 207th time on Saturday, with the series dating back to 1906. The Fighting Illini lead the all-time series, 116-90, but the Badgers hold a 59-42 edge when playing in Madison.
The Badgers will look to snap a six-game losing streak against Illinois, with the two sides meeting just once this season. Prior to this current six-game win streak from Illinois in the all-time series, the Badgers had won 15 straight games from 2011 to 2019.
In two games against Illinois last season, Chucky Hepburn averaged 18.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Max Klesmit scored in double figures in both meetings last year, averaging 11.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Steven Crowl posted a 20-point, 12-rebound performance at Illinois last season.
4. SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
The Fighting Illini come in ranked No. 13 in the AP Top 25 Poll, holding a 21-7 overall record. In Big Ten play, the team is 12-5 and sitting in second place in the conference standings behind only No. 2 Purdue. Illinois has the second-best offensive efficiency in the conference, averaging 84.5 points per game. On defense, the Illini are holding opponents to an average of 72.9 points per game.
Terrence Shannon Jr. leads the way for Illinois on offense, averaging 21.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Marcus Domask is averaging 15.5 points and 4.8 rebounds, while Coleman Hawkins is putting up 13.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.
5. MADE IN MADISON
The Badgers have been their best when playing at the Kohl Center this season. When playing in Madison, the team holds a 13-2 record. The two losses were both close games against top-ranked teams in No. 2 Purdue and No. 9 Tennessee.
At the Kohl Center this season, the Badgers are averaging 78.2 points per game and shooting 50 percent from the field. UW is 359-69 (.839) all-time at the Kohl Center, the 11th-best active venue record in the country.
