1. LAST TIME OUT

In a matchup that pitted the two teams atop the Big Ten standings against each other, Wisconsin fell in a 75-69 loss to No. 2 Purdue on Sunday at the Kohl Center. The Badgers kept it close for much of the game, even cutting Purdue's lead down to 59-57 with 4:46 left, but could not retake the lead or get the game closer the rest of the way.

Tyler Wahl led Wisconsin in every major statistical category with a season-high 20 points, plus seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks. AJ Storr posted another double-digit scoring performance, dropping 14 points, while Max Klesmit added 10 points.

2. SERIES HISTORY

Wednesday will mark the 174th all-time meeting between the Badgers and the Wolverines, with the series dating back to 1920. Michigan leads the all-time series, 94-79, including a 57-23 advantage in Ann Arbor. However, in games played since the 2001-02 season Wisconsin has held a commanding 26-13 lead in the series.

UW has won two of the last three games overall against Michigan, but is seeking its first win in Ann Arbor since a 81-74 win back on Feb. 27, 2020. The last meeting between the two sides was on Feb. 26, 2023, which resulted in an 87-79 overtime loss. Connor Essegian dropped a career-high 24 points.

The Badgers have held Michigan to under 70 points in five of the last seven meetings. Since 2007, the Badgers have only surrendered 70 points or more to the Wolverines just six times.

3. SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

Michigan currently sits at the bottom of the Big Ten standings with a conference record of 2-9 and an overall record of 7-15. The Wolverines enter Wednesday's matchup on a five-game losing streak, most recently coming off a 69-59 loss against Rutgers at home. Despite the results, Michigan ranks fifth in offensive output in the Big Ten, scoring 77.0 points per game.

Top performers for the Wolverines this season include Dug McDaniel, Olivier Nkamhoua, and Terrance Williams II. McDaniel leads the team with 16.8 points per game while providing 4.9 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game. Nkamhoua is averaging 15.9 points and 7.0 rebounds, while Williams II is averaging 12.5 points and 4.1 rebounds. 

4. AMONG THE BEST

Wisconsin is ranked No. 11 in this week's AP Top 25, slipping five spots after climbing as high as No. 6 in last week's poll. The Badgers have now held a top-10 ranking in the AP Top 25 in six of the last 11 seasons.

UW begins the week ranked No. 13 in the NET Rankings. Wisconsin is one of only three schools in the nation with 10 or more Quad 1+2 wins, joining Purdue (15) and UConn (11). The Badgers have built their imprsesive resume while facing the 10th-toughest schedule in the country, according to ESPN.com.

5. OFFENSIVE EFFICIENCY

Wisconsin boasts one of the best offenses in the nation, beginning the week ranked ninth in the country in offensive efficiency according to KenPom.com. In Fact, UW's 120.7 adjusted offensive efficiency (points per 100 possessions) is on track to go down as the school's third-highest mark since KenPom began tracking back in 1999. 

In conference play, Wisconsin ranks third in field goal percent (48.3%) and fifth in 3-point percent (37.8%). UW averages 7.9 three pointers per game, which ranks fourth in the Big Ten. Wisconsin has a scoring average of 75.5 points per game this season, which is on pace for UW's highest scoring average since the 1993-94 season. The Badgers have scored 70+ points in 14 of their last 16 games.