After a brief stint of Big Ten play, the Wisconsin Badgers finish their non-conference schedule with three games remaining. Up first is tomorrow night against Lehigh. Tip time is 6 PM tomorrow on BTN. Here’s what you can expect tomorrow night.
Clean Up At The Free Throw Line
The Badger struggled in their first two conference games at the free throw line. Against Maryland, they shot 17-27 (63%) and 6-11 (54.5%) against Iowa. A lot of these misses have come from big contributors.
Greg Gard has said it best. Wisconsin has allowed teams to get back into games because of issues such as free throw shooting, especially late in games. With three very winnable non-conference games until Big Ten play resumes January 3, this is a good opportunity for the Badger to clean up an area they have been very good at the last few seasons. That begins tomorrow night against Lehigh.
Good Guard Defense
Wisconsin is facing a Lehigh squad that has three guards that can score. Evan Taylor, Tyler Whitney-Sidney, and Keith Higgins Jr all average over 11 points a game. This trio accounts for 38 of Lehigh’s 71 points a game they average as a team.
With the exception of Wake Forest’s Tyree Applebey, Wisconsin’s guards have defended opposing guards well this season. Chucky Hepburn and Max Klesmit can be all-conference defenders. The defense of Connor Essegian is getting better every game as well. If the Wisconsin guards can defend this trio well, it’s hard to see Lehigh scoring enough points to stay competitive.
Prediction
Lehigh has not played in 12 days. Of their four wins, only one was by more than 10 points. That was to a division three school. Despite a 10 point win against Marist, a lot of Lehigh’s wins have been close.
Is there a potential for a let down game tomorrow? Possibly, but I doubt it. The Badgers are 2-0 in the Big Ten, both being impressive wins. They are also at the stretch of semester finals and a six week winter break. There are definitely distractions for a let down. Wisconsin needs to start fast and play the style they want to play. They can’t afford another performance like they did against UW-Green Bay.
If Wisconsin can stay to the basics of good defense and creating high percentage shots, there should’t be an issue with Lehigh. The Badgers are also undefeated in December and playing their best basketball of the season. I don’t see an upset happening tomorrow.
Wisconsin 74 Lehigh 55
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