The Wisconsin Badgers advanced to the BIG10 Conference Quarterfinals on Friday with tipoff scheduled for 1:30 p.m. CT against the Northwestern Wildcats. Wisconsin is 20-12 overall on the season after the win against the Maryland Terrapins 87-56 in the second round of the tournament.
Head coach Greg Gard is looking for his squad to pull off an upset in this matchup with Northwestern. The Badgers played the Wildcats on January 13 in Madison, Wisconsin, and the Badgers won that matchup by a final score of 71-63.
On Thursday, the Wisconsin Badgers had four different players score in double figures. Justin Blackwell continues to be sensational for Wisconsin as he scored 18 points and grabbed five rebounds against the Maryland Terrapins.
Steven Crowl scored 17 points, AJ Storr scored 16 points, and Chucky Hepburn also added 10 points and recorded eight assists against Maryland. The Badgers will need to be efficient on offense once again against a pesky Wildcats basketball team.
Players To Watch For on the Northwestern Wildcats Against the Wisconsin Badgers
Chris Collins is the head coach of the Northwestern Wildcats. He had his team finish with a 21-10 record overall during the regular season and had a 12-8 record in BIG10 Conference play, which earned them the right to have a double bye in the BIG10 Tournament.
They last played on March 9 against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at home and Northwestern won that game easily by a final score of 90-66. Four players scored in double figures in that matchup for the Wildcats. Boo Buie scored 23 points, grabbed three rebounds, and recorded six assists.
Brooks Barnhizer also scored 23 points, grabbed six rebounds, and recorded four assists. Ryan Langborg scored 17 points and recorded six assists and Nick Martinelli also added 14 points for the Northwestern Wildcats. Northwestern and Wisconsin are two different basketball teams from the last time they met on January 13.
This game can very well go down to the wire. One of the things the Wildcats bring on a game-to-game basis is energy. The Badgers need to match it or they will be on the wrong side of this one. The winner of the Wisconsin Badgers and Northwestern Wildcats matchup will face either the #8 Michigan State Spartans or the #1 Purdue Boilermakers in the BIG10 semifinals on Saturday afternoon.
