Four stats that will define Wisconsin basketball vs. Northwestern Wildcats

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Wisconsin basketball (16-5, 6-4 Big Ten) will vie for an important bounce-back win when it visits Northwestern (12-9, 3-7 Big Ten) on Saturday.

The Badgers recently dropped to sixth place in the Big Ten standings following a road loss to Maryland. The team now sits 3 1/2 games behind first-place Michigan State with 10 conference games remaining.

Related: Prediction, betting odds, game preview for Wisconsin basketball vs Northwestern Wildcats

Wisconsin needs a win over Northwestern for several main reasons. First, it’s a golden opportunity for a Quad 1 victory and a further rise in NCAA bracket projections. Second, the Badgers are just 2-4 in true road games this season, including recent losses to Maryland and UCLA. It must begin to reverse that trend, with five of its remaining 10 games on the road, including three of the next four.

As we near tipoff from Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Illinois, here are four stats that will define the contest.

1. Wisconsin’s three-point shooting

Jan 29, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Nolan Winter (31) takes a shot during the first half against the Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

Wisconsin shot just 33.3% from three in its loss to Maryland this week. The game was a glaring example of how Wisconsin can struggle without success from long range — the team’s 68 points were its fewest since a Dec. loss to Michigan (64). Northwestern doesn’t present Maryland’s defensive excellence. But poor shooting could be a significant equalizer.

A big indicator will be Max Klesmit’s performance — his outside shot has been nowhere to be found other than a six-of-11 performance from deep in the team’s Dec. 7 loss to Marquette. In all, he’s surpassed double figures just once since Dec. 14.

2. Rebounds

Jan 29, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard John Tonje (9) handles the ball while being defended by Maryland Terrapins guard Selton Miguel (9) during the second half at Xfinity…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/four-stats-define-wisconsin-basketball-221932855.html

Author : Badgers Wire

Publish date : 2025-01-31 22:19:00

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