Milwaukee @ Wisconsin preview

Wis.-Milwaukee at Wisconsin

Last Meeting ( Nov 24, 2017 ) Wis.-Milwaukee 49, Wisconsin 71

Micah Potter is set to make his much-anticipated Wisconsin debut when the Badgers host Milwaukee on Saturday. Potter was denied a waiver for immediate eligibility after transferring from Ohio State just ahead of the 2018-19 season, but is set to play his first game in 644 days, and hopes to provide an immediate lift to the struggling Badgers, who dropped a disappointing 72-65 decision to Rutgers on Dec. 11 to fall back to .500.

"It's been so long," Potter told reporters. "There's a big chip on my shoulder and they continued to chip away at it by keeping me out." The Badgers have dropped four of their last five games with all of their defeats coming away from Madison, and they hope the friendly confines of the Kohl Center provides some relief in what has been a challenging first two months of the season. Wisconsin has won 23 of the last 24 meetings with Milwaukee and aims to continue its dominance in the rivalry by improving to 6-0 at home this season. The Panthers are heading in the wrong direction following a 75-68 loss to Eastern Illinois, and they hope to get back on track by knocking off a Big Ten opponent for the first time since upending Minnesota on Dec. 23, 2015.

TV: 5 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT MILWAUKEE (5-6): Darius Roy scored 24 points to go along with four steals and three rebounds, but it wasn't enough as the Panthers couldn't dig out of a 20-point first half hole in the loss to Eastern Illinois. Josh Thomas added 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds while Te'Jon Lucas registered 11 points and five assists. "It's just disappointing how we came and played as we had no fight and we didn't compete as hard as I thought we would," Milwaukee coach Pat Baldwin told reporters. "We have to get off the canvas and get back to work."

ABOUT WISCONSIN (5-5): Kobe King continued his stellar play in the month of December as he led the way with 18 points and three assists in the loss to Rutgers and is averaging 18 points over his last three games. Trevor Anderson added 11 points while Brad Davison and Aleem Ford each scored nine as the Badgers fell to their fifth consecutive road loss this season. Nate Reuvers, who leads the team in scoring at 14.5 points per game, was limited to six on 2-of-8 shooting against the Scarlet Knights, but should benefit from Potter's presence in the lineup.

TIP-INS

1. Wisconsin is 32-2 all-time against Milwaukee.

2. Reuvers needs six blocks to move into sixth place on the Badgers' all-time list.

3. Lucas has scored in double figures in eight of his 10 outings this season.