Rutgers @ Wisconsin preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 11, 2019 ) Wisconsin 65, Rutgers 72

Wisconsin looks to take another step towards securing an NCAA Tournament bid when it hosts Rutgers on Sunday. The Badgers have won three consecutive games, including a 69-65 victory over Purdue on Tuesday, to move within a game of reaching double-digit wins in Big Ten play the 13th time in the last 14 seasons, and they hope to avenge a 72-65 loss to the Scarlet Knights on Dec. 11.

“I think we’ve continually gotten better,” Wisconsin coach Greg Gard told reporters. “I like the togetherness and that’s been the thing that’s allowed us to surge here a little bit.” Rutgers looks to bounce back from its first home loss of the season after suffering a 60-52 defeat to Michigan on Wednesday. The Scarlet Knights were 17-0 in Piscataway before being held to 34.9 percent shooting in the setback to the Wolverines, and they hope to get back on the winning track by sweeping the season series with the Badgers for the first time in program history. “We gotta bounce back because we play in the best league in the country,” Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell told reporters. “We’re playing a Wisconsin team that’s won some terrific games and it will be a battle.”

TIME: 1 p.m. ET. TV: Big Ten Network

ABOUT RUTGERS (18-9, 9-7 Big Ten): Geo Baker scored a team-high 16 points against Michigan to finish in double figures for the 13th time this season while moving within 13 points of reaching 1,000 for his career. Ron Harper Jr. tallied 13 points and Akwasi Yeboah added 10 points and five rebounds, but the Scarlet Knights were doomed by an 0-of-10 performance from 3-point range in the final 20 minutes. “The ball didn’t go in for us in the second half,” Pikiell said. “You have to put the ball in the basket when you play a team like that and we had one of those nights.”

ABOUT WISCONSIN (16-10, 9-6): Aleem Ford knocked down five 3-pointers en route to a career-high 19 points and pulled down seven rebounds as the Badgers hit eight straight free throws down the stretch to stave off a late rally by Purdue. Brevin Pritzl scored eight of his 13 points from the charity stripe and grabbed six rebounds while Brad Davison also tallied 13 points as Wisconsin finished 19-of-20 from the foul line. Nate Reuvers produced 12 points, six rebounds and a pair of blocked shots while D’Mitrik Trice had eight points and a game-high five assists.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Wisconsin is 12-1 at home this season.

2. Rutgers is tied for ninth in the country in field-goal percentage defense (38.1).

3. The Badgers are ranked fifth nationally in fewest turnovers per game (10.3).

PREDICTION: Rutgers 72, Wisconsin 70