Northwestern @ Wisconsin preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 23, 2019 ) Wisconsin 69, Northwestern 64

No. 24 Wisconsin looks to extend its longest winning streak of the season when it hosts Northwestern on Wednesday. The Badgers have won six consecutive games, including a 71-69 victory over Minnesota on Sunday, to move into a second-place tie in the Big Ten standings, and they hope to stay in the mix for their first regular-season title since 2015 by beating the Wildcats for the fourth straight time.

“Obviously we know where we are in the standings, but all we can do is control what we can control,” Wisconsin forward Micah Potter told reporters. “Just win games and hope that everything else outside of our control works out in our favor.” Northwestern snapped its longest conference losing streak in program history with an 81-76 overtime win against Nebraska on Sunday. The Wildcats had dropped 12 consecutive games before topping 80 points against the Cornhuskers for the first time in Big Ten play this season and they hope to ride the momentum to their first win over a Top 25 opponent since Feb. 6, 2018. “I was really proud of our group to gut it out,” Northwestern coach Chris Collins told reporters. “They were determined and they didn’t look rattled.”

TIME: 9 p.m. ET. TV: Big Ten Network

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN (7-21, 2-16 Big Ten): Miller Kopp scored a game-high 21 points to record his fifth 20-point game of the season while Boo Buie added 15 points, seven assists and four steals in the win against Nebraska. Pat Spencer contributed 12 points and six rebounds while Ryan Young had 10 points and five boards to help the Wildcats notch their first win since Jan. 11. “We have a lot of young guys out there who are going through this for the first time and trying to figure it out,” Collins said. “We came out and scored the first seven there in overtime which I was really proud of my group.”

ABOUT WISCONSIN (19-10, 12-6): Brad Davison led the Badgers with 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the win against Minnesota to finish in double figures for the fourth time in his last five games. Brevin Pritzl tallied 15 points, including a clutch 3-pointer with under a minute to play, while Potter added 10 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots to help Wisconsin climb into the national rankings for the first time this season. Aleem Ford finished with 10 points and six rebounds while Nate Reuvers, who is averaging a team-leading 13 points per game, was limited to six.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Wisconsin is 14-5 since Potter joined the lineup.

2. Northwestern has dropped 14 straight games against ranked opponents.

3. The Badgers have won seven consecutive home games.

PREDICTION: Wisconsin 83, Northwestern 73