Nebraska @ Wisconsin preview
Kohl Center
Last Meeting ( Feb 15, 2020 ) Wisconsin 81, Nebraska 64
Asked recently what makes No. 9 Wisconsin such a dangerous team, Micah Potter took the "we" over "me" approach.
"That's the danger of our team -- the balance that we have," he said. "Everyone can shoot the ball ... some guys may be cold some days, other guys will be hot and vice-versa."
Everyone was hot Saturday for the Badgers in an 85-48 blowout of No. 23 Louisville, a win that boosted them into the top 10 in Monday's new poll. Potter scored 20 points to lead four players in double figures as Wisconsin canned 16 of 25 3-pointers.
Next up for the 6-1 Badgers: Their Big Ten Conference opener at home Tuesday night against 4-3 Nebraska, which has the unenviable task of figuring out how to defend a team that appears to have no real weakness offensively.
If you try to take away the 3-pointer -- Wisconsin cans nearly 44 percent from distance -- then it can run post-ups for Potter or Nate Reuvers. Or D'Mitrik Trice can attack off the dribble to score, or set up a teammate.
Want to play zone and keep the Badgers from playing power ball? Get ready to watch an entire team hold a HORSE game. Their top four scorers each sink between 44 and 50 percent from the arc.
Is your hankering to get physical and foul them, maybe get them frustrated? Well, good luck with that, too. Wisconsin converts nearly 75 percent of its free throws, with the top four point-makers hitting from 71 to 86 percent.
"We like to play with five guys on the floor all the time that can all shoot the 3," Potter said. "That really spaces driving lanes, opens up the floor, opens up the post."
Potter's 13.9 points and 6.7 rebounds lead the Badgers in both categories. Trice (11.6 ppg), Reuvers (11.0) and Brad Davison (10.7) also average extra digits. And they still defend; opponents are managing only 58.1 points and hitting 36.6 percent from the field.
Nebraska appears to have improved under second-year coach Fred Hoiberg. It's averaging 81.6 points and has scored more than 100 twice, including Thursday's 110-64 rout of non-Division I opponent Doane.
Dalano Banton notched the second triple-double in program history with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Banton is the team's second-leading scorer with 13.7 ppg while leading the squad in rebounding (7.7) and assists (5.7).
"It's a heck of an accomplishment," Hoiberg said of Banton's triple-double. "Dalano is just, is who he is. He's been close a couple of times already this season. That's what he does. He's a guy that just has such a unique all-around game."
Teddy Allen leads five Cornhuskers in double figures at 18.3 points while also managing 2.7 steals. His ability to pilfer the ball will get tested by a careful opponent. Wisconsin commits only 8.1 turnovers per game.
This will also be the Big Ten opener for Nebraska, which lost its last 17 games last season in going 7-25. That included two double-figure defeats to the Badgers.
--Field Level Media