Iowa @ Wisconsin preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 30, 2018 ) Wisconsin 72, Iowa 66

Wisconsin looks to move one step closer toward securing a double bye in the Big Ten tournament when it hosts Iowa on Thursday. The No. 21 Badgers have won three of their last four games, including a 61-57 victory against Penn State on Saturday, to reach 12 conference wins for the ninth time in the last 10 years, and hope to maintain sole possession of fourth place in the Big Ten standings by completing the season sweep of the Hawkeyes following a 72-66 triumph Nov. 30.

"In this league you have to scratch and claw for everything you get," Wisconsin coach Greg Gard told reporters. "Our guys have figured out what our identity needs to be and how tough we need to play." Iowa dropped an 86-72 decision to Rutgers on Saturday in its first contest without coach Fran McCaffery, who was suspended two games for his profanity-laced outburst directed at a referee following the 90-70 loss to Ohio State on Feb. 26. The Hawkeyes, who are projected to receive an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament, were limited to 35.7 percent shooting from the floor on Senior Night, and hope to bounce back from the humbling defeat by avoiding their first three-game skid of the season. "We have to keep battling through to get these guys prepared and not lose our confidence," Iowa assistant coach Andrew Francis told reporters. "These guys have worked hard to be in this position and we want to make sure we continue to forge forward."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT IOWA (21-8, 10-8 Big Ten): Nicholas Baer knocked down four 3-pointers en route to a season-high 17 points to go along with six rebounds in his final game in Iowa City. Tyler Cook, who tested the NBA waters in the offseason before deciding to come back for his junior year, added 16 points and eight boards against Rutgers in what could be his final home game as a Hawkeye. Jordan Bohannon tallied 15 points and Luka Garza scored 10 while Joe Wieskamp, who is averaging 11.1 points and 4.7 rebounds in his freshman season, was limited by a sore back as he finished with five points on 1-of-7 shooting from the floor.

ABOUT WISCONSIN (20-9, 12-6): Brevin Pritzl provided a spark off the bench as he scored 14 of his team-high 17 points in the second half to help the Badgers beat Penn State for the 12th consecutive time. Pritzl went 5-of-5 from the floor and drained all four of his 3-pointers to finish in double figures for the first time since Nov. 30. Ethan Happ, who will be honored as part of Senior Night on Thursday, filled up the stat sheet with 14 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals against the Nittany Lions while also recording a blocked shot to move past Jared Berggren (144) for second place on the program's all-time list with 145.

TIP-INS

1. Nine of the last 13 meetings in the rivalry have been decided by seven points or fewer.

2. Wisconsin is second in the Big Ten in 3-point shooting percentage (38.2).

3. Iowa's last four wins have come by a combined 14 points.

PREDICTION: Wisconsin 68, Iowa 65