Wisconsin @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 3, 2019 ) Minnesota 59, Wisconsin 52

Wisconsin was unable to overcome a porous first-half performance and fell to Minnesota last month, with the setback serving as one of four in a five-game span. The 19th-ranked Badgers have rebounded from that stretch with five straight victories and are out to avert their first season sweep at the hands of the Golden Gophers since 2008-09 when the Big Ten rivals meet Wednesday in Minneapolis.

Wisconsin went a disastrous 6 of 26 from the field (23.1 percent) and scored just 14 points in the first half of a 59-52 setback to Minnesota on Jan. 3. Sophomore guard Brad Davison mustered just four points in that contest before recording double digits in seven of his next eight games, including 21 on 6-of-11 shooting in the Badgers' 69-61 win over No. 21 Maryland on Friday. Minnesota junior guard Amir Coffey (team-leading 16.2 points per game) erupted for 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting in the first meeting with Wisconsin and had 22 on an 8-of-13 performance in Sunday's 73-63 setback at Purdue. Coffey is averaging 19.2 points in Big Ten games, which is third in the conference.

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

ABOUT WISCONSIN (16-6, 8-3 Big Ten): Sophomore forward Aleem Ford put three straight scoreless outings in his rearview mirror on Friday when he reached double digits in scoring for the second time this season with 10 points versus the Terrapins. "(My teammates) were always in my ear saying the next one will fall," Ford said following his 4-of-6 performance from the field. Senior forward Ethan Happ was right on par with his team-leading season averages in points (18.5) and rebounds (10.3) by recording 18 and 11, respectively, against Maryland for his 14th double-double of the season.

ABOUT MINNESOTA (16-6, 6-5): Jordan Murphy's 1,170 rebounds in his career are the second most in Big Ten history while his 11.8 per-game average this season is tops in the conference. The 6-foot-6 senior pulled down 11 rebounds in the first encounter with Wisconsin and totaled 63 during his last five games, highlighted by a career high-tying 21 in a 65-64 win over Penn State on Jan. 19. Center Daniel Oturu, who was limited to just four points versus Wisconsin, erupted for 19 and had nine rebounds versus Boilermakers.

TIP-INS

1. Wisconsin (40.3) leads the Big Ten in 3-point percentage while Minnesota (31.1) is last in the conference.

2. Golden Gophers F Nate Reuvers was held scoreless in his last outing, three games removed from going 7-for-11 from the field for a career-high 22 points in a 72-60 win at Illinois on Jan. 23.

3. Minnesota owns a sterling 11-1 mark at Williams Arena this season.

PREDICTION: Wisconsin 69, Minnesota 63