The Wisconsin men's basketball team returns home tonight to face Idaho State. The teams' overall records indicate Wisconsin might have an advantage, but if you take a look at each school's previous game, it tells quite a different story.
Wisconsin (6-2) is looking to rebound from a disappointing 61-58 loss Saturday night at Marquette. The Badgers led most of the game until the seven-minute mark of the second half, when they surrendered a 12-0 run and failed to reclaim the lead.
On the other side, Idaho State (2-5) is coming off one of the biggest wins in school history, following a 72-68 victory Saturday over a Utah team that was ranked third in the RPI. Senior guard Matt Stucki, who almost registered a triple-double with 20 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, led the Bengals. The game was particularly special for Stucki, who was returning to the court following the birth of his first son Colton.
Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan has been preparing the team against any sort of let down following back-to-back road games against BCS conference schools, a rare feat that only five schools will be completing this season.
Idaho State is coming in here for a reason,"" Ryan said. ""They feel they can compete. A couple problems early but they had to work through some things just like the rest of us. But that win the other night, that's a pretty big deal. They won't be coming in lacking any confidence.""
Saturday's loss at Marquette wasn't without its silver lining. The Badgers saw a big contribution from freshman Rob Wilson, who recorded career highs in minutes (20), points (seven), and rebounds (five). The freshman from Cleveland, Ohio, has impressed Ryan with his ability to learn, and even drew a comparison to Wisconsin great Devin Harris.
Ryan added, ""He's learning things. Anytime I see somebody learning and working to get better, listening and keeping a good notebook, I'm impressed. Still to this day I was always impressed with Devin's notebook. [Rob] knows he has a lot to learn and that's what I'm impressed with. He's hungry. I like those guys.""
Wilson and the rest of the Badgers' backcourt will have their hands full trying to shut down Bengals leading scorer Amorrow Morgan, a 6'5"" junior guard averaging 17.5 points a game.
The Badgers will also need strong contributions from their undersized frontline going against a tall Idaho State frontcourt that features Deividas Busma, a 7-foot junior.
The Badgers have never faced Idaho State and are 4-1 against the Big Sky conference. Wisconsin will look to improve on their 110-7 record at home under Bo Ryan.
