Coming off of a seemingly ho-hum Sweet 16 run in 2011, the Wisconsin men's basketball heads into the 2011-‘12 campaign with high hopes. While they do have to replace the contributions made last season by senior forwards Jon Leuer and Keaton Nankivil, the Badgers bring back their entire starting backcourt as well as key role players Mike Bruesewitz, Ryan Evans, and Jared Berggren, all of whom expect to make an even greater impact on the floor.
Perhaps the biggest news to come out of the program thus far this offseason was the announcement of UW's ACC/Big Ten Challenge opponent. After much speculation, the conference finally announced that the Badgers would be traveling to Chapel Hill for a date with top-ranked UNC on November 30th.
With that single announcement, Wisconsin's non-conference schedule went from admittedly weak, highlighted only by a home date with rival Marquette, to formidable, with a serious road test against one of the most talented rosters college basketball has seen in years.
Despite their well-publicized struggles away from the Kohl Center, the Badgers have had a history of playing well away from home against tough non-conference foes. Even before last season's victory against the Golden Eagles in Milwaukee, Bo Ryan's program boasted quality non-conference road wins at Texas, Virginia Tech, Temple, and Georgia.
Still, the opportunity to face a top-ranked team on the road, let alone a top-ranked team from Tobacco Road, is one to relish for Wisconsin basketball players, coaches, and fans alike.
While the experience alone will certainly prove beneficial in preparation for the 2012 Big Ten campaign, a win in Chapel Hill could potentially be a program changer.
