Fresh off its dismantling of previously unranked California, the Badgers (5-3 overall) will host Nebraska-Omaha (2-7) Tuesday at the Kohl Center.
Wisconsin had one of its better shooting performances of the year Sunday, shooting over 50 percent from the floor against a Golden Bears team that came in having held its opponents to 40 percent shooting. It was the Badgers’ third time in the early stages of the season surpassing the 50-percent mark, although the other two times came against lowlier opponents in Southeastern Louisiana and Presbyterian.
While California came to Madison undefeated, the Mavericks have lost seven of their last eight games, with the average margin of defeat in those losses by more than 20 points per game.
Nebraska-Omaha features a balanced scoring attack similar to the Badgers’, with a trio of juniors—guard Justin Simmons (12.1), center John Karhoff (11.3) and guard Alex Phillips (10.3)—averaging double figures.
Although redshirt senior forward Jared Berggren (15.1), junior guard Ben Brust (13.5), senior forward Ryan Evans (10.5) and freshman forward Sam Dekker (10.5) all average in double figures for the Badgers, the four reached the plateau in the same game for the first time this season in Sunday’s contest.
Wisconsin is near the end of a six-game streak wherein it plays four teams from last season’s NCAA tournament. Nebraska-Omaha, who did not qualify last season, is sandwiched between California and Marquette—both of whom did qualify—on the Badgers’ schedule.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday.
