Wisconsin (5-3 Big Ten, 14-7 overall) will travel to Champaign, Ill., Sunday for a tilt against the Fighting Illini (2-6, 15-7). It isn’t difficult to make the argument Sunday’s game is a must-win for the Badgers, who have lost three of their last four games in a conference in which no game is a gimme, especially on the road.
Illinois came to the Kohl Center back on Jan. 12, fresh off a home loss to then-No. 8 Minnesota, which was only the Fighting Illini’s third loss of the season. It was ranked No. 12 and, by all accounts, a legitimate conference title contender. Wisconsin trounced Illinois, 74-51, and the Fighting Illini haven’t righted the ship since; Illinois will enter Sunday’s contest having lost five of its last six games.
The Badgers were successful in the two teams’ previous matchup this season in part because they shot 28-of-57 from the floor (49 percent), but also because they held Illinois’ top scorers in check. Fighting Illini senior guard Brandon Paul, one of the Big Ten’s top scorers, shot 1-of-11. Fellow senior guard D.J. Richardson finished with 16 points, 12 of which came in the second half, when the Badgers never led by less than 18.
Much has been made of Wisconsin’s shooting woes recently, and an improvement on that front will certainly help UW’s chances of coming out on top Sunday in Assembly Hall. Redshirt senior forward Ryan Evans is perhaps the Badger most in need of a big game, offensively.
However, the Badgers have proven time and time again that it is their defense that gives them a shot to win most games. Regardless of how well UW shoots the ball Sunday, it will need to once again contain Illinois’ sharpshooters if it wants to come away with a ‘W.’
