The last time Wisconsin (7-5 Big Ten, 20-5 overall) met Michigan at the Kohl Center it was the No. 3 Badgers who had the target on their back. This Sunday in Ann Arbor it will be the No. 15 Wolverines that have to protect their home court and a Big Ten conference lead against a rejuvenated UW team.
Almost a month ago, Wisconsin got a taste of their own medicine after Michigan shot 55 percent from the field and 54 percent from beyond the arc.
If the Badgers hope to snag a tough road win, improved defense will be in order.
“Michigan is a really talented team. They came in here and played pretty well against us,” redshirt junior guard Josh Gasser said. “They got some really good scorers, some guys who can put the ball in the hoop, so we’re going to have to do a better job defensively for sure, that’s our main emphasis.”
An improved defense means stopping, or at least minimizing, Michigan’s go-to guy and leading scorer, Nik Stauskas. In their last meeting Stauskas had 23 points, including a step-back jumper to seal the win.
“We let [Stauskas] get going with some shots early,” assistant coach Greg Gard said. “He’s a very good offensive player, so you just try to eliminate the easy ones, that’s the big thing.”
On the offensive side, Wisconsin looks to continue their streak of hot shooting. The past two games the Badgers have shot an average of 47 percent from the field, a much-improved statistic since their midseason lapse.
The last time these teams met, the Wolverines did not face freshman forward Nigel Hayes, who has blossomed in recent games.
“Nigel is just aggressive. He’s started to just play without thinking,” junior guard Traevon Jackson said. “He’s benefited us so much. He’s a good passer, he’s a good scorer, and he’s a good defender, and he cleans up the boards. He’s just such a versatile player that he’s helped us out a lot.”
Hayes currently leads the Big Ten conference in scoring from a bench player, averaging 10.9 points per game.
UW has won three consecutive conference wins, but is taking it one game at a time.
“It’s a must win, just like every game. It’s the biggest one right now because it’s the next one on the agenda,” sophomore forward Sam Dekker said.
A win for the Badgers on Sunday could not only reassert Wisconsin as a top conference power, but also boost their confidence moving forward into the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments.
“I think we have always been a very confident group, but you can definitely say we’re more confident than we were maybe two, three weeks ago at this point,” Dekker said.
