Expectations will be especially high this Wednesday night when the Wisconsin Badgers (3-2) face off the Prairie View A&M Panthers (0-4) at the Kohl Center.
With an opportunity to face one of the NCAA’s last remaining winless teams, Wisconsin looks to search for its fourth win of the season, but it may not come as easy as one would think.
In their season opener, the Badgers had similar favorable circumstances against Western Illinois, but never took full advantage of the disparity and ended up losing on their own home court.
Players and fans certainly hope that scenario won’t play out again.
While Wisconsin should cruise by the Panthers, who only muster up a pedestrian 58 points per game, no one will truly know which Badger team will show up to play.
Inconsistency best describes Wisconsin’s start to the season as it has played games like a top-25 team, while other nights the Badgers have look like a team with serious issues to address.
In their three wins this season, the Badgers have averaged a healthy 81.3 points per game, while only allowing a stout 67.3 points per game. In their two losses, they have only scored 64 points per game and have given up 70 points per game.
Certainly the stats have already shown that Wisconsin is essentially two very different teams depending whether or not they lose.
Despite the fact that the Badgers have the most active freshman on their roster in the nation, consistency will be needed if Wisconsin wants to pull away with a win Wednesday.
Junior guard Bronson Koenig has been a tremendous bright spot for the Badgers in their first five games, as he has averaged 17.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. Not only has he been the most consistent player for Wisconsin, but he has clearly been the offensive leader as he has an ability to score on his own, and has the determination to take over a game with limited time, such as the impressive game-winning layup he made against the VCU Rams Sunday.
Though Koenig has been able to provide an offensive spark for the offensive, the Badgers will need to have their younger core of players to contribute.
Redshirt freshman Ethan Happ has played extremely well as of late, leading the team in rebounding and has recorded back-to-back double doubles. With the departure of Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker, the Badgers will rely on Happ to fulfill some of the remaining void.
Freshman Khalil Iverson and Charlie Thomas have also looking promising as of late, combining for 14 points, five rebounds and three blocks in their last matchup against VCU. The duo have looked great in other aspects of the game, but haven’t been able to produce offensively as much. Once they begin to roll on the offensive side of the ball, Wisconsin will have a much easier time cruising by the Panthers.
Prairie View comes into Wednesday's matchup with an undersized team as no starter is listed taller than 6’9, which gives the Badgers a much needed advantage. Wisconsin has rebounded extremely well against undersized teams this season.
Aside from the height differential, the Panthers could also struggle in other areas against Wisconsin. Their porous defense gave up 110 points in a game against Houston earlier this year and the team can’t seem to get rolling on offense either as Admassu Williams, a forward who scores 13.8 points per game, has been their only consistent contributor.
Come Wednesday, look for Wisconsin to exploit the many deficiencies the Panthers exhibit.
