Wisconsin Basketball hits the road for the first time this season to face UCF in the first round of the Greenbriar Tip-Off.
The Wisconsin Badgers followed up a signature win over #9 Arizona with a nerve-wracking 87-84 victory over UT-Rio Grande Valley. Wisconsin sits at 5-0, and is ranked 19th in the nation. UCF comes in at a perfect 4-0, having knocked off #13 Texas A&M on opening night. UCF is knocking on the door of the Top 25, receiving the 30th most votes in the nation by AP voting. A couple of wins this weekend could give them a final push into the rankings.
General Information:
Teams: Wisconsin (5-0) and UCF (4-0)
Tip Time: 5 p.m. EST
Watch: CBS Sports Network
Listen: Badger Radio Network
What to know about UCF:
UCF has passed their two tough tests with flying colors early on this season, with their aforementioned opening night victory over Texas A&M, as well as a 100-94 win over the dangerous mid-major, Florida Atlantic.
UCF plays small, starting four guards and a center. However, their center is the large 7-2 Moustapha Thiam. Thiam has had limited production in the first four games of his collegiate career. Jordan Ivy-Curry and Keyshawn Hall have both been averaging over 17 points per game. With Wisconsin struggling to defend against a UT-Rio Grande Valley that started five guards, we’ll see if UCF tries to exploit Wisconsin in that same area.
Latest on Wisconsin basketball:
UT-Rio Grand Valley gave the Badgers fits on Monday. Head coach Greg Gard was forced to sit down Nolan Winter and Steven Crowl for a large portion of the second half due to the Vaqueros playing five guards. This resulted in Carter Gilmore getting extended minutes. While Gilmore was held scoreless, his defensive prowess helped Wisconsin hold the Vaqueros to 32 second-half points (following 52 points in the first half).
Wisconsin as a whole this season has not defended the three-point shot well. The Vaqueros were 13-for-33 from deep, and Wisconsin is allowing its opponents to shoot 35% from deep.
John Blackwell’s 30-point performance (20 of which came in the second half) led Wisconsin to a close three-point victory. John Tonje followed up his 41-point showing against Arizona with another 19 points against the Vaqueros.