The Wisconsin Badgers will take on the Oregon Ducks on the West Coast late Wednesday night, with the game airing on the Big Ten Network at 10:00 PM CT.
Wisconsin has yet to make a West Coast trip this year, but has back-to-back road games this week, starting with Washington State on Saturday, which is expected to be at 3:00 PM (Central Time) which is more ideal.
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The Badgers’ 84-71 victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Kohl Center essentially cemented their bid for the NCAA tournament and solidified their seeding with just two weeks left in the regular season.
Nick Boyd led the way in the win with 27 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, delivering another classic performance that had the Kohl Center crowd roaring with excitement. Nolan Winter scored 18 points efficiently on 8-of-11 shooting. Austin Rapp hit 4 three-pointers after returning from injury and scored 14 points off the bench.
Wisconsin now faces an Oregon State team that is 10-17 on the season, including 3-13 in the Big Ten. That’s a good thing for the league’s second-worst record, behind only Penn State (2-15). The Ducks have dealt with a few injuries this year, including point guard Jackson Shelstad’s season-ending loss, which has put their season at a low point.
They average just 71.1 points per game, ranking 331st nationally, as they are one of the slower teams in the country. Their defense isn’t very good either, allowing an average of 74.2 points per game this year. As a result, Oregon ranks 106th in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency this year.
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Nate Butte, who endured a month-long injury earlier this season, is once again leading the Ducks this year, averaging 16.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Behind him, Kwame Evans Jr. took a step forward in his third year as a starter, averaging career highs in points (12.2), rebounds (7.2), assists (2.2) and blocks (1.2).
Going into the game, the Badgers were 5.5-point favorites, down slightly from the 6.5-point advantage they held at the start of the game.
Can they pull off a win on the road and move on later in the season? Join us when our gaming thread goes live!
