After splitting their first two Big Ten games the Badgers will return to the court on Saturday as the Badgers resume non-conference play against UW-Milwaukee. The Badgers have beaten there previous two in-state opponents in Marquette and UW-Green Bay and they’ll look to complete the season sweep of in-state teams against UW-Milwaukee as the Panthers have lost their last four games.
In this Badgers Wire feature, we will look at the three keys or questions for Wisconsin as they prepare to play UW-Milwaukee.
LAYUP: THE DEBUT OF MICAH POTTER
The much anticipated debut of Micah Potter will officially begin against the Panthers. What Potter brings to Wisconsin against UW-Milwaukee and the rest of the season will still be seen but Potter will give a small sample size on Saturday.
For starters, Potter will help Wisconsin on the glass. In particular, the Badgers will need to do a better job of keeping opposing teams off the offensive glass.
Wisconsin on the season is allowing 8.1 offensive rebounds per game but over Wisconsin’s last two games they allowed a total of 24 offensive rebounds. Between the play of Potter and Nate Reuvers, they should be able to reduce that number.
Potter and Reuvers will get their first test on Saturday against UW-Milwaukee as the Panthers are averaging 13.1 offensive rebounds a contest. In the Panthers loss to Kansas, they were able to register 11 offensive rebounds but only registered nine-second chance points.
What hurt Wisconsin in their loss to Rutgers was the fact that they allowed 23-second chance points on 14 offensive rebounds. In order to control the game, the Badgers will need to limit the Panthers second chances and that will begin with Potter attacking the defensive glass.
If the Badgers allow the Panthers to consistently come up with second chances they’re allowing Darius Roy (16 ppg), Te’Jon Lucas (14.2 ppg), or Josh Thomas (11.8 ppg) another chance of generating points as all three average double figures in scoring.
MID-RANGE: CAN WISCONSIN PROTECT THE BASKETBALL?
After turning the basketball over a season-low four times in the win over Indiana the Badgers committed 14 turnovers against Rutgers, marking the fourth time Wisconsin has turned the basketball over at least 14 times this season.
Wisconsin once again will receive another test of showing they’re capable of taking care of the basketball as the Panthers are forcing an average of 16.8 turnovers a game.
Wisconsin is going to need to start protecting the basketball and with this being the first game back in 10 days there could be some uneven play to begin the game.
UW-Milwaukee was able to force Kansas into 12 turnovers, which they turned into 19 points. The Badgers on the season are allowing 11.6 points off of their turnovers making it important that the Badgers don’t allow for the Panthers to generate any fastbreak points.
About a third of the turnovers UW-Milwaukee does create comes off of steals as the Panthers are averaging 5.6 steals a contest. Wisconsin’s ability to protect the basketball should allow for the Badgers to generate the offensive rhythm they need in order to create separation against the Panthers.
3-POINTER: SLOWING DARIUS ROY DOWN
In order to take UW-Milwaukee out of its rhythm on offense, the Badgers are going to need to slow the Panthers leading scorer in Darius Roy down. Roy is averaging 16 points per game and is shooting 39.7 percent (54-for-136) from the field.
However, in road games, this year Roy has averaged 13.5 points per game and is shooting 41.7 percent from the field. Roy is coming off his second straight game of scoring at least 20 points as he scored 24 points in the loss to Eastern Illinois and in the previous game he scored 25 points on 9-for-16 (56.3 percent) shooting from the field against Kansas.
Roy is a volume shooter as his 13.6 field goal attempts leads the team. Meaning he’ll get his shots off but the key will be trying to limit his quality looks when he does attempt a shot in order to make sure he simply can’t catch and shoot.
If the Badgers can disrupt his offensive game and prevent him from getting into a consistent rhythm on offense that’ll be a win considering over the last five games he has registered 16 assists to 12 turnovers.