After picking up a critical road win against the No. 20 Penn State Nittany Lions over the weekend, Wisconsin (10-6) will look to keep the momentum going tonight when it hosts No. 17 Maryland (13-3) at the Kohl Center.
The Badgers and Terrapins split their two meetings last year, with the former getting the last laugh in a 69-61 February victory in Madison.
Maryland started off this season hot by winning its first 10 contests before stumbling in consecutive away games at Penn State and Seton Hall last month. Since then, head coach Mark Turgeon’s squad has won three of its last four, though the Terps were blown out the last time they took the court in Iowa City, falling to the Hawkeyes 67-49.
You have to feel pretty good about Bucky’s chances in this one at home coming off of a huge victory, but it’s going to be a battle: Maryland has got some major star power on this roster, including two of the Big Ten’s best players.
With that being said, here are the three players on the other side who Badger fans should keep a close eye on throughout tonight’s contest.
Anthony Cowan Jr. – Guard
Current stats: 16.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 4.1 apg, 1.2 spg, 38.8 FG%, 34.4 3P%
A four-year starter at point guard for the Terrapins, Cowan is the heart and soul of this team.
The 6-0 senior from Bowie, Md. has enjoyed a prolific career in College Park and is in the midst of an excellent final season as a collegian. Cowan has looked like a potential All-American thus far, leading Maryland in points, assists and steals per game and ranking fifth in the Big Ten in the former two categories. He was recently named to the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 list and should be a top contender for the Cousy Award, given to the nation’s top floor general.
Cowan averaged 17.5 points in his two games against the Badgers last year, though he shot a combined 26.8 percent from the field in doing so.
Jalen Smith – Forward
Current stats: 13.3 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.3 bpg, 50.7 FG%, 36.7 3P%
After being named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team a season ago, Smith has taken the next step and is playing like an all-conference level player and a potential first-round selection in this year’s NBA draft.
Yet another formidable big man the Badgers must go up against in a Big Ten slate chock-full of them, the former five-star recruit out of Baltimore has made his presence felt on both ends of the floor this season. Smith is Maryland’s No. 2 scorer and leads the team in both blocks and rebounds per game, ranking No. 3 and No. 5 in the Big Ten, respectively, in the latter two categories.
Aaron Wiggins – Guard
Current stats: 10.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.1 spg, 35.0 FG%, 28.7 3P%
After a nice freshman campaign coming off of the bench, Wiggins was considered a major breakout candidate with NBA draft pick-type potential leading into this season. However, the 6-6 guard has struggled a bit through Maryland’s first half.
Wiggins provides great value defensively and on the glass, but where the Terrapins really need him to step up if they are to reach their ceiling this year is as a shooter.
Granted, he is third on the team in points per game and has reached double figures in 10 of Maryland’s 16 outings, but his efficiency has taken a dive this year. His poor shooting from long range has been especially disappointing after he was one of the Big Ten’s top marksmen (41.3 percent) as a freshman.
Wiggins is probably Maryland’s X factor. He may have yet to hit his groove, but sometimes all it takes is one breakout performance for shooters like him to take off. If/when he does, the Terrapins will become significantly more dangerous than they already are. Perhaps that performance comes in Madison this evening.