Wisconsin basketball returns to the hardwood Saturday afternoon against the No. 13 Illinois Fighting Illini.
The Badgers’ struggles since the start of February have been well-documented. The team is 2-6 in that time, including a 0-5 road record and inexplicable losses at last-place Michigan and on Tuesday against struggling Indiana.
After entering the month ranked No. 6 in the AP Poll and bordering on a 1-seed in Joe Lunardi’s bracketology, Wisconsin is now unranked in all polls and threatening to drop to a 5-seed or 6-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
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Wisconsin’s Big Ten title hopes are long gone with Purdue taking care of business at the top of the conference. What Greg Gard’s team needs is momentum, and any sign of hope entering postseason play.
Three games remain in the regular season for that to happen. Here is how ESPN BPI predicts those contests: