Glancing back to history, the Iowa Hawkeyes has never beaten No. 15 Wisconsin Badgers twice in the same season since 1995, but the Hawkeyes are in a place for the sweep after stunning the Badgers in Madison 72-65 on December 31.
It seems that the Wisconsin Badgers are doomed in the first meeting, they were at 34.8 percent from the field. The Haweyes and Badgers have been polar opposites this season. The Iowa is riding with the Big Ten’s third-ranked scoring offense and Wisconsin is comfortably atop the conference in scoring defense.
The Badgers have been one of the league’s best teams on the road, having a 6-3 record in true away games.
Wisconsin Badgers at Iowa Hawkeyes
When: 9:00 PM ET, Thursday, February 23, 2012
Where: Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City, Iowa
The Badgers opened as 5.5 point favorites on several online sports book sites. Check out what Sportsbook.com has to offer when it comes to lines and odds. This free March madness picks will guide you which team to choose properly with these anaylsis.
Wisconsin Badgers (20-7)
The Badgers have one of the most effective defensive teams in the country, leading Division 1 in points allowed (51.1) and ranking fourth in field-goal percentage defense (36.3). Their offense, however, has not been as productive as in years past. Part of that is because of a tempo that creates fewer possessions per game at 59.3 than any other teams in the country, but the Badgers shoots at only 42.3 percent from the floor (11th in the Big Ten) and its free-throw percentage is at 73.4 has dropped significantly from last year’s NCAA-best figure of 81.8 percent. The Hawkeyes are 48-26 against the Badgers in Iowa City, but the Badgers have won three of the last four meetings there.
Iowa Hawkeyes (14-13)
Ranking third in the league the Hawkeyes are at a score of 73.6, but one thing may be certain as their lineup may be weakened without the services of senior point guard Bryce Cartwright who suffered an injured ankle and junior guard Eric with an injured back, both whom are questionable. Senior guard Matt Gatens (14.8 points) scored a career-high 30 in the win over Indiana and totaled 51 points, including 12-for-17 3-point shooting, in his last two games. Despite their defensive struggles (72.1 points allowed), Hawkeyes average a Big Ten-best of 7.9 steals. Iowa leads the series 78-77.
Free March Madness Picks: Badgers 67, Hawkeyes 59
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