The Wisconsin Badgers (12-5, 1-3 Big Ten) will be looking to end their 3 game losing streak when they take the court Thursday night in East Lafayette against the Purdue Boilermakers (13-4, 3-1 Big Ten). The game will be televised on ESPN and ESPN3.com and will tip off at 6:00 CT.
The Badgers have looked nothing but ugly in their last three games, losing two close games at home and being blown out at Michigan on Sunday. In those games, Wisconsin has shot just 33% from the field and has scored an average of 55.3 points to the opponents 64.6.
The most intriguing stat of this losing streak has to be the three point shooting. The Badgers made just 15 of their 70 three pointers taken in their 3 game drought. That’s a mere 21.4% from downtown. If your going to be taking an average of 23 three point shots a game, you have to be shooting better then 21%. Shooting issues and lack of defense are the two main reasons the Badgers are on a three game skid.
Wisconsin has not had much success at Mackey Arena the past few years. Purdue has won its last 4 home games against Wisconsin, including a 70-62 win over the Badgers last year.
At home this year Purdue is 11-1, while the Badgers are 2-2 on the road.
The Badgers and Boilers split the season series last season, taking one game a piece and Purdue was undefeated at Mackey last season. The Purdue faithful love their basketball, and Mackey is rocking every game.
The Boilers, like Wisconsin, have proved to be inconsistent so far this season. They have lost three close games to Xavier, Butler, and Alabama. Additionally they are 0-2 against teams ranked in the top 25.
Purdue comes into this game with a one game win streak after knocking off Minnesota 77-66 on the road. Previously the Boilers got demolished 65-45 to an average Penn State team.
Moving to the game at hand though, the biggest match up in this game will be the Badgers big men Ryan Evans and Jared Berggren against Purdue’s best player Robbie Hummel. After being plagued with injuries the last few years, Hummel is back and playing better then ever.
He is the Boiler’s leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 16.2 points and 6.2 boards per contest. The versatile power forward has a killer jump shot from downtown, and can also take you to the hoop off the dribble. Hummel is a tough, scrappy player. He often is fighting for offensive boards and gets to many loose balls. Containing Robbie Hummel will be a huge factor for the Badgers in this game.
Two other role players for the Boilers are Lewis Jackson and Ryne Smith. Both have made tremendous leaps this year, replacing star guard E’Twaun Moore from last season. Both average 10.2 points a game, and Jackson adds 3.4 assists a game. They are both great shooters, shooting a combined 47.6% this season. Taylor, Brust, and Gasser will have their hands full with these guys.
As always, the Badgers will need senior Point Guard Jordan Taylor to be a leader for this team going in to a hostile environment. Taylor must keep this young team composed on the big stage. If the Badgers find themselves trailing late in the game, he must be the one to step up and make plays. His role in the offense is huge. He’s got to be creating shots and making plays to score points. The play of Jordan Taylor will have a huge impact on this game.
The outcome on the game will depend on a few questions for the Badgers. First, will the Badgers be able to stop Robbie Hummel and Purdue’s great shooting? Overall, the Badgers have been solid defensively this season, but the last three games have not been pretty. I do believe Wisconsin will hold Purdue below their average of 73 points per game, though.
Second, can Wisconsin end their drought of horrific shooting and keep up with Purdue, even in a hostile environment? I’m not so sure about this one. The Badgers will need to shoot much better then they have the last three games if they want to steal a win in East Lafayette.
Purdue hasn’t showed me that they can win against solid teams yet. If Wisconsin can win this game, the players will regain confidence and get back to their winning ways. If they lose, we may be in for a train wreck, folks. The Badgers need to get back to playing tough physical basketball to win. Smart shots and getting the ball down low is the key on offense. Keeping Hummel out of the game and slowing down Purdue’s shooters is the key defensively. I think Bo Ryan will have his Badgers come out with a fresh mindset, and ready to play.
Prediction: Wisconsin 64, Purdue 59
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