The Big Ten's 2014 basketball schedule hasn't been released in full, something we can likely expect tomorrow, but earlier today the single games for the upcoming season were released and per Jim Pozlin of the Wisconsin State Journal it will look like this:
UW's single plays for the 2013-14 season are Ohio State (home), Michigan State (home), Nebraska (away) and Penn State (away).
— Jim Polzin (@JimPolzinWSJ) May 14, 2013
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For Wisconsin this has to be some great news to say the least. Getting two title contenders in Michigan State and Ohio State at home and just once in the regular season, could it get much better?
Sure it could, UW gets two teams that aren't likely to be in the mix for anything but a break even record in Nebraska and Penn State on the road. However, Penn State at any point in recent history has to give UW fans some pause for concern. Happy Valley and PSU haven't been that nice to UW as of late.
But back to the main attractions of MSU and OSU at the Kohl Center… At least these games aren't flipped. Wisconsin hasn't won at the Breslin Center since 2004, a streak that covers seven straight loses to the Spartans on their home court.
Conversely Wisconsin is 6-1 over the last seven meetings at the Kohl Center. So, that's a win for UW to say the least.
As for OSU, things are much brighter on the whole, but at home the Kohl Center is a dead zone for the Buckeyes as UW is 9-1 against them at home dating back to the 2000-2001 season, before Bo Ryan came to town. To say the Badgers have the Buckeyes number isn't hyperbole, although, to be fair it was a nine game winning streak before OSU took down UW this last year 58-52.
No doubt about it, getting two of the contenders for the conference crown at home is a big advantage for the Badgers in their attempt to be a challenger for the title once again.
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