Badgers Face Maryland in Big Ten/ACC Challenge Tonight
December 02, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Wisconsin (3-0) faces Maryland (3-0) on tonight at the Comcast Center (17,950) in College Park, Md., in the fifth annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The game will tip off at 8:30 p.m. CT and be televised nationally by ESPN2. Mike Patrick will handle the play-by-play with Bill Raftery and Jay Bilas providing commentary. It can also be heard live on the Wisconsin Radio Network (WIBA - 1310AM/ 101.5FM locally in Madison) and on www.uwbadgers.com with Matt Lepay and Mike Lucas calling the game.
The Badgers are ranked 13th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll and 15th in the Associated Press poll. Maryland is ranked 24th by the coaches and is receiving votes in the A.P. poll.
UW has won its first three games, including a 55-43 win over Rutgers at home on Saturday. The Badgers, who led the Big Ten in scoring defense last year, are giving up just 47.7 points per game. They are averaging just 8.3 turnovers per game and have outscored their opponents 69-18 from the free throw line.
Wisconsin leads the all-time series with Maryland 3-1. The Terrapins won the last meeting between the teams, 87-57, in the second round of the 2002 NCAA Tournament at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. The last time UW played in College Park was Dec. 22, 1932.
The two teams have met once prior in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Wisconsin defeated UM, 78-75, in overtime on Nov. 29, 2000 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee. It was then-head coach Dick Bennett's final game at UW. The Badgers are 1-3 all-time in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge with their only win coming in 2000 against Maryland.
Wisconsin, which set a school record and finished second in the country last year for fewest turnovers per game (10.4), has committed just 25 turnovers in the first three games this season (8.3 per game). No other team in the Big Ten is averaging fewer than 13.7 turnovers.
Point guard Devin Harris, who averages just one turnover every 21.4 minutes for his career, has turned the ball over just four times in 112 minutes this season. He is second in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.50).
Wisconsin led the Big Ten and finished sixth in the country in scoring defense last year, allowing 59.3 points per game. Through three games, the Badgers again lead the conference, giving up just 47.7 points per contest. That is good for third in the country.
For more notes on tonight's game, please click on "News Releases" in the right-hand column.
