Badgers face Flames in final non-conference contest
December 26, 2009 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 26, 2009
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin men’s basketball team hosts its final non-conference opponent at the Kohl Center this weekend when the Badgers face Illinois-Chicago at 2:30 pm CT. Wisconsin enters with a three-game winning streak, including a 68-58 win over in-state rival Milwaukee last Wednesday.
| Game 12 | Wisconsin (9-2) vs. Illinois-Chicago (3-7) | |
| Date | Sunday, Dec. 27 | 2:30 p.m. |
| Location | Madison, Wis. | Kohl Center |
| Television | Big Ten Network with Craig Coshun and Tim Doyle |
| Radio | Wisconsin Radio Network with Matt Lepay and Mike Lucas |
| UWBadgers.com | GameTracker | Live Gameday Blog |
| All-Time Series | UIC leads, 1-0 |
Wisconsin
Roster | Schedule | Stats | News | Record Book 
| Game Notes
Illinois-Chicago
Roster | Schedule | Stats | News | Media Guide | Game Notes
Series Notes The Flames and the Badgers have only met once before, when UIC defeated UW 74-66 on Dec. 4, 1981 at the UW Fieldhouse. The Badgers are 77-23 all-time against teams from the Horizon League, including their recent win over Milwaukee and an 88-84 overtime loss at Green Bay (12/9) this year.
One to Watch Junior Jon Leuer not only led the charge against the Panthers last Wednesday, tallying 25 points, six rebounds, two blocks and two assists, but leads the Badgers and ranks fourth in the Big Ten in scoring with an average of 17.0 points per game—the highest scoring average for a UW players since Alando Tucker averaged 19.9 points per game in 2006-07.
Leuer has scored 90 points over the last four games, the highest four-game streak since Tucker registered 96 points over four games from Feb. 7-17 in 2007. The junior has also posted double figures in 10 of UW’s 11 games and has posted eight straight games in double figures for the first time in his career. He ranks ninth in the Big Ten with 6.5 rebounds per game and seventh shooting 58.1 percent from the field.
About Illinois-Chicago Picked to finish ninth in the 10-team Horizon League, the Flames were tasked with replacing the combined 27.3 points per game that lost starters Josh Mayo and Scott VanderMeer contributed in 2008-09. Junior guard Robo Kreps was expected to help fill that void, and has certainly made a valiant effort to do so thus far. Kreps currently leads the team in scoring, averaging 15.1 points per game, followed by Zavion Neely with 14.2 points per game. Kreps has also tallied 11 steals, 21 assists and averages 4.3 rebounds per game. The team is rounded out by Jeremy Buttell’s team-high 6.4 rebounds per game and Spencer Stewart’s 6.2 assists per game.
The Flames and the Badgers have two shared opponents from early in the season: Milwaukee and Green Bay. UIC lost to both teams, while Wisconsin sits 1-1 vs. the Horizon League opponents. Illinois-Chicago is also 0-6 in away games on the season.
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Listen Up New at Badger basketball games this year are Gameday radios. Fans can listen to a delay-free, live radio broadcast in stadium of all Badger basketball games, both home and away.
