Wisconsin

9-7 (2-1)

Rutgers

10-6 (0-3)

Game Coverage

Friday, Jan. 5  |  6 p.m. (CT)  |  Kohl Center

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MADISON, Wis. — Winners of five straight, Wisconsin heads on the road for five of the next six games, beginning Friday at Rutgers. The Badgers are 3-1 against the Scarlet Knights since RU joined the Big Ten. Tip-off on Friday is set for 6 p.m. (CT) on ESPN.

Up next, the Badgers will travel to Nebraska for a game on Tuesday, Jan. 9. UW has won eight of 10 games against the Huskers since they joined the Big Ten in 2011.
 

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW: RUTGERS

1. OFFENSE HEATING UP: Over Wisconsin's five-game win streak, the Badgers' offense has been clicking, averaging 79.4 points per game and shooting 53% overall from the field (44% from 3-point range). For comparison, during the first 11 games of the season UW averaged just 66.1 ppg, shooting 44% overall and 33% from 3-point range.
2. HOME ON THE ROAD: In two-plus seasons under Greg Gard, Wisconsin is 11-8 in Big Ten road games, the second-highest win percentage of any team over that span. Overall, the Badgers are 26-13 (.667) in conference play under Gard, which is also the second-highest mark among Big Ten teams.
3. GARD IN CONTROL: With a record of 51-25 (.671), Greg Gard owns the third-highest win percentage in school history (min. 60 games) behind Hall of Famers Bo Ryan (.737) and Walter Meanwell (.712). He has gone 26-13 (.667) in Big Ten play.
4. HAPP HAVING HIS WAY: All-American Ethan Happ is doing it all for the Badgers. He is the only major conference player averaging at least 16 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists per game this season. He's also the Big Ten's only player leading his team in points, rebounds and assists.
5. DAVISON DIALED IN: Averaging 11.9 points, guard Brad Davison is tied for the Big Ten's scoring lead among freshmen. Over the last 20 years, Devin Harris, Alando Tucker and Ethan Happ are the only Badgers to average double-figure scoring in their freshman campaigns.

ALL-TIME vs. RUTGERS

Friday's game marks the eighth-ever meeting between Wisconsin and Rutgers in a series that began in 1949. The Badgers are 6-1 all-time against the Scarlet Knights.

• The Badgers are 3-1 against Rutgers since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten in 2014-15. Greg Gard has gone 3-0 against RU.
• The Scarlet Knights' only win in the all-time series came in a stunning 67-62 upset when UW was ranked No. 4 in the country (one of just two conference losses for the Badgers that season)
• Friday's game will be the only regular-season meeting between Wisconsin and Rutgers
• Last season, the Badgers swept a pair of games with the Scarlet Knights. UW claimed a 72-52 win in Madison before pulling away from RU, 61-54, in overtime, in a game played in Madison Square Gard in New York City as part of the Big Ten's Super Saturday basketball / hockey double-header. Wisconsin's men's hockey team played in MSG that same night against Ohio State.
• In two games vs. Rutgers last season:
  • UW averaged 28.0 FTAs per game
  • UW forced 17.0 RU turnovers per game
  • UW held RU to just 32.8% FG shooting
  • UW averaged 15.0 offensive rebounds per game
  • UW out-scored RU in the paint, 58-42, combined
• Seven current Badgers have seen more than one minute of action against Rutgers, led by Ethan Happ who is averaging 19.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in three meetings. Happ has scored in double figures in all three of those games, including a career-high 32 points in his most recent match-up with Rutgers (1/28/17).

LAST TIME OUT

WISCONSIN 71, INDIANA 61
Jan. 2, 2018 | Kohl Center | Madison, Wis.

"It's a huge win for us just to get our confidence rolling"

Make it five straight wins
On, WWWWWisconsin pic.twitter.com/03f5nRH4SR

— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) January 3, 2018

• Short-handed Wisconsin erased a 3-point halftime deficit to take down Indiana, 71-61, at the Kohl Center on Tuesday
• The game featured 12 lead changes, but an Ethan Happ layup gave UW a 46-45 lead with 13:21 left. The Badgers would never trail again.
• UW out-rebounded IU, 30-22, including a 13-7 edge on the offensive glass. The Badgers also shot 18-for-24 at the free throw line (IU was just 9-10 FT).
• Junior Ethan Happ scored a season-high 28 points (11-17 FG), equaling the second-highest total of his career. He also tallied 10 rebounds (6 offensive), 4 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks, giving him his fifth double-double of the season and 25th of his career.
• Freshman Brad Davison scored 14 points (2-5 3FG) - all in the second half - while junior Khalil Iverson added 10 points and Aleem Ford chipped in 9 (3-6 3FG)

COMPLETE GAME NOTES