No. 3 Badgers could be Bo Ryan's best team yet

It’s no secret that Wisconsin has had IU’s number in basketball in recent years. Despite the Hoosiers’ 94-67 all-time lead in the series, the Badgers have won their last 12 games against IU.

It hasn’t mattered where the games have been played—Bloomington, Madison, Wis., or on a neutral court in the Big Ten Tournament. IU (11-5, 1-2) hasn’t defeated Wisconsin (16-0, 3-0) since January 2007.

The scary part for Hoosier fans is that on paper, this may be Wisconsin Coach Bo Ryan’s best team yet. The Badgers have earned a tournament berth every season since 1999; however, no Wisconsin team has ever started a season 16-0.

The No. 3 Badgers and the Hoosiers have played one common opponent this season. While every matchup is unique, ruling out the ability to use the transitive property in college basketball, Wisconsin won by 25 against Illinois, who defeated IU by three in overtime.

IU Associate Head Coach Steve McClain said when a Big Ten team like Wisconsin puts five veterans on the court who have “been through the battles,” then it can maximize its potential.

“They’re a very talented, very tough team that passes the basketball,” he said. “A team that shares the ball, a team that doesn’t care who scores.”

The Badgers have six players who average between six and 14 points per game. Even though Wisconsin doesn’t have a player among the top 12 scorers in the conference, several Badger players can put up big numbers on offense.

Five players have scored at least 19 points in a game. Seven-foot forward Frank Kaminsky logged 43 points against North Dakota on Nov. 19.

McClain said Kaminsky suffered an eye injury in Wisconsin’s game at IU last January that set him back for the remainder of the season. IU’s Associate Head Coach said the forward has made big strides this year.

“To see his development, there’s no question that he’s developed into a very good three-point shooter,” McClain said. “He’s developed into a very good post player. He can go left shoulder, right shoulder, it doesn’t matter. He’s a guy they can really play through or play to.”

Not only can Wisconsin score but it scores efficiently. Half of Wisconsin’s eight-man rotation shoots at least 50 percent from the field, earning the Badgers an adjusted offensive efficiency that is the fourth best in the country, per kenpom.com.   

Ken Pomeroy predicts Wisconsin to win by seven and most point spreads favor the Badgers by four points or fewer.

All signs point to a Badger victory but IU’s win against Penn State showed a resilience that hadn’t previously materialized for the Hoosiers. IU’s 15-point deficit was the largest the Hoosiers have overcome in a victory during the Tom Crean era.

McClain said he saw a group of players that really came together on the road in State College, Pa.

“We’re down 13, 14, and we were really playing hard in the end,” he said. “Shots weren’t going in but we were playing the right way.”

Follow reporter Andy Wittry on Twitter @AndyWittry