Wisconsin Basketball: 3 Keys to a Badgers Victory vs. Penn State

After a big 71-60 win against second place Northwestern Saturday, Wisconsin Badgers basketball hits the road to take on Penn State tonight. Game time is 8 PM on BTN.

The Nittany Lions are 8-9 on the season and are coming off a 95-78 loss at Purdue. They currently sit at 2-4 in the Big Ten.

Here are the keys to another road conference win as Wisconsin basketball looks to go to 6-0 in league play.

Containing Another Guard Duo

It seems like the Wisconsin Badgers have had to face great guard play in just about every game this season. Tonight might be the best duo they have faced yet.

Penn State possesses a guard duo of sophomore Kayne Clary and senior Ace Baldwin Jr. Clary is one of the best scoring guards in the country averaging almost 19 points a game. Baldwin, a VCU transfer, averages 13 points game.

In particular, Clary will look to hunt his shot on almost every possession. The left-handed sharp shooter has a sweet jump shot. Similar to Boo Buie, he will run around to get his shot. If the Badgers contain this duo, they should not have an issue.

Taking Care of the Ball on the Road

Baldwin Jr is great forcing turnovers. In a game this season, he recorded eight steals. That is unheard of at the college level.

I mention this because Wisconsin basketball was sloppy with the basketball in the first half Saturday. While they were much better int he second half. you can’t get away with 10 turnovers on the road. Penn State also forced 18 Northwestern turnovers last Wednesday and force on average 17 turnovers a game. The Wildcats are a top 10 team in the country in taking care of the ball.

Look for the Nittany Lions to be aggressive from the jump and take chances on the defensive side. If the Badgers can keep this game clean, they should be just fine.

Wisconsin Basketball Must Keep the Offensive Momentum Going

Penn State has allowed at least 73 in every Big Ten game. The Badgers have scored at least 70 points in 10 straight games. I don’t think 70 points will be much of an issue, but you never know what can happen on the road.

Overall, this is a game Wisconsin basketball can’t sleep walk in. I don’t expect a big crowd and that can be hard to bring energy when there is not much to feed off of.

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