Wisconsin Basketball: 3 Keys to a Badgers Victory vs. Indiana

Only two weeks remain in the Wisconsin basketball regular season. After a much needed week off, the Badgers travel to Bloomington tonight looking for a season sweep of Indiana. Wisconsin defeated the Hoosiers in Madison 91-79 on January 19 thanks to Max Klesmit’s 26 point outbreak.

The Hoosiers are struggling as they have lost their last four games and their NCAA Tournament hopes on life support. Can Wisconsin basketball all but end Indiana’s hopes? Tip time is 6 PM on Peacock. Here are the keys to victory tonight.

Wisconsin Basketball Has to Knock the Rust Off Early

Feb 13, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Nolan Winter (31), forward Carter Gilmore (14) and head coach Greg Gard celebrate a three point basket during the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Kohl Center. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-USA TODAY Sports

The Badgers have played about every three days since the end of January. With Greg Gard riding the starters the rest of the way, this was a good time to rest and recover for the final stretch. Only four games in the regular season remaining, but there is so much to still play for.

Wisconsin basketball will be the more rested team, but sometimes that comes with rust. It can take awhile for that rust to go away especially on the road. Assembly Hall is always a tough place to play. The Badgers can’t afford to play catch up early on.

Take Away the Paint

When you watch Indiana this year, they are reliant on getting the ball in the paint. The Hoosiers have 7’0 Kel’el Ware, who did not play in the first meeting, and 6’9 Mailk Reneau, who went off for 28 points in Madison. Add in 6’8 Mackenzie Mgbako and you have a a trio of big men to stop.

Over the course of the year, Wisconsin has struggled to defend in the paint. It’s necessarily Steven Crowl’s best part of his game as is Tyler Wahl. Look for players like Nolan Winter, Markus  Ilver, and Carter Gilmore to get more minutes to give Wahl and Crowl breaks.

Foul trouble will likely be an issue in some way. However, these shots need to be contested at the rim. If Indiana lives in the paint, this will be a game the Badgers don’t want to get into.

The Wisconsin Basketball Guards Have to Take Over

I mentioned in a preview of the first meeting there was an overwhelming advantage of guard play. That held true as the Wisconsin basketball guards scored 67 of the 91 points in Madison. They were just better and were able to get any shot they wanted to.

Things are much different on the road in the Big Ten, but the Badgers still have that clear advantage. I would like to see a player like Max Klesmit get out of his funk and for Connor Essegian to have a Connor Essegian game. Add in Chucky Hepburn, AJ Storr, and John Blackwell and I think this group has the chance to put up points.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to read our work at BadgerNotes.com. For more Wisconsin Badgers Athletics and Big Ten content, follow us on Twitter & Facebook. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also follow Dylan Buboltz on Twitter @Dylanbuboltz.

Also, be sure to check out our shop, subscribe to our newsletter, and the BadgerNotes After Dark podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. Because of your support, we have become one of the fastest-growing independent media outlets focused on giving a voice to the fans!