Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix at No. 16 Wisconsin Badgers
Wednesday, 12/7/11, 8:00 PM EST, TV: ESPN3
Opening Point Spread: Wisconsin -19.5
Current Betting Line: Wisconsin -20
Opening Total: 114
Current Total: 114
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Wisconsin-Green Bay tallied a pair of wins at home against Horizon League opponents and will now break away to play a pair of difficult non-conference road games against Wisconsin and Marquette. The Phoenix are 1-16 all-time against the Badgers, including an 0-14 mark in games played in Madison. Including their next two road games, Green Bay’s first six road opponents are a combined 46-10 in 2011-12. Over the last two-plus years, the program is 17-13 ATS on the road and the ‘under’ is 17-11 in those contests.
The Phoenix are led offensively by center Alec Brown, who is averaging 13.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, scoring 14 or more points in six games this season. Wisconsin-Green Bay has covered the last two meetings, including a 70-56 loss last year as 20.5-point road underdogs. Brown scored 18 points and eight rebounds in that game as a freshman. For the second straight season, a true freshman started the opener for the team, with Keifer Sykes running the point and averaging 5.9 points, 2.0 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game.
Wisconsin dropped a pair of games against ranked competition last week, including a 61-54 defeat in Madison to Marquette that ended the team’s 23-game home winning streak. “That’s two pretty good teams last week,” stated Badgers coach Bo Ryan. The Badgers defense is still leading the nation in allowing just 44.5 points per game, while ranking third in limiting foes to 33 percent shooting. In 11 seasons under Ryan, the program is 156-12 at the Kohl Center, including 42 consecutive wins against unranked non-conference foes. Wisconsin is 3-1 ATS as a favorite this year.
The Badgers are led offensively by senior guard Jordan Taylor, who averages 12.1 points and was picked as a Preseason AP All-American. He has really come on over the past four games, averaging 16.0 points per game, while still possessing a fantastic 3.4 assist-to-turnover ratio. Wisconsin is a perfect 8-0 inside tonight’s venue in this series under Ryan’s direction, winning those games by an average of 16.0 points.
Bettors will likely back the Phoenix due to their 7-1 ATS mark in the last eight meetings, while the Badgers are just 8-8 ATS after scoring 60 points or less.
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