Tip off: 8 PM EST
Spread: WIS -28
Total: 111
WISCONSIN
Last year was a good one for the Badgers, and all indications are that this year may be just as good. After going 25-9 last season and finishing 13-5 in the Big Ten, the Badgers have started out 9-2 this year. Both losses were to tough opponents: then #5 UNC, and then #16 Marquette.
They have won three straight now, with wins over Green Bay, UNLV, and Milwaukee.
The Badgers are led by the quartet of Jared Berggern (12.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg), Ben Brust (11.9 ppg), Jordan Taylor (11.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 5.5 apg), and Ryan Evans (10.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.5 bpg).
Berggren, a 6’10” junior center, is seeing his first significant time since coming to Wisconsin. He posted an impressive game against the Tar Heels, when he scored 14 on 6 of 12 shooting while also recording 3 steals and a block. He struggled against Marquette, though, scoring only 8 on 3 of 11 shooting.
Taylor, a 6’1″ senior point guard, has already recorded a 10 assist game, and has scored in double figures in all but four games. Most impressively, he had big games against Marquette and UNC, when he scored 13 and 18, respectively, while also pulling down 9 boards between the two games. His aptitude to come up big against ranked opponents is a good sign.
SAVANNAH STATE
Last year, Savannah State was an independent, but they are part of the MEAC this season. They put up a 12-18 record with no postseason play of any type. Their defense was solid, but their offense was horrendous, scoring only 0.88 points per possession.
In 04-05, they finished 0-28. But then they hired Horace Broadnax, and they have won at least 10 games in each of the last five seasons.
They have a young team, and all things said, barely attract D-1 level players. They only had one player with a plus-100 offensive rating, and he was a senior who no longer has any eligibility remaining.
The 4-7 start is actually encouraging for the Tigers. They’ve defeated Jacksonville, Gardner Webb, Hampton, and Coastal Gerogia. They have struggled against all of the major conference opponents they have played so far. They dropped the game to Indiana by 29, Georgia Tech by 20, and Georgetown by 29 on opening night. They almost hung with national runner up Butler, if losing by 15 can be considered an accomplishment.
Scoring only 61 a game, Savannah State has only one player averaging double figures, and that is Rashad Hassan. Hassan, a 6’7″ junior from local Riverdale Georgia, is putting up 13.0 points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game. He has scored in double figures in all but the last game, the 38 point drubbing of Coastal Georgia, when he attempted only 4 shots in 23 minutes, as lesser used players got their opportunties to play.
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