Game Coverage
Monday, Nov. 27 | 8 pm — John Paul Jones Arena
MADISON, Wis. — The Badgers will take on their 4th ranked opponent of the season when they travel to Virginia for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Monday, Nov. 27. UW and UVA split a pair of Challenge games in 2012 and 2013, with each team winning on the opponent's home floor.
Up next, Wisconsin opens Big Ten play at home against Ohio State on Dec. 2.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW: VIRGINIA
1. TOUGHEST STRETCH: Wisconsin has played arguably the toughest schedule in the country so far. Creighton is the only other school that has faced 3 ranked teams. In taking on UVA, the Badgers will play a 4th ranked team in a span of 5 non-con games for the first time ever.
2. THISCLOSE: The Badgers are 0-3 against the AP top 25, but were extremely close to winning all 3. UW was tied or within 2 points with 2:00 remaining in all 3 games.
3. STILL STANDING TALL: Despite a 3-3 start to the season, the Badgers are still ranked among the top teams according to Ken Pomeroy. Wisconsin is ranked No. 29 overall in the KenPom.com ratings, owning a top-50 offense (#46) and defense (#23).
4. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED: UW is 9-9 all-time in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, winning each of its last 2 Challenge games and 3 of its last 4 on the road. Among Big Ten teams, the Badgers are tied with Purdue (9) and Minnesota (9) for the most Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
5. YOUTH MOVEMENT: For the first time in 20 years, UW is relying heavily on freshmen. The Badgers freshman foursome of Brad Davison, Aleem Ford, Kobe King and Nate Reuvers is accounting for a combined 21.2 ppg and 72.9 mpg.
ALL-TIME vs. VIRGINIA: With the all-time series deadlocked at 2-2, UW and Virginia will meet for a rubber match on Monday. The two teams split a pair Big Ten/
ACC Challenge contests in 2012 and 2013 with each winning on the opposing court. In 2012, the Cavaliers won 60-54 in Madison and the Badgers pulled out a 48-38 win at UVA in 2013.
- In the most recent meeting, Josh Gasser was the only player from either team to score in double figures, leading UW with 11 points. Frank Kaminsky posted 9 points and 12 rebounds. UW limited UVA to just 38 points and 23.4% shooting. The 38 points were the fewest allowed by the Badgers in a road game since a 44-34 win over Washington Univ. (St. Louis) in 1957. At the time, the Cavaliers' 38 points were their fewest during the Tony Bennett era and second fewest in the shot clock era (since 1986).
- The Badgers held the Cavaliers without field goal for stretches of 8:43 and 9:03 in the second half. In fact, UVA had just 3 total field goals in the second half. Virginia also went scoreless for a
period of 6:50 spanning the two halves.
- Prior to the home-and-home series in 2012 and 2013, the last time Wisconsin and UVA met (1998), Dick Bennett, Tony Bennett's father, was the head coach at UW. The Badgers claimed a 66-56 win at the 1998 Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska.
- UW head coach Greg Gard and UVA head coach Tony Bennett served together for 2 seasons (2002 and 2003) as assistant coaches at Wisconsin. The Badgers won back-to-back Big Ten championships with Gard and Bennett on the staff.
- Dick Bennett was the head coach at UW for five-plus seasons from 1996 to 2000, while Tony served as an assistant coach on the Badgers' staff for three seasons (2001-03).
For complete game notes, click here.
