The Wisconsin Badgers were left for dead just a couple weeks ago. They were 9-9 after losing to Northwestern and never really were thought of as a team which could get back in the discussion for the postseason. However, wins over Michigan State, Penn State and Indiana have changed the narrative a big, and a win on Sunday over the Illinois Fighting Illini could once again put the Badgers in talks for the dance.
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SCHEDULING
Live bettors merely have to be cautious of a letdown here for the Badgers. By all accounts from a talent perspective, they probably aren't one of the seven best teams in the Big Ten, and they certainly aren't one of the top five. However, they've played well beyond their expectations in recent weeks and are going to be getting a lot of respect in live betting as a result. The actual schedule isn't the problem, knowing that Wisconsin will have four full days off in a row, but the spot of going into Champaign as a favorite could be scary.
The Illini got the short end of the stick in this one, as they have to play on a relatively short two days of rest after taking on Ohio State on Thursday night.
KEY MATCHUP
Nigel Hayes is deservedly going to get a lot of credit for the scoring binge he's been on, but we've long preached that he needs some help from some other players on this team to really be made totally effective. Finally, Ethan Happ has stepped up and rounded into the star we knew he had the potential to be.
Happ has scored at least 10 points in every game he's played in this calendar year, posting three double-doubles in seven games. The big man has 45 points and 19 boards in his last two games combined, and that's exactly what live bettors are going to want to see out of him.
Illinois really doesn't have a great matchup for Happ. Michael Finke is the most likely candidate to try to body with him, knowing that he's 6-foot-10 and is an excellent rebounder.
Live bettors have to be aware of Hayes' deadly nature when he's got some help around him, as the ball can work from the inside back out where Hayes is at his most lethal. If not though, Hayes is going to have to do a lot of this heavy lifting on offense on his own, and that's when Wisconsin slips back into looking like a very drab offensive team.
KEY STATS & TRENDS
It shouldn't be all that surprising that Wisconsin has played three of its last four games over the total with this somewhat resurgent offense. However, what's concerning is the fact that the college basketball team has yet to score more than 66 points on the road in a Big Ten game this season. Illinois' defense isn't the best in the Big Ten by any stretch of the imagination, but neither are those of Penn State, Northwestern and Indiana.
Kendrick Nunn is a man to watch out for if you're backing the Illini in live betting. He's second best on the team in scoring next to Malcolm Hill, but he hasn't had a game this year in which he hasn't reached double-figures in scoring. In a game in which points could be at a bit of a premium, a consistent scorer like Nunn could make all the difference.
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