Date: Monday, January 6, 2025
Venue: Jersey Mike’s Arena, Piscataway, NJ
Broadcast: FS1
This Monday, the Wisconsin Badgers (10-3) will visit Jersey Mike’s Arena to face off against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-5).
In their last contest, the Wisconsin Badgers secured a solid victory against Detroit, finishing with a score of 76-53. During this game, Wisconsin achieved a field goal percentage of 40.6% (26-of-64) and converted 7 of 35 attempts from beyond the arc. At the free throw line, they were highly efficient, sinking 17 of 19 shots for an impressive 89.5%. The Badgers dominated the boards, racking up 46 rebounds, including 13 offensive rebounds. They also distributed 13 assists while committing 8 turnovers and recording 4 steals. On the defensive end, Wisconsin limited their opponent to a 33.3% shooting accuracy, allowing 22 of 66 attempts. Detroit managed to collect 29 rebounds (7 offensive, 22 defensive) but failed to register any blocked shots. The opponent demonstrated solid free-throw shooting, converting 5 of 6 attempts, and made 4 of 8 shots from long range. Wisconsin ended the game with 13 personal fouls while Detroit totaled 17.
Nolan Winter emerged as a key performer in this matchup, showcasing an impressive 66.7% shooting from the field with no assists recorded. He played 21 minutes, secured 11 rebounds, and tallied 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting.
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The Badgers enter this game boasting a 10-3 record this season. They are averaging 81.5 points per game (ranking 64th nationally), with a shooting efficiency of 44.9% from the field. Wisconsin has found success from three-point range, hitting 32.5% of their attempts (114 of 351), and they lead with an 85.1% free throw shooting percentage. Overall, they are accumulating 36.2 rebounds per contest and have recorded 195 assists this season, ranking 165th in NCAA Division 1 for team assists. Their ball-handling statistics show an average of 9.6 turnovers per game with a total of 18.2 fouls committed per game.
On the defensive side, the Badgers are forcing opponents into an average of 10.8 turnovers per game while also drawing 20.2 fouls. They rank 50th in college basketball for allowing assists, having surrendered 143 this season. The Badgers’ defense holds opponents to a field goal percentage of 41.3% (323 of 783) and collectively grab 34.2 rebounds per game. Their three-point defense is solid, allowing only 30.2% shooting, but they rank 176th in Division 1 in points allowed per game at 70.9.
In their previous game, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights claimed a decisive victory, defeating Columbia 91-64. The Scarlet Knights allowed Columbia 29 total rebounds (3 offensive), and showcased their ability from distance, shooting 39.3% (11 of 28) from three-point territory. They also excelled at the free-throw line, converting 5 of 6 attempts for an 83.3% success rate. Columbia managed to shoot 24 of 59 from the floor, translating to a 40.7% shooting percentage. The Scarlet Knights converted 36 of 76 attempts from the floor, giving them a shooting rate of 47.4%. Despite shooting 32.4% from deep (11 of 34), Rutgers capitalized on 66.7% of their free throw attempts. Columbia committed 14 personal fouls, sending Rutgers to the free throw line 12 times overall. The Scarlet Knights turned the ball over 4 times but stole the ball 11 times, while gathering 29 defensive and 12 offensive rebounds to total 41 boards for the game.
Airious Bailey played a pivotal role for Rutgers, hitting 11 of 18 field goals for a shooting percentage of 61.1%, while also contributing 8 rebounds. He finished with 24 points in 31 minutes of play, adding 1 assist to his stats.
As of now, Rutgers holds an 8-5 record. The Scarlet Knights commit an average of 16.0 fouls per game and shoot 71.4% from the charity stripe. They average 14.4 assists per game, ranking them 168th nationally, while turning the ball over 10.7 times on average. This season, Rutgers has generated 1,036 points (79.7 points per game) and secured 37.0 rebounds per game. Offensively, they are shooting 46.3% from the floor, which places them at 126th in college basketball.
Defensively, Rutgers allows opponents to shoot 34.1% from three-point range (106 of 311) and 66.4% from the free-throw line. They permit an average of 13.3 assists and 36.1 rebounds per game, ranking them 207th and 272nd in college basketball, respectively. The Scarlet Knights rank 264th in Division 1 in points allowed per game at 74.3, forcing opposing teams into an average of 12.5 turnovers while allowing a shooting percentage of 44.1% from the floor (248th in NCAA).
Free Prediction: Bet on Wisconsin (-1.5)
