Wisconsin Basketball vs. Baylor: Game preview, TV schedule, prediction

Wisconsin’s Player to Watch: Ethan Happ

Arguably the best post player in the entire country, Ethan Happ is a tough matchup for any team in the country. He has a variety of moves around the basket that make him nearly impossible to defend. In addition, he is able to do damage no matter where he has the ball. Happ may not have the shooting ability of some of his Wisconsin predecessors, but he does a great job with a fake dribble handoff and drive that allows him to get a step on his defender.

Wisconsin Badgers Basketball

Through Wisconsin’s first three games of the season, Happ is averaging 17.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. He leads the team in each of these three major statistics as the team truly runs through him as much as possible. In this game, one can expect much of the same scheming for Wisconsin, but Baylor has a solid defender to potentially limit Happ’s production.

Standing at 7’0″, Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. represents a legitimate interior defender. He might not have the best footwork or strength around the block, but Lual-Acuil is an instinctive shot blocker and can potentially make things difficult for Happ. In 36 games last season, Lual-Acuil played 26.1 minutes per game and was able to swat 2.5 shots per game. On the offensive end, Lual-Acuil is a double-digit scorer, but he has others on his roster who do the majority of the scoring.