16. Wisconsin Badgers
Last Week: No. 15
Despite a road loss to Marquette this week, Wisconsin does not drop much this week. And this is due to the fact that Wisconsin’s collection of wins is one of the best in the nation so far this season. The Badgers currently hold seven wins over major conference opponents and, although only one of them is ranked in my top-25, all of them are big-time wins for the team.
Wisconsin needs to be commended for playing away from home as well. The Badgers have played only four of their first 10 games in front of their home crowd at the Kohl Center, going 4-0 in those contests. Their ability to go away from home and win games should not be understated in non-conference play. They also have a road matchup against Western Kentucky coming up on Dec. 29.
As was expected heading into the year, Ethan Happ has been the leader of the team on both ends of the floor. The senior big man is averaging 19.3 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game so far this season while D’Mitrik Trice has filled the role as his secondary star. The sophomore guard is averaging 16.3 points per game. If there is one concern, though, it is that these two are the only Badgers posting more than eight points per game.