NCAA Basketball Power Rankings: Kentucky rises, Wisconsin falls
25. Wisconsin Badgers
Record: 10-3 (2-0 Big Ten)
Last Week: No. 20
Wisconsin suffered its third loss of the season this past week when the team went on the road and dropped a tough one to Western Kentucky. Despite holding a four-point advantage at halftime in Bowling Green, Wisconsin proceeded to allow a whopping 53 points in the second half. The Badgers simply had no answer for the dynamite trio of Hollingsworth (22p/4r/6a), Bassey (19p/6r/4b), and Banton (8p/13r/10a).
This was far from Wisconsin’s prettiest performance this season as they struggled defensively while not receiving usual offensive contributions from Ethan Happ and D’Mitrik Trice. The duo combined to shoot just 13-for-35 from the field. And while Brad Davison put together arguably his best offensive performance of the year, the Badgers will not win many games when Happ and Trice struggle from the field.
With this loss, the Badgers slipped to 8-3 for their non-conference slate. Their overall record is bolstered by a couple of early Big Ten wins over Iowa and Rutgers to keep them in the top-25. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that Wisconsin already holds two wins over other ranked teams (Oklahoma and NC State). The Badgers have now completed their non-conference and the rest of the brutal Big Ten season begins later this week.