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Wisconsin Basketball: 2018-19 keys for Badgers to beat Maryland at home

By Austin Walther

MADISON, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 22: D'Mitrik Trice #0 of the Wisconsin Badgers handles the ball during a game against the Grambling State Tigers at Kohl Center on December 22, 2018 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MADISON, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 22: D'Mitrik Trice #0 of the Wisconsin Badgers handles the ball during a game against the Grambling State Tigers at Kohl Center on December 22, 2018 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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MADISON, WISCONSIN – JANUARY 19: Ignas Brazdeikis #13 of the Michigan Wolverines attempts a shot while being guarded by Ethan Happ #22 of the Wisconsin Badgers in the second half at the Kohl Center on January 19, 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
MADISON, WISCONSIN – JANUARY 19: Ignas Brazdeikis #13 of the Michigan Wolverines attempts a shot while being guarded by Ethan Happ #22 of the Wisconsin Badgers in the second half at the Kohl Center on January 19, 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

Wisconsin Basketball are bringing a four-game winning streak back home on Friday night for a rematch with Maryland after losing to the Terrapins in College Park five games ago. What do the Badgers need to do to take the game at home?

Wisconsin Basketball has hit a stride and the losing slump is well behind them. As they resumed Big Ten play and began the 2019 slate of the schedule, the Badgers began a skid of losing four out of five. One was a non-conference loss to Western Kentucky. The next three were Big Ten teams who were equivalent to the Badgers.

The final team of the losing streak was Maryland. Wisconsin traveled to College Park and couldn’t hit the broad side of the barn in the first half. Badger fans were getting glimpses of what the team looked like last season. There was a sense of urgency in the second half, sophomore Nate Reuvers took over the game and brought Wisconsin in striking distance from being 18-points down. It wasn’t enough as the rest of the team couldn’t shoot.

The second half of the game against the Terrapins carried over into a thrilling defeat of Michigan which sparked this nice four-game winning streak. Ethan Happ is continuing to be dominant around the glass. Reuvers is playing consistently well, the guards are making shots and Greg Gard is coaching some great basketball.

The offense still has its blunders of going four or five minutes in a half where they can’t put the ball in the hoop. But the defense has done a terrific job. During the winning-streak, the Badgers have held each of their opponent to their season-low in scoring. Wisconsin’s scoring defense is up to 11th in the country.

The Badgers are seeing some great production from their back court lately. D’Mitrik Trice and Brad Davison weren’t shooting the ball particularly well when they were losing. Both guards are now sinking shots and Wisconsin is winning games. Reuvers is not cut out to be the second leading scorer. Davison is a pretty underrated outside shooter and we all know what Trice is capable of doing when he gets hot.

Happ had his second lowest scoring total of the season against Nebraska on Tuesday. Davison though shot a solid 5-for-12 from the floor including two triples. Brevin Pritzl added eight off the bench. Charles Thomas contributed for a nice five. Stay tuned for more on him. The Badgers got balanced scoring and won their fourth straight by 10 or more. The revenge game comes on Friday night when a beatable Maryland team comes to town. Let’s find out what Bucky needs to do to win this time.

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