Wisconsin vs. Tennessee: 2019-20 college basketball game preview, TV schedule

Wisconsin travels to Thompson-Boling Arena to take on the Tennessee Volunteers. Let’s take a look at the matchup between the two programs.

TV Schedule: Saturday, December 28, 2019 / 11:30PM EST / CBS

Location: Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee

The Tennessee Volunteers take on the Wisconsin Badgers at the Thompson-Boling Arena in a Big East-Southeastern Conference matchup.

The unpredictable Wisconsin Badgers will travel to Knoxville, Tennessee to take on the Volunteers in a post-Christmas break matchup. The Badgers (6-5) have yet to find a steady rhythm for the 2019-20 basketball season. Wisconsin’s losses have not been pretty. Their only ‘good’ loss was a two-point difference in their season opener against Saint Mary’s College. Wisconsin’s first loss was followed by four straight wins, three losses, a win, a loss, and a win to wrap up their pre-Christmas schedule.

Wisconsin’s best asset is their defense. They are allowing 63.7 points per game which is good for 74th in the nation. Despite defense being their greatest asset, Wisconsin has to work on their perimeter defense. The Badgers opponents have hit 36% of their three-point percentages which, if their opponents were one single team, would be good enough for Top 100 in the nation. Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard must focus his team’s defensive attention on Tennessee guard Jordan Bowden.

Bowden is a workhorse for the Volunteers, clocking in at 32.8 minutes per game. Bowden is also Tennessee’s best three-point shooter making 37% of his attempts. There is almost no doubt Tennessee will involve Bowden and his three points shooting early while the Badgers will scheme to stop it despite their sub-par perimeter defense thus far. Bowden came off of a two-game stretch against FAMU and Memphis in which he tallied only three and five points respectively.

The guard only took a total of 17 shots combined in those two games. In his first game following the Memphis loss, Bowden showed a bit more aggressiveness by attempting twelve shots with five of those attempts coming from beyond the arc. However, he only shot 33% from the field and 20% from the 3 point line in the matchup against Cincinnati.

Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes has leaned on his defense and experience this year. The Volunteers’ top four performers feature two seniors and two juniors. After those four, the freshman begins to creep in and are beginning to show more promise. Barnes’ defense ranks 9th in the country in points against (57.2 per game). Yves Pons, a 6’6’’ junior guard from France, has surprisingly led the Volunteers in blocks with 2.8 blocks per game. That is good for 23rd in the nation which is impressive considers Pons’ position and size.

Bowden and Pons will have to elevate their games with the recent loss of senior Lamonte Turner. Turner was the leader of the Volunteers and could continue to be their leader…from the bench. Turner underwent season-ending shoulder surgery and recently stated his college career was over. The loss of Turner leaves a vacuum in the points and assists department since he was a leader in both of those categories. Barnes will have the tedious task of attempting to win this enormously important non-conference game all the while trying to find which one of his underclassman will begin to fill the big hole left by Lamonte Turner.

Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes has more experience and talent on his roster. Despite losing their star player and experiencing a skid right before the Christmas break, Tennessee will find it’s groove against a lesser talent Wisconsin squad with their stifling defense. The Volunteers will pull out an easy win and, along the way, will learn about their identity for the rest of the year and how their team, as a unit, handles demanding and tough circumstances.

Prediction: Tennessee 70, Wisconsin 59