Marquette vs Wisconsin: 2023-24 college basketball game preview, TV schedule

#3 Marquette looks to get back on the winning side of the in-state rivalry as they head to Madison to face off against Wisconsin.

TV Schedule: Saturday, December 2nd, 12:30 pm ET, FOX

Arena: Kohl Center in Madison, WI

The in-state rivalry between Marquette and Wisconsin dates all the way back to 1917, when Wisconsin topped Marquette in a one-point thriller 15-14. A few things in the game of basketball have changed since, and the rivalry has now racked up 129 total meetings, with Wisconsin holding the series lead 70-59 and winners of the last two. Wisconsin came to Milwaukee last December and took down Marquette 80-77 in overtime, and the series now shifts back to Madison, where the Marquette faithful will travel the 80 miles west on I-94 Saturday for the 2023 version of the in-state rivalry.

Marquette (6-1) heads into Madison ranked #3 in the country, having played multiple top-tier opponents, including a win over then #1-ranked Kansas in the Maui Invitational and a close loss in the championship to now #1 Purdue. Shaka Smart’s Golden Eagles have looked excellent early in the season away from Fiserv Forum, and their high-octane pressure on both ends of the floor plays well for the inevitable ruckus environment they will face at Kohl Center on Saturday.

Kam Jones leads Marquette in scoring on the season at 16.0 ppg, shooting 50.6% from the field and 42.1% from behind the arc. Beside All-American Tyler Kolek (13.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 5.1 apg) in the backcourt, Kam Jones can be effective both from the outside and driving the lane. The Marquette guards will look to infiltrate Wisconsin’s experienced backcourt and keep the pace high all afternoon.

Golden Eagles big-man Oso Ighodaro, who has shown off many of his unique skills and vision early in the season, will match up with a big Badgers frontcourt in a game that could swing on the rebounding advantage. Shaka’s deep squad and rotation will keep the pace and energy high in Marquette’s quest to get back on the right side of the rivalry.

Wisconsin (5-2) comes into the game Saturday with two games against ranked opponents, splitting the outcomes with a convincing 65-41 win over then #24 Virginia at the Fort Myers Tip-Off, and a tough 80-70 loss at home to #10 Tennessee. The Badgers’ other loss came at the hands of another Big East opponent, Providence, 72-59 on the road at the Gavitt Tipoff Games.

Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard has some experience on his team, starting three juniors and one senior. Lone sophomore starter AJ Storr leads all Badgers scorers at 13.3 ppg, but relies mostly on volume shooting to get there, as his season fg% sits at a flat 40%. Wisconsin does, however, bring a steady frontcourt in 7-foot junior Steven Crowl and 6’9” senior Tyler Wahl. The size of Wisconsin can create an intimidating presence inside, and they can certainly rebound the basketball.

The Badgers ability to not get rattled by the swarming pressure of Marquette and play to their pace and control the glass, along with playing in front of a pulsing home crowd, will be the recipe for success if they want to pull off the in-state upset in a game that is usually a close one.

December welcomes college basketball to the calendar on its first weekend with a traditional in-state rivalry game in the state of Wisconsin, tipping off early at 12:30 pm ET on FOX.

Prediction: Marquette 78, Wisconsin 72