Justin VanLaere’s preview and prediction of the Iowa-Wisconsin men’s basketball game.

Game Info

Iowa (10-19, 4-12) at #15 Wisconsin (21-7, 11-5)
RPI: Wisconsin 18, Iowa 199
POMEROY: Wisconsin 4, Iowa 138
March 3, 2010, 2010 • 7:36 p.m.
Madison, WI • Kohl Center
TV: BTN (HD) • Live Stats: hawkeyesports.com • Satellite Radio: XM 196, Sirius 90
Series Record: Iowa leads, 77-74 (Last Meeting, Wisconsin, 69-52, Feb. 11, 2009)

Probable Starting Lineups

Iowa
G 3 Cully Payne 6-1 190 Fr. 8.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.8 apg, .363 FG%, .627 FT%
G 5 Matt Gatens 6-5 215 So. 12.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.3 apg, .377 FG%, .827 FT%
F 25 Eric May 6-5 225 Fr. 9.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.2 spg, .404 FG%, .667 FT%
F 24 Aaron Fuller 6-6 230 So. 9.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 0.7 apg, .468 FG%, .697 FT%
C 50 Jarryd Cole 6-7 250 Jr. 8.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 0.5 apg, .572 FG%, .634 FT%

Indiana
G 11 Jordan Taylor 6-1 195 So. 10.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.6 apg, .390 FG%, .745 FT%
G 12 Jason Bohannon 6-2 195 Sr. 12.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.3 apg, .483 FG%, .877 FT%
G 3 Trevon Hughes 6-0 195 Sr. 15.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.8 apg, .417 FG%, .709 FT%
F 52 Keaton Nankivil 6-8 245 Jr. 8.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.1 apg, .508 FG%, .741 FT%
C 30 Jon Leuer 6-10 230 Jr. 14.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.4 bpg, .502 FG%, .743 FT%

VanLaere Notes

No VLOG for this game.
Live Chat for this game can be found HERE.

Iowa gets their first and only look at the Badgers as their second to last game of the season (way to be, schedulers), and, of course, they get the lone game up in Madison.  Good thing the Badgers only win something like 92% of their games at home, couple that with the 3% chance of winning Pomeroy gives the Hawkeyes, Iowa has a shot.  Iowa has dropped 8 in a row to Wisconsin and has only won at the Kohl Center twice.

Bo Ryan has my meaningless vote for Big Ten Coach of the Year, as well as National Coach of the Year.  Apparently, my thoughts on Lickliter being considered were just slightly off the mark, but I digress.  Coach Ryan has done just a tremendous job with this year’s Badgers squad.  His work with this team reminds me a little bit of the job that Kirk Ferentz did on this past year’s football team.

I think the reason I get so frustrated watching the Badgers is that so many of them almost became Hawkeyes.  Hughes, Bohannon, and Leuer were all down to two schools – Iowa and Wisconsin; we know how that turned out.  Additionally, Iowa recruited Keaton Nankivil heavily, as well.  The Iowa program could certainly look a bit different had the coaching staff been able to land those guys… or one of those guys.

PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR:

The Seniors. Jason Bohannon and Trevon Hughes should be hyped up for their Senior Night.  They are arguably the most successful duo in Badger history (they are both just 4 wins away from having the most in school history).  Jason is have a career year to cap off a very successful run as a Badger, while Hughes has gotten better every year up in Madison.

The Bigs.   Leuer and Nankivil will give Iowa matchup nightmares with their versatility.  I don’t see how Cole will be able to follow Leuer in and out.  Nankivil’s outside game should stretch Fuller out, as well.

KEYS TO THE GAME:

• LIMIT TURNOVERS.  By that, I mean Iowa can’t have more than 8 turnovers in this game.
• MAKE SHOTS.   By that, I mean Iowa has to shoot at least 45% from behind the arc and 60% overall.
• PLAY DEFENSE.   By that, I mean Iowa has to hold Wisconsin under 50 points.

PREDICTION: Bo Ryan led teams just don’t lose in the Kohl Center, and they certainly don’t lose to 9th place Big Ten teams at home.  The Hawkeyes would have to play a near flawless game, get some calls to go their way, have the crowd be a non-factor, and keep Fuller and Cole out of foul trouble.  That’s a huge, huge task.     Iowa 52,  Wisconsin 67

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