Wisconsin-Iowa Preview

2/5/2008 6:07 PM

By JEFF MEZYDLO
STATS Writer

Before Wisconsin can think about facing two of the Big Ten's other top teams, it must get by one with potential to pose a serious challenge.

The eighth-ranked Badgers look for a second straight conference road win as they conclude the season series with Iowa on Wednesday night.

For the second straight game, Wisconsin (18-3, 8-1) put forth its usual strong defensive effort for an easy 63-47 victory at Minnesota on Sunday. The win came after the Badgers beat fellow Big Ten title contender Indiana 62-49 at home on Thursday.

"Defense is what gets us started,'' said Wisconsin guard Trevon Hughes, who had 20 points and six steals against the Gophers. "If our shots aren't falling down, you can always go back and play good defense. You never hear anyone say, 'Ah, my defense wasn't falling down today.' You never hear it.''

Wisconsin - in the mix with No. 24 Purdue, the 14th-ranked Hoosiers and No. 11 Michigan State for the conference championship - will again look to show the defensive form that has it leading the nation in scoring defense at 54.1 points per contest.

The Badgers host the Boilermakers - the only team to defeat Wisconsin in the Big Ten - on Saturday and visit Indiana next Wednesday.

Even with those matchups looming, Wisconsin likely won't take the Hawkeyes (11-12, 4-6) for granted. The Badgers, who beat them 64-51 at home on Jan. 5, have won three in a row in the series, including a 57-46 win at Iowa City on Jan. 28, 2007.

Despite its recent history versus the Badgers, Iowa beat then-No. 6 Michigan State 43-36 at home on Jan. 12, and is coming off a 53-48 home win over a solid Ohio State team Saturday.

"We have to come back and respond to a little bit of success we had on Saturday and play better," Iowa coach Todd Lickliter said. "(In Wisconsin) we're playing one of the best teams in the nation."

Wisconsin played like it against Minnesota, shooting 48.9 percent from the floor and holding the Gophers to 36.0 percent. The Badgers made 11 of their first 14 shots en route to a 29-10 lead.

Hughes, the team's leading scorer at 13.6 points per contest, scored 11 in the first 10 minutes.

"He kept his composure," Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said. "Those kind of guards do have that advantage as long as everything else is on track. He's much better now than he was earlier in the year, but that's what we figured.''

Hughes looks for a better game against the Hawkeyes on Wednesday after he was held to six points on 2-for-8 shooting in last month's meeting.

Center Brian Butch, who averages 12.8 points, had 22 against Iowa at home and is averaging 16.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in his last three games versus the Hawkeyes.

Saturday, Iowa guard Justin Johnson scored 24 points and went 8-for-13 from beyond the arc as the Hawkeyes avenged a 31-point loss to Ohio State from last month.

Johnson, who is averaging 13.4 points on the season and 16.3 in his last three contests, had 13 in the January loss to Wisconsin, where he was the only Iowa player to score in double figures.