In their final regular season game, the Illinois Fighting Illini faces the No. 14 Wisconsin Badgers, their second consecutive ranked opponent and third in the last four games. Illinois is coming off a 72-61 loss to No. 13 Michigan on Thursday and look to end this season on a high note against the Badgers.
Illinois was ranked at one point this season but they have lost seven of their last eight games. Still, he Illini have solid a record at the Kohl Center in recent years since Bo Ryan has been coaching Wisconsin. Illinois has won there three times since 2005, the most of any Big Ten school in that time period.
Illinois is 6-11 in the Big 10, 2-7 on the road, and they are in ninth place in the conference standings. In the previous meeting between these teams, Illinois lost narrowly, 67-63.
Brandon Paul is averaging 14.8 points and 4.7 rebounds, Meyers Leonard is averaging 13.6 points and 8.1 rebounds, and D.J. Richardson is averaging 11.9 points. The Illini are collectively averaging 66 points and they are shooting 44.2 percent while defensively they are allowing 64 points and their opponents are shooting 43 percent.
Game time/date: 12:00 p.m. CT, Sunday, March 4, 2012
Location: Kohl Center, Madison, Wisc.
TV: CBS/Big Ten Network
For more on these teams, visit Illinois blog Hail to the Orange and Wisconsin blog Bucky's 5th Quarter. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Basketball for more as we go deeper into March Madness.