Neither Tennessee nor Wisconsin has gotten the start to the 2019-20 season that they wanted, but both will be looking to win a key game on Saturday afternoon.
Tennessee (7-3) hosts the Badgers (6-5) for only the fifth all-time meeting between the two schools. The Vols and Badgers have won two games apiece against each other, with Wisconsin having won two-straight, including a victory in the 2016 Maui Invitational.
The Vols own impressive wins over Washington and VCU this season, but UT also lost an ugly game to Florida State and have recently lost back-to-back games against Memphis and Cincinnati. UT bounced back from those consecutive losses by beating Jacksonville State 75-53 at home last Saturday.
After the game, starting point guard Lamonte Turner revealed that he would be having season-ending shoulder surgery, thus ending his Tennessee playing career. This Saturday’s game against Wisconsin will be the Vols’ first game this season without Turner. He was averaging 12.3 points, 7.1 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.8 steals a game.
For Wisconsin, their season started off with an overtime loss to Saint Mary’s. After four-straight wins, the Badgers hit a wall, losing three-straight and four of their next five contests. Wisconsin has lost to Richmond, New Mexico, NC State, and Rutgers.
The Badgers are led by junior forward Nate Reuvers. The 6-foot-11 post player from Minnesota averages 15.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks and is connecting on 32.4 percent of his threes. Kobe King (11.3 PPG) and Aleem Ford (10.0 PPG) also average double figures in scoring.
Ohio State transfer Micah Potter was finally deemed eligible by the NCAA for Wisconsin after having to sit out the first six weeks of the season, and he scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds in 13 minutes of action in Wisconsin’s 83-64 win over Milwaukee last weekend. The 6-foot-10 forward will likely play a somewhat limited role against the Vols, but he gives the Badgers a boost they’ve been waiting for.
If you can’t make it over to Thompson-Boling Arena (which is sold out for today’s game), here’s how you can watch or listen to the Tennessee vs. Wisconsin game today.
Tip-Off: 1:30 Eastern, December 28th, Thompson-Boling Arena (Knoxville, TN)
TV: CBS (Carter Blackburn and Clark Kellogg)
Streaming Online: CBSSports.com
Radio: Vol Network
Line: Tennessee (-3.5)
