Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-17, 2-11) vs Wisconsin Badgers (14-10, 7-6)

Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020 - 1:15 p.m. CT

Pinnacle Bank Arena

TV: BTN

Radio: Husker Sports Network

Internet: Fox Sports App

1. Defend the 3

Nebraska's defensive game plan of focusing its attention on stopping Wisconsin's bigs and hoping for a cold perimeter shooting night blew up in its face the last time these teams met up in Madison. The Badgers countered that strategy by making a whopping 18 3-pointers in an 82-68 rout, marking the most threes they had made in program history. Not only did UW hit that many from behind the arc, it did so at a 53-percent clip (18-of-34). The Huskers will always have to overcommit in the low post because of their roster limitations, but they absolutely can't afford to let Wisconsin get whatever looks it wants from deep and just hope for the best. Closeout hard and aggressively on shooters and challenge every shot they take.

2. Be ready to battle down low

So, while Nebraska needs to be much better in defending in the perimeter, it will be even more important to contain the paint today as it was in the first meeting. The reason is that UW head coach Greg Gard finally put 6-foot-10 transfer Micah Potter into the starting lineup in Wisconsin's win over Ohio State last time out for the first time this season. That means the Badgers will likely open today's game with Potter and 6-foot-11 Nate Reuvers - who ranks fourth in the Big Ten in blocked shots at 2.1 per game - in their starting frontcourt. That duo combined for five blocks against a much bigger Buckeye team, and that's bad news for a Husker squad that ranks 350th nationally in offensive block percentage (13.2). Reuvers had 11 points, four rebounds, and four blocks against NU in Madison. Potter only played 13 minutes off the bench but still managed nine points and five boards.

3. Do it again

Nebraska has had a handful of games where it looked like it was finally putting it together and was about to turn a corner. Far more often than not, however, the Huskers have followed those promising performances with absolute thuds the next time out. The Maryland game was still a ninth straight loss, but NU once again surprised everyone by playing far beyond expectations and had a chance to pull off a stunning road upset over a top-10 team in the final seconds. The most important task now is finding a way to bottle whatever propelled them to that effort in College Park and carry it over today. The table is set for Nebraska to have a great chance at snapping its losing streak, as it's back home on a Saturday afternoon against an average Wisconsin team on Legends Weekend. Getting a win would do so much for the team's morale to finish a daunting remaining slate. But that will require doing something the Huskers have only done once all season - play two full 40-minute games of quality basketball.

Nebraska 72, Wisconsin 70

Robin's 2019-20 record: 15-9

vs. the spread: 10-14