The Orange will try to advance to the Elite 8 for the first time since the 2003 season when they travel to Boston to play Wisconsin in the Sweet 16.
DEFENSE CARRYING OFFENSE: The numbers are not pretty on offense. The Badgers are among the nation’s worst in several offensive categories including points (263rd), rebounds (210th), assists (268th) and field goal percentage (230th). Despite the abysmal numbers, Wisconsin will be playing in its second Sweet 16 in has many years—a first for a school known mostly for its football program. How has this happened? It has started with the Badgers’ stingy defense, which has only allowed one opponent to score more than 70 points this season. Wisconsin has also been one of the better 3-point shooting teams in the country, collectively shooting 36 percent from downtown including hitting 10 3-pointers in each of its tournament victories so far.
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SCOUTING THE BADGERS: Senior point guard Jordan Taylor is Wisconsin’s most critical player. He’s the team’s leading scorer at 14.7 ppg and also leads the team in dishing at 4.0 apg. What’s more impressive is that for a player who has the ball in his hands so much, he averages just 1.6 turnovers per game. Wisconsin embodies Taylor’s mentality, as the team averages only nine turnovers per game.
IN WISCONSIN’S LAST GAME: In another sterling defensive performance, the Badgers edged Vanderbilt in the third round in the NCAA tournament, 60-57. The Commodores’ John Jenkins and Jeffery Taylor came in averaging 36.4 points collectively. Against the Badgers, the two combined for just 22 points as Vanderbilt shot just 43 percent from the field and 5-for-19 from downtown. Taylor led the Badgers with 14 points.
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING: All time, Syracuse is 1-1 against Wisconsin. The last time these two teams met was in the 1999 season, when the Orange defeated the Badgers at the Carrier Dome, 68-49. Ryan Blackwell led SU with 23 points.
GAME INFORMATION: Thu., Mar. 22, 7:15 p.m. Boston, MA. TV: CBS. Follow us on Twitter @thejuiceonline for live game updates.
