MADISON – The Wisconsin women’s basketball team returns to the Big Ten tournament this week, and that wasn’t a given.
In the Big Ten only 15 of the conference’s 18 teams make the field. Wisconsin (13-16 overall, 5-12 Big Ten) closed the regular season with nine straight losses and slid to the 15th spot on March 1 by virtue of its loss to No. 9 Iowa and Purdue’s win at Northwestern.
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Here is what you need to know about the Badgers’ Big Ten berth.
Who will Wisconsin face in the Big Ten tournament?
The Badgers will face No. 10 seed Illinois (19-10, 9-9) at approximately 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, March 4 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Tip-off will be 25 minutes after the conclusion of the Indiana-Nebraska matchup that begins at 2:30 p.m.
More: No. 9 Iowa pulls away from Wisconsin in second half of regular season finale
How did Wisconsin fare against Illinois this season?
Illinois defeated UW, 92-60, on Feb. 11 in the teams’ only meeting.
The Badgers trailed by as many as 41 points in the contest. Six Illini scored in double figures. The team’s 58.1% shooting represents the second-highest percentage for a UW opponent this season. Illinois’ 64.7% 3-point shooting (11 for 17) tied for the highest for a Badgers’ opponent.
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How can I watch or listen to Wisconsin at the Big Ten tournament?
The Badgers’ opening round matchup will be streamed on the Peacock app. The game also can be heard on 1070-AM in Madison or on the IHeart app.
How has Wisconsin fared at the Big Ten tournament?
The Badgers have not won a conference tournament game since a 71-55 victory over Illinois in the first round of the 2020 tournament. Thay have lost six straight tournament games.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Who will Wisconsin women’s basketball face in the Big Ten tournament?
