Wisconsin Basketball Faces Tough Non-Conference Schedule

The Wisconsin basketball team will be a young group in 2015, and they will be quickly thrown into the flames against some very good opponents during the non-conference portion of the schedule.

Wisconsin didn’t hold back when scheduling the non-conference slate for the 2015 season, which features a tough tournament, a strong opponent in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, and a high-quality road opponent, as well as the regular matchup with in-state rival Marquette.

Here’s what Badgers out-of-conference schedule looks like this season:

Wisconsin Badgers

11/4 – UW-River Falls (Exhibition) W, 101-46
11/13 – Western Illinois
11/15 – Siena
11/17 – North Dakota
11/20 – Georgetown (2k Classic)
11/22 – #5 Duke or VCU (2k Classic)
11/25 – Prairie View A&M
11/29 – at #8 Oklahoma
12/2 – at Syracuse
12/5 – Temple
12/9 – Milwaukee
12/12 – Marquette
12/15 – Texas A&M – Corpus Christi
12/23 – Green Bay

While only one top-25 matchup is on the books when the Badgers travel to Oklahoma at the end of the month, the Badgers will also see two very good opponents in the 2k Classic at Madison Square Garden before Thanksgiving.

Georgetown is on the brink of the AP top 25, and a second round matchup against Duke or VCU will be tough as well. Even a home game against Temple is a good matchup for the Badgers this year, who are looking to replace a number of seniors including three now on NBA rosters.

The schedule definitely has its strong points even after a slow start.

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Wisconsin’s opening opponent, Western Illinois, went 8-20 last year, 3-13 for a last-place finish in Summit League play. Likewise their second matchup of the year is Siena, which took eighth place in the MAAC with a 7-13 record, finishing 11-20 overall. The Badgers host North Dakota for their third game of the season. North Dakota tied for last in the Big Sky Conference last year after an 8-22 performance.

Following the North Dakota matchup, the Badgers schedule takes a turn for the tougher.

The Badgers travel to Madison Square Garden for the 2k Classic from Nov. 20-22, where they will see tough competition throughout.

The Badgers open against Georgetown, who finished second in the Big East last year and closed the AP poll ranked #22. The Hoyas are unranked heading into 2015, but will be far and away the best opponent Wisconsin has seen to that point.