Women’s Basketball: Badgers set to begin Big Ten Tournament

Mar 5, 2016; Richmond, VA, USA; George Washington Colonials head coach Jonathan Tsipis gestures from the bench against the Virginia Commonwealth Lady Rams in the third quarter during the women's Atlantic 10 Conference tournament at Richmond Coliseum. The Colonials won 72-58. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 5, 2016; Richmond, VA, USA; George Washington Colonials head coach Jonathan Tsipis gestures from the bench against the Virginia Commonwealth Lady Rams in the third quarter during the women's Atlantic 10 Conference tournament at Richmond Coliseum. The Colonials won 72-58. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Wisconsin Badgers women’s basketball team will begin Big Ten Tournament action on Wednesday

The Wisconsin Badgers women’s basketball team will tip off their postseason play on Wednesday, March 1 when they take on Rutgers in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament.

Wisconsin barely missed out on getting a bye and starting on Thursday as the Badgers finished 11th in the conference standings, one spot out of earning that extra day of preparation.

The Badgers will face a Rutgers Scarlet Knights team that has lost ten straight after starting conference play 3-3. Both the Badgers and Scarlet Knights finished with the same conference record, with the Badgers doing two games better overall with an 8-21 record compared to Rutgers’ 6-23 mark.

In two meetings this year, the Badgers split the games with Rutgers, with both teams winning on their home court. Their most recent matchup, in Madison, ended up being a defensive showing by Wisconsin as they earned the 53-41 victory.

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The Badgers have won two out of their last three, which started with that victory over Rutgers in early February, and will be looking for their first postseason win since the 2012-13 season when they beat Illinois by a single point. The winner of Wednesday’s game will take on the No. 6 seeded Michigan State Spartans. The Badgers lost their lone meeting versus the Spartans in blowout fashion, 81-57.

You can find the entire bracket for this year’s women’s tournament, held in Indianapolis, here.

Wisconsin and Rutgers will tip off approximately 25 minutes following the first game of the night on Wednesday, which is No. 12 Illinois versus No. 13 Nebraska. Estimated time for Badgers and Scarlet Knights should be around 4:00 pm CT.

The game will be televised on Big Ten Network or heard on the radio on the Big 1070 AM.