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Wisconsin Basketball: Badgers 3 Point Play Could be the Difference

By Tyler Hunt

Mar 20, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Zak Showalter (3), guard Bronson Koenig (24), forward Vitto Brown (30), and forward Nigel Hayes (10) walk on the court during the second half of the second round against the Xavier Musketeers in the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Scottrade Center. Wisconsin won 66-63. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 20, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Zak Showalter (3), guard Bronson Koenig (24), forward Vitto Brown (30), and forward Nigel Hayes (10) walk on the court during the second half of the second round against the Xavier Musketeers in the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Scottrade Center. Wisconsin won 66-63. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Wisconsin Basketball Must be able to Defend the Three Thursday Night

March Madness is already well underway with plenty of high octane action getting started on Thursday morning. For those of you lucky enough to be watching from the comfort of your couch, or for those clicking back and fourth in their cubicle’s many eyes are already on March. Thankfully for the state of Wisconsin, all eyes will be able to be home to see the Badgers tip off at 8:40 Central time against the Virginia Tech Hokies. In an 8-9 match up, there is little difference between the teams, but more so in Wisconsin-VT match up as the game will likely come down to one single facet, the three point line.

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The Hokies are one of the best shooting teams in College Basketball, shooting over 40% from the free point line over the course of the season. In addition to shooting it well, they shoot it a lot as VT averages almost 9 threes per game that contribute to the Hokies 79 points per game, giving them  continual success in the ACC. While Virginia Tech may have been 7th in the ACC in overall standings, you have to take it with a grain of salt as it was the best conference in college basketball all season.

The Hokies success behind the line makes a tough concoction for Wisconsin Basketball, who’s three point defense has been one of the worst three point defense’s in the country, coming in at 307th overall with teams averaging 37% from behind the line. As you can see by the numbers, the game will likely hinder on the play beyond the arch, as one team lives on it and the others achillies heel is trying to stop it. If the Badgers want to come away victorious, three point defense will be the biggest attribute. However they may be able try and keep pace, or simply slow down the game and hope for a few breaks or a cold night. Teams that live and die by the three often go cold, and it would certainly benefit Wisconsin Basketball if the Hokies did just that.

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