Wisconsin vs Northwestern basketball injury report and predictions, March 15: Latest on Isaac Lindsey, Matthew Nicholson, and more
Wisconsin and Northwestern will clash in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament on Friday, March 15, at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The game will start at 2:30 p.m. ET, and the Big Ten Network will feature the match on television. It is also available via live stream on Fubo and DirecTV Stream.
The fifth-seed Badgers made it to the last eight by beating No. 12 Maryland, 87-56, and will look to continue their winning ways against the Wildcats, who directly made it to the tournament quarterfinal by being the No. 4 seed.
The Greg Gard-coached Wisconsin won its only regular-season meeting against Northwestern, 71-63, but it will be back to square one for both teams as the Big Ten semifinal berth is at stake.
The Badgers and the Wildcats will come into the quarterfinal game with injuries affecting their rosters. Let's take a look at the health status of these players going into this afternoon's game.
Also read: Who is Greg Gard's son, Isaac Gard? Exploring Wisconsin head coach's family tree
Wisconsin vs Northwestern basketball injury report
Wisconsin and Northwestern will battle for the Big Ten semifinal seat despite some of their players being saddled with injuries.
For the Badgers, Isaac Lindsey is questionable due to an undisclosed ailment. The Wildcats, on the other hand, will miss Matthew Nicholson due to a leg injury. Nicholson's teammate, Ty Berry, is also out following surgery on his knee.
Isaac Lindsey, Wisconsin
Lindsey's availability for the Big Ten quarterfinal clash against Northwestern is questionable, as he is dealing with an undisclosed ailment. The 6-foot-4 guard has played 16 games for the Badgers this year and averaged 0.6 points per game.
Matthew Nicholson, Northwestern
The seven-foot Nicholson is out for the game due to a leg injury. He will remain unavailable until the end of the month.
When healthy, the senior center is the top defender, averaging 1.4 blocks per game. He played for 29 games for the Wildcats and tallied 5.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per outing.
Ty Berry, Northwestern
Berry is out for the remainder of the season after suffering a torn meniscus on his knee. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 11.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.3 steals before he was sidelined.
Wisconsin vs Northwestern basketball predictions
The Badgers are three-point favorites to win this match against Northwestern, with the over/under pegged at 137.
Wisconsin has averaged 74.8 ppg, 34.1 rpg and 12.3 apg. AJ Storr is the team's top scorer at 16.2 ppg.
Tyler Wahl and Steven Crowl are the other two Badgers averaging double figures, with Wahl averaging 11.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists. Crowl is the team's leading rebounder, averaging 7.3 per game and 11.0 points.
On the other hand, Northwestern has averaged 74.1 ppg, 31.2 rpg and 15.8 apg. Boo Buie is the primary option on offense, as he averages 18.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 5.2 apg and 1.3 spg.
Brooks Barnhizer and Ryan Langborg, both of whom average double figures, are expected to back Buie up on the attack. Barnhizer averages 14.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.7 apg and 1.9 spg, while Langborg averages 12.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.6 apg and 1.2 spg.
Prediction: Wisconsin will cover 3 points and win over Northwestern
Read More: 2024 March Madness Predictions for Big Ten Teams: Analyzing the contenders and dark horses