Hayes, friends focus on hushing Rattlers
For all intents and purposes, No. 14 Wisconsin appears ready for the rigors of the Big Ten. Yet Greg Gard’s group must clear one final nonconference hurdle tonight.
Mired in a nine-game losing streak, Florida A&M visits the Kohl Center at 9 p.m. ET. Online sports book Bovada.lv gives the 10-2 Badgers of -3300 to take care of business at home. The Rattlers, on the other hand, embody +2250 underdogs.
Wisconsin has been idle since a 73-59 rout of Green Bay on Dec. 14. While usual suspects like Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig combined for 30 points vs. the Phoenix, Ethan Happ wound up stealing the show. The sophomore forward had 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists to help guide the Badgers to their sixth straight win.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Florida A&M’s situation grows worse with each passing contest. Roughly 16 hours ago, Byron Samuels’ squad absorbed an 83-63 defeat to Samford. The lone bright spot in Tallahassee: Desmond Williams, a juco transfer who’s averaging 16.3 points and 5.1 boards per tilt.
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It goes without saying that the Rattlers (2-10) would be hard-pressed to compete with Wisconsin on regular rest. This particularly quick turnaround, though, makes for an impossible predicament. Once the Badgers get their legs under them, expect the onslaught to kick in.
FRIDAY NCAA FREE PICK: FLORIDA A&M +38