Preview, how to watch Maryland basketball vs. No. 17 Wisconsin
The Terps will search for another signature win in their annual Gold Rush game.
Coming off a successful road trip that elevated its profile, the Maryland men's basketball team returns to College Park for arguably its biggest home game to date.Maryland (16-5, 6-4 Big Ten) hosts No. 17 Wisconsin (16-4, 6-3) in the Terps' annual Gold Rush game Wednesday night. (20% off Maryland-Wisconsin tickets with checkout code "IMS" at SeatGeek)
The Terps have won five of their last six games and are on a three-game winning streak. Maryland secured two Quadrant One wins last week, blowing out then-No. 17 Illinois, 91-70, on the road Thursday and beating Indiana, 79-78, on the road in a thriller Sunday.
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Senior center Julian Reese earned national honors, being named the Naismith Player of the Week. Reese averaged 20.5 points and 13.5 rebounds per game while shooting 54.8% during the two wins. Derik Queen, Reese's frontcourt partner, also was recognized with his third Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor. Queen averaged 16 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and shot 61.9% in the two wins.
Wisconsin is coming off an 83-55 demolition of Nebraska this past Sunday. The Badgers have won eight of their last nine games. Wisconsin leads the all-time series over Maryland, 15-8 and has won two straight against the Terps.
Here's everything you need to know about how to watch, follow and listen to the matchup.
Tipoff: 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at the XFINITY Center in College Park, Maryland
TV: Big Ten Network – Jason Horowitz, Robbie Hummel and Andy Katz
Streaming: FOX Sports
Radio: Maryland Sports Radio Network, 105.7FM (Baltimore), 980AM (D.C.) – Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), Chris Knoche (analyst), Walt Williams (analyst), Tom Marchitto (engineer)
Live Stats: Link
KenPom Line: Maryland -3
Wisconsin is No. 18 in the NET, No. 15 at KenPom, No. 13 at Bart Torvik and No. 22 in the ESPN Basketball Power Index. The Badgers have a strong resume with a 4-4 mark in Quadrant One, a 5-0 record in Quadrant Two and a perfect 7-0 mark outside the first two quadrants. Wednesday's game is a Quadrant One opportunity for both teams.
The Badgers have their best offense under head coach Greg Gard, now in his 10th year at the helm, and their best offense since the 2014-15 season; Wisconsin had the No. 1 offense in the nation 10 years ago, according to KenPom, and lost to Duke in the national title game. The Badgers rank eighth nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and 49th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom. Wisconsin is the best free-throw shooting team in the country at 85.6%.
Missouri transfer John Tonje is third on the KenPom All-Big Ten team. Tonje is averaging 18 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He is shooting 46.9% from the field and 39.4% from deep. Tonje's ascension has been unexpected. The 6-foot-5 sixth-year senior spent four years at Colorado State, averaging 14.6 points per game during his fourth season. He then transferred to Missouri, averaging 2.6 points in only eight games and earning a medical redshirt. Tonje is in the top 50 nationally in both fouls drawn per 40 minutes (6.8) and free-throw rate (63%). He's been scorching hot from deep of late, going 11-for-18 from deep in Wisconsin's past two games.
Sophomore guard John Blackwell has taken a major leap, averaging 16.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game and shooting 48.5% from the field and 34.8% from deep. A Big Ten All-Freshman team honoree in 2024, Blackwell has more than doubled his scoring average from last season. During Big Ten play, Blackwell ranks sixth in the conference in percentage of possessions used and eighth in percentage of shots taken.
The three other members of Wisconsin's most recent starting five – senior guard Max Klesmit, 7-foot sophomore forward Nolan Winter and 7-foot graduate forward Steven Crowl – are all averaging at least 10 points per game as well. Klesmit is averaging 10.3 points per game but shooting only 28.9% from three and 27.7% from deep in Big Ten play. Winter is averaging 10.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while shooting 73.8% from two – the 12th-best mark nationally – and 39.1% from three. He ranks ninth nationally in offensive rating, per KenPom. Crowl is averaging 10 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while shooting 62.5% from two and 34.4% from deep.
Four other Badgers average double-digit minutes per game, led by senior guard Kamari McGee. McGee is averaging 7.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, two assists and a steal per game. Maryland will need to be on high alert defensively for McGee, who is shooting 55.3% (26-for-47) from three, the second-best mark in the nation. Senior forward Carter Gilmore (three points per game), junior forward Xavier Amos (3.9 PPG) and redshirt freshman guard Jack Janicki (1.9 PPG) are each in the rotation as well.
The XFINITY Center crowd should be rocking Wednesday night. The Terps' recent stretch has injected juice into the fanbase, and another top 25, Quadrant One win would only further validate what the Terps have done. Maryland has eight days off after the game against Wisconsin, and it can empty the tank on its home floor in a marquee matchup.
