5 things to know about the Wisconsin Badgers' 2018-19 men's basketball schedule

The sophomore forward appeared in all three of the Badgers’ games in the Battle 4 Atlantis, playing a total of 14 minutes after missing UW’s first three games of the season.

Senior Ethan Happ was there to provide a spark, and he wasn’t alone in a 69-64 win over Rutgers that helped keep No. 12 Wisconsin unbeaten in the Big Ten through the first wave of conference play.

After a year after his season ended due to a broken right foot, just before Wisconsin faced Marquette, D'Mitrik Trice is soaring as the Badgers prepare for the annual matchup with its in-state rival.

Illikainen, who will remain enrolled in school, didn’t play in the Badgers’ 85-63 season-opening win over Coppin State last Tuesday.

The senior center, who flirted with turning pro in the offseason before deciding to return to Wisconsin, finished with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists to register the second recorded triple-double in program history.

King, a redshirt freshman wing from La Crosse, is rounding back into form after missing most of the 2017-18 season.

For most of the 2017-18 season, the options at point guard for the Wisconsin men’s basketball team were limited. This season, Badgers coach Greg Gard has options at his disposal.

Wisconsin coach Greg Gard responded with an emphatic “No” when asked if he had any worries about Happ’s approach to the season after the Badgers' decorated senior big man tested the NBA draft waters. 

It’s a Tuesday in October, and Davison has arrived to class 5 minutes early, or — as the sophomore guard for the Wisconsin men’s basketball team sees it — right on schedule.

“It’s kind of like we finally had our shot … to show the world what we’re about this year,” sophomore guard Brad Davison said after the Badgers' victory over the Musketeers. “I think a lot of people kind of still have that Wisconsin from last year in their minds, and we’re not the same team as last year.”

Wisconsin's senior center authored another masterpiece Saturday night at the Kohl Center, becoming the program’s all-time leader in rebounds while leading the Badgers to a 96-59 victory over Houston Baptist.

Ethan Happ had 16 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out late, and No. 25 Wisconsin beat Stanford 62-46 in Wednesday's first round at the Battle 4 Atlantis.

The Badgers’ best win to date was Thursday's 78-58 decision over Oklahoma — No. 46 in Ken Pomeroy’s ratings — while Virginia is No. 3 in KenPom.

Sophomore forward DeAndre Hunter scored 20 points to lead No. 4 Virginia to a 53-46 victory over the No. 25 Badgers in the final of the Battle 4 Atlantis at Imperial Arena.

One of the heroes of UW's 79-75 victory was D’Mitrik Trice, who finished with 18 points, six assists and three steals. And then there was Brad Davison, who made two free throws to seal the win and also drew four charges, including one on the possession after Trice’s biggest shot.

UW's game against North Carolina State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Tuesday night at the Kohl Center was the fans' first real chance to see with their own eyes if UW is truly improved over last season's inexperienced, injury-riddled team that missed the NCAA tournament for the first time in 19 years.

The Marquette junior is averaging 22.4 points per game this season as the Marquette Golden Eagles (7-2) get set to host the 12th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers (8-1) at the Fiserv Forum on Saturday.

When a reporter asked about Happ’s big stat line in the No. 12 Badgers’ 74-69 overtime loss to Marquette – the senior center finished with a career-high 34 points to go along with 11 rebounds – he made it clear the bottom line was all that mattered.

Even though No. 12 Wisconsin played strong defense and limited rival Marquette to 35.4 percent shooting at the Fiserv Forum on Saturday, it wasn't good enough to win because the Badgers didn't do the things they usually do best.