Indiana vs. Wisconsin: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Spread Info and More

The No. 25 Wisconsin Badgers will host the No. 17 Indiana Hoosiers on Thursday night in a battle for Big Ten positioning. The Badgers are currently one game out of the conference lead at 5-3, while the Hoosiers are two games back with a record of 4-4.

Wisconsin has bounced back from a three-game losing streak early in conference play by winning four in a row. The Badgers' hallmark continues to be stifling defense and an efficient offense, but the offense has eluded them at times this season. That simply can't happen against the explosive Hoosiers.

Indiana has scored high-quality wins over the likes of Kentucky, Ohio State and Michigan, but the Hoosiers have fallen on hard times as of late. They recently snapped a three-game skid by smothering Penn State, but the Hoosiers certainly aren't playing like the elite team they were earlier in the season. A road win over Wisconsin could go a long way toward changing that.

There are plenty of games left to be played, but this should be a great measuring stick for both sides. Whichever team comes out on top will certainly have a ton of momentum moving forward in Big Ten play.

Where: Kohl Center in Madison, Wisc.

When: Thursday, Jan. 26 at 9 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPN2

Live Stream: ESPN3

Listen: WIBC 93.1 FM (Indiana) and WIBA 1310 AM (Wisconsin)

Betting Line: Wisconsin (-8)

Indiana Key Injuries (According to USA Today): G Maurice Creek (Achilles) Out

Wisconsin Key Injuries (According to USA Today): No Injuries to Report

What's at Stake?

The Big Ten is quite jumbled right now with 6-2 being the best record in the conference, so both Indiana and Wisconsin have a golden opportunity to make a move with a victory. The Hoosiers could really use a quality win after going through such a bad stretch, while the Badgers will want to hold home court against a highly ranked opponent.

Indiana's luster, in particular, is starting to fade as they lost to a couple Big Ten opponents they had no business losing to. I have to believe that a win over a tough Wisconsin squad would change that, though. The Badgers are pretty much expected to win this game at home, but they have to ensure that they get the job done.

What They're Saying

Although the ascent of Indiana to a Top 25 position came as a surprise to many this season, Wisconsin players and coaches saw it coming. The Badgers' star guard Jordan Taylor figured it was simply a matter of time before the Hoosiers were once again a Big Ten powerhouse, according to Jim Polzin of the Wisconsin State Journal.

"

"I feel like they've just been knocking on the door for a while," UW senior point guard Jordan Taylor said. "I've expected them to break through even sooner. They've got a lot of talent and they have now for a couple years. Every year, it seems like you hear they've got a top-5 recruiting class coming in, and it's true. They definitely have a lot of talent. I think it was just a matter of time before they put it all together."
 

"

Indiana Player to Watch: F Cody Zeller

Perhaps the biggest reason for Indiana's success this season is the team's depth, as five players are currently averaging double figures in points. With that said, though, there is no question that sensational freshman forward Cody Zeller is the Hoosiers' go-to guy. Zeller leads the team in scoring by a large margin with 15 points per game, as well as rebounding with 6.4 per contest and blocks with 1.5.

Zeller is also an incredibly efficient shooter as evidenced by his 65.9 percent field-goal percentage and 78 percent clip from the free-throw line. It's fair to say that few players in the nation can stake claim to such a complete game, so Zeller will obviously be a big part of Indiana's success against the Badgers.

Wisconsin Player to Watch: G Jordan Taylor

Senior point guard Jordan Taylor has been an important player for Wisconsin for the past few seasons and that certainly continues to be true this year. Taylor leads the Badgers in scoring with 14 points per game and he is their primary playmaker as well with 4.4 assists per contest. Wisconsin doesn't have the most dynamic offense, but pretty much everything runs through Taylor.

Taylor takes the vast majority of the shots so his field-goal percentage isn't overly impressive, as it is under 40 percent currently. If Taylor can do a better job of maximizing his shots, then it will put the Badgers in a much better position on Wednesday night. If he has an off night, though, Wisconsin can pretty much kiss any hopes of a win goodbye.

Key Matchup: Cody Zeller vs. Jared Berggren

Zeller had proven to be a difficult force to stop in his first season of collegiate basketball, but defense is undoubtedly the Badgers' forte. The primary interior defender is junior forward Jared Berggren who can match Zeller's size and strength at 6'10" and 235 lbs. He may not be as dominant as Zeller, but he leads Wisconsin in both rebounding and shot blocks.

In addition to that, Berggren is the Badgers' second-leading scorer. Berggren won't necessarily have to come up big on the offensive end in this game, though, as it will be his primary responsibility to slow down Zeller as a defender. That task is obviously easier said than done, but holding Zeller in check gives Wisconsin a major advantage.

Prediction: Wisconsin 68, Indiana 62