The Iowa men’s basketball team is set to travel to battle Wisconsin on Wednesday at the Kohl Center. The game will tip off on the Big Ten Network at 8 p.m.

Wednesday’s matchup will be a rematch of the Badgers’ 78-75 overtime win on Dec. 11, 2022. Wisconsin defeated the Hawkeyes despite 24 points from Iowa forward Patrick McCaffery.

The Hawkeyes missed forward Kris Murray and guard Ahron Ulis in the first matchup. The two starters were sidelined due to injury.

Iowa stands 17-10 on the season with seven of their losses coming in Big Ten play. The Hawkeyes have been abysmal away from home; they have lost six of their nine matchups on the road.

The Badgers, coming in at 15-11, have made minimal lineup changes since the last time these two times faced off. Wisconsin is still starting forwards Tyler Wahl and Steven Crowl along with guards Max Klesmit and Chucky Hepburn, but have replaced Jordan Davis with Connor Essegian at the third guard spot.

Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery said the Badgers have had more time to mesh as a group, since the two teams’ first matchup of the year.

“With Chucky Hepburn, Tyler Wahl, and Steven Crowl, you kind of expect what you’re going to get from them,” McCaffery said at a media availability session on Tuesday. “You’ve got Essegian who’s a really good freshman, and Klesmit, who’s a transfer, so now they’ve had more time to blend in with what they’re doing. They’ll be a little bit different [compared to last time].”

The Badgers have four starters averaging double digits in points. Hepburn leads Wisconsin in the scoring column at 12.5 per game, while Crowl, Essegian, and Wahl average a hair over 11 apiece.

McCaffery praised Essegian for his improvement throughout his freshman campaign. The Badgers’ lone first-year starter is shooting 40.3 percent from behind the arc this season.

“I thought he was pretty good the first time we played him, and he’s only a freshman,” McCaffery said. “He’s a guy who plays like a veteran, a pure shooter who moves without the ball, and he’s a very competitive guy.”

Ogundele inching towards 100 percent

Iowa backup center Josh Ogundele has been battling a lingering knee injury for the past two months.

The 6-foot-10 British big man sat out for over a month until his return against then-No. 1 Purdue on Feb. 9, but he hasn’t seen action since Iowa’s loss to the Boilermakers. Ogundele played four minutes in the contest, scoring two points and pulling down three rebounds.

McCaffery offered a health update on the fan favorite “Big Jelly,” telling reporters Ogundele has practiced well as of late.

“He’s working hard,” McCaffery said. “I think he feels better. Even when he came back [against Purdue], I thought he was not quite 100 percent, and he was playing through that sprained ligament. I think he’s more comfortable now with his legs under him, and he’s ready to play. He will get some opportunities.”