The 20th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers face the Butler Bulldogs in a de facto home game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The meeting point is at 1:30 p.m. CT. on the Big Ten Network, and the Badgers are a 4.5-point favorite.

After starting the season with eight straight wins, the Badgers lost three straight games to Michigan, Marquette and Illinois. In the Badgers’ most recent loss, an 86-80 loss to the Fighting Illini in Champaign, Wisconsin prevailed 40-29. It was a bad game for Steven Crowl, who had nine points and zero rebounds. Those zero rebounds earned Greg Gard ridicule.

Now the Badgers must refocus and face a Butler team that is coming off back-to-back losses. 17 Houston and North Dakota State. What should Wisconsin fans know about the Butler Bulldogs?

Preview the opponent

Butler enters this game with a 7-2 record, which included an 87-77 win over then-No. 25 Mississippi State at Mullett Arena in Tempe. The Bulldogs’ two home losses came against Austin Peay, a Quad 4 loss, and most recently against NDSU on Dec. 10, 71-68. As of December 10, Butler has been one of four teams in Joe Lunardi’s Next Four Out.

The Bulldogs are one of the slower teams in the county. KenPom lists Butler 205th at adjusted pace. They also rank 65th in offensive efficiency and 93rd in defensive efficiency. Butler ranks 15th in three-point field goal percentage in this game.

Sophomore Finley Bizjack starts at guard and averages 6.6 PPG, 3.7 RPG and 2.7 APG. Although he’s not on the same level as guards Wisconsin has played before, like Kam Jones and Kasparas Jakucionis, Bizjack was a good starter for Butler and scored big in the second half of their 71-69 win over Northwestern in November Three-pointers 28th in Tempe.

Forwards Jahmyl Telfort and Pierre Brooks II are the leaders and top scorers for Butler, with Telfort averaging 17 PPG and Brooks II averaging 14.8 PPG. One of the surprises for Butler was the emergence of Patrick McCaffery. The Iowa transfer is averaging 12.6 PPG and has emerged as the Bulldogs’ leading three-point shooter, shooting 28 of 61 from behind the arc.

Butler’s frontcourt will be worth watching. Forward Augusto Cassia injured his right knee in the Bulldogs’ last game against NDSU and needed help getting to the locker room. There is no update on his playing status. If Cassia can’t go, expect more minutes from 7-foot center Andre Screen, the team’s leading rebounder, and 6-foot forward Boden Kapke.

Outcome prediction

Although Butler isn’t at the same level as Michigan, Marquette and Illinois, this team can beat Wisconsin. Telfort and Brooks II will look to be aggressive on offense if the Badgers continue their lackluster defensive play.

This game will be back and forth and the Bulldogs will play motivated given Gainbridge Fieldhouse’s proximity to the Butler campus, but I expect the Badgers to make enough stops along the way to get back in the win column reach.

forecast: Wisconsin 82-76.