Wisconsin basketball is currently headed west for its first Big Ten Conference matchups against former Pac-12 powers USC and UCLA. It first visits the Trojans on Saturday afternoon, then the Bruins on Tuesday.
The Badgers enter the road trip on a six-game winning streak dating back to mid-December. The team has risen from the bottom of the Big Ten standings into its top third, threatening to contend for a top spot. Two more road wins would be an important step in that regard.
Related: Updated win-loss predictions for Wisconsin basketball schedule entering West Coast road trip
The context surrounding those two upcoming opponents is worthwhile to note before the Badgers make the West Coast trip.
USC, first, has impressively won two straight over Illinois and Iowa. It is up to No. 58 in the ESPN BPI and No. 66 in KenPom -- both significant improvements after a tough start to the season. The Badgers will need to recreate their top form to exit with a victory.
UCLA, meanwhile, is amid somewhat of a collapse. The Bruins sat 10-1 entering a Dec. 21 matchup against North Carolina. They fell 76-74 in that contest, rebounded with a win over Gonzaga, and then continued to drop four straight conference games. That stretch sent the team down to 11-6 on the season, 2-4 in Big Ten play and No. 34 and No. 36 slots in BPI and KenPom, respectively.
Those four losses came against Nebraska, Michigan, Maryland and Rutgers. Michigan and Maryland are formidable opponents and clear NCAA Tournament teams. Nebraska and Rutgers, on the other hand, are games that the Bruins couldn't afford to lose if they're expected to contend for a Big Ten title.
Head coach Mick Cronin was blunt when discussing that losing streak and why the Bruins have struggled in their new conference. "I think we are trying," Cronin told the media. "But here are the facts. We have struggled in Big Ten basketball. Our two wins were against teams we were familiar playing against. I think the truth of it is, that Big Ten basketball is different. It's a much more physical game."
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The Bruins head coach went on to discuss the context surrounding his team's skid:
"I also think the league is unbelievably rock-solid," Cronin continued. "Some teams get fortunate, we were not with the schedule. We were not with Dylan Harper, who is a unbelievable player, having some sort of illness where he could hardly stand up in the previous two games, where he hardly played. And then being back to full strength against us...That being said, we're struggling with the adjustment to Big Ten basketball."
UCLA's losses haven't been by slim margins. It fell 66-58 to Nebraska, 94-75 to Michigan, 79-61 to Maryland and 75-68 to Rutgers. The Badgers will look to extend that streak when the two teams meet on Tuesday night.
Wisconsin may have an advantage on paper against both USC and UCLA, especially given the team's latest defensive improvement. But the Badgers will need to overcome significant travel and challenging road environments to exit with victories, even while both programs still work to acclimate to Big Ten basketball.
Saturday's game against USC is set for a 3 p.m. ET, 2 p.m. CT tip-off and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.