For the first time this season, all four of my teams play on the same day. The Green Bay Phoenix and the Minnesota Wild start things off at 7 CST with the Timberwolves and Badgers joining the action at 8. It will be a big night for the Phoenix and Badgers as both teams try to position themselves for a bye in the first round of their conference tournaments.
Green Bay needs to win its last two, both at home, for a chance at earning a No. 3 seed and a first round bye in the Horizon League Tournament. In addition to winning the last two games, it needs Wright State to lose one of its last two to earn the bye due to Wright State's sweep of Green Bay this season.
The Phoenix welcomes conference bottom feeder Milwaukee tonight to the Resch Center. Green Bay won at Milwaukee Jan. 25 74-54 behind 23 points and eight rebounds from Alec Brown. In the game, Brown reached the 1,000-point mark on a feed in transition from Keifer Sykes.
Milwaukee comes into the game 8-22 and 3-12 in conference, but is coming off back-to-back wins against UIC and on the road against IUPUI. The latter was the first road victory for Milwaukee all season. Green Bay is coming off a disappointing 71-54 loss on the road to Drake, where the Phoenix scored just 19 second half points after trailing by two at halftime.
Green Bay is also pulling for UIC tonight. UIC is playing at home against Wright State, having won already in Wright State. UIC is 4-2 at home in the Horizon League, but is coming of a 63-62 home defeat to Bradley.
Wisconsin, on the other hand, controls its own destiny for a first round bye. The Badgers have two consecutive home games against the 9th and 10th place teams in the Big Ten before ending with two road games against Michigan State and Penn State.
The Badgers are currently the No. 3 seed in the Big Ten, as it is tied with Michigan but won the head-to-head meeting. Wisconsin is one game against No. 5 Ohio State and split the season series with the Buckeyes. Ohio State has two straight road games including at top-ranked Indiana, while Michigan still has games at home against Indiana and Michigan State.
Wisconsin should have no trouble at home against the next two teams, but the trip to Michigan State could decide if it is a No. 2 or No. 4 seed.
The Wild needs a victory after losing to Calgary over the weekend. This time the Wild hosts Calgary. This is the first time Minnesota plays the Flames at home after splitting the first two games in the Saddledome. The Wild has been a disappointment this year, going just 8-7-2 for 18 points, which is 11th in the Western Conference.
The Timberwolves have had heartbreaker after heartbreaker. Minnesota leads the NBA in games lost in which it led after three quarters. That is exactly what happened Sunday afternoon as Minnesota saw a five-point lead at the end of the third quarter evaporate and Golden State prevailed 100-99.
Minnesota travels to Phoenix to take on the Suns and former Wolf Michael Beasley. The Suns are 18-39 and have lost 24 of their last 31. Phoenix has lost four straight home games, all by double digits. Minnesota should have an advantage, but you never know with that team.
Predictions:
Green Bay 71, Milwaukee 48
Wisconsin 64, Nebraska 44
Wild 3, Calgary 1
Timberwolves 95, Phoenix 90
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