Duke vs Wisconsin: 5 differences from regular season matchup

A lot has changed since the Wisconsin Badgers played the Duke Blue Devils last December.

The 2015 national championship game could be a different sort of revenge for the Wisconsin Badgers.

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While Bo Ryan’s squad cherished payback Saturday night against the Kentucky Wildcats in a shocking Final Four — let’s not forget the Wildcats beat the Badgers last year by 1 point in the same stage of the NCAA tournament — the matchup versus Duke on Monday night will reflect a fresher scab.

The two teams met in December, with the Blue Devils sealing a 10-point win against the Badgers in Madison’s boisterous Kohl Center.

Of course, neither Wisconsin nor Duke is the same team that played on that frosty evening months ago, when the then-ranked No. 4 Blue Devils shot 65 percent from the field. Here’s why:

1. Traevon Jackson will be a non-factor.

Wisconsin’s Traevon Jackson has not fully recovered from a foot surgery in January, and it’s no secret the senior point guard is rusty. In the previous game against Duke, he scored a career-high 25 points and exposed the holes in his opponent’s defense. Now, he’s playing only a few minutes a game.

2. Duke’s personnel has changed, too.

Rasheed Sulaimon dropped 14 points in his team’s victory over Wisconsin, but today he’s no longer with the Duke basketball program. Though his January dismissal remains shrouded in mystery, the former shooting guard was likely removed because of allegations that he committed sexual assault. Sports Illustrated reported in early March that he is not under investigation by the school. Before he left, Sulaimon was leading the team in three-point shooting.

3. Both defenses have improved.

There is a reason Michigan State struggled with a six-minute scoring drought in the first half during their loss to Duke: The Blue Devils adapt quickly and understand stingy defense. Despite their slow start, Duke turned MSU’s open 3-pointers into contested shots, forcing them to take less-than-ideal looks. Justise Winslow grabbed nine rebounds, while Jahlil Okafor had six boards.

“It’s definitely hard out there, but we just strung some stops together and great defense led to great offense,” Quinn Cook, point guard for Duke, told the Associated Press.

They went on to dominate the Spartans 81-61.

Similarly, the Badgers’ defense bared its teeth against Kentucky in the second game of the Final Four. Frank Kaminksy and his teammates held the Wildcats to a mere 1-for-8 in the final seven minutes, which included three straight shot-clock violations.

Dec 3, 2014; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Sam Dekker (15) moves the ball against Duke Blue Devils forward Justise Winslow (12) at the Kohl Center. Duke defeated Wisconsin 80-70. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Badgers are rolling with unprecedented momentum.

The red wave of momentum that comes from toppling the nation’s unanimous bracket favorite cannot be understated. Not only did they prove their defense can stifle the tallest men on the court, they underscored their ability to make clutch plays in the second half. Wisconsin closed the game on a 15-4 run.

With that said, Bo and co. must put Saturday’s game in the rear-view mirror and focus on the 40 minutes ahead. For all intents and purposes, each team’s record is 0-0.

5. Sam Dekker is back to full strength.

The biggest game-changer, however, will be Sam Dekker. Back in December the junior forward was nursing an ankle injury and finished with only five points and four rebounds.

“I watched part of that game, and I just looked different, too,” Dekker told NBC. “I looked real slow.”

Sam has since exploded in the tournament, scoring career-high totals in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. If things get down to the wire, Dekker is playing with the confidence not only to take the game-winning shot, but to make it.

The Duke Blue Devils and Wisconsin Badgers tip off in the 2015 national championship game tonight in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis at 9:18 p.m. ET on CBS.

The Badgers are currently slight favorites to win the national title game.

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